Edevotional

Christian growth

Attaining the Victory Little by Little (Deut 7)

Little River

Deuteronomy Chapter 7 verses 21-23 says:

21 You shall not be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God. 22 The Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you. 23 But the Lord your God will give them over to you and throw them into great confusion, until they are destroyed.

God’ plan for you to take possession of the promised land He has given you is not to possess it over night or even in a day. Rather we possess it “little by little”.

Whilst we love the “suddenly”s of the Lord, the truth is victory and the promises of God are attained “little by little”.

  • One aspect of character at a time
  • One family member at a time
  • One financial breakthrough at a time

One step at a time, little by little, we walk in the promises of God more and more. Contrary to our schedule, God is not in a hurry. He works according to His pace and plan and it is a wise Christian who comes to realise that.

Why does God give us the victory “little by little”?

  1. It is as much the process as the outcome that counts – Like Enoch, God wants to walk with Him. And when we walk with Him we are changed to become more like Him. Little by little we walk with Him, need Him and allow Him to work for us.
  2. There is always more to God for us to discover – We don’t ever “make it” or “arrive” this side of eternity. As long as we have breath we are all works in progress. Little by little also discover more of WHO God is.
  3. We are being prepared for Eternity – Taking ground, taking authority, taking up who we are in Christ little by little is preparation for eternity where we will rule and reign with Him.

PRAYER: Father, I choose to walk with you and take ground for you little by little. I resolve to keep walking and stay faithful trusting you to fulfil your word to me. In Jesus name, Amen

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What is the Kingdom of God Really Like? (Luke 13)

mustard seeds

Luke 13 verse 18 and 19 says:

18 So He was saying, “What is the kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and threw into his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

Have you ever wondered what the Kingdom of God is really like? Or maybe you’ve heard the term, read about it even, but it still seems hard to get clear in your mind?

In the two verse above, Jesus tells us what the Kingdom of God is:

  • A Seed – it carries life. A seed carries within it the ability to reproduce itself. It is created for this purpose. So too the Kingdom of God is carried in seed form.
  • It starts small – a mustard seed is exceedingly small and easy to overlook. In fact, we are told a man “threw it”. The Kingdom of God’s true value and worth is often overlooked and discarded.
  • It is planted by man – I love that God chooses to use and involve man in His work. The Kingdom of God belongs to God but is for people and is spread to people by people.
  • The Seed’s Destiny is to become a tree – The seed of the Kingdom, when planted, does not remain a small, insignificant seed. It grows into a life-giving tree. So too the Kingdom of God, if received, grows and gives life!
  • The Tree Grows and Impacts its surrounds – The seed grows into a tree and the tree creates an improved environment for those around it. Branches provide shelter for birds, the canopy provides shade, sustenance is provided by its fruit and nuts, new life comes as a result of the ecosystem it produces, reproduction occurs as a result of it’s seed. So too the living active Kingdom of God!

The Kingdom of God brings life and life more abundantly! That is the nature of God and His rulership in our lives. Embrace it and partake in it today!

PRAYER: Father, thank you for your kingdom rule. I submit to your lordship today in my life. I ask you to bring about your new life in and through me today Lord. Im Jesus name, Amen.

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Repentance = Change = Growth

repentance change growth

Matthew 3:8 says:

Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance

John the Baptist said this and he also said “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (verse 2).

The word repentance in the Greek is one I love – “metanoia”. It literally means a change of thinking or change of heart.

There are whole industries in the world today dedicated to change. Making improvements, turning businesses around. Talk-show hosts who offer remedies to change are watched by multiple millions each day. Consultants and coaches consult and coach all manner of people as to how they can change their lives.

Why is change so desired and so important? Because people know if you want things to be different to how they are there is a need for things to change. If we keep doing things the same, we will get the same results.

But if we make changes in our life, positive changes, then the result is growth.

John the Baptiser pointed to this when he spoke of the “fruits of repentance“. The fruits of repentance are realised when the tree of your life is growing through the changes you and the Grace of God make.

Why is this such a big deal? Because the kingdom of God is near and coming nearer and God wants a changed you to be a part of it!

PRAYER: Lord, here I am today. I confess I need you and want you. Change me as you ordain. Amen

Are we there yet? (Ephesians 4)

“Are we there yet?”

I can remember as a child travelling away with my family on holidays. Being young and eager to get out at our destination to play, I can remember being exasperated at how long it seemed to take for us to “get there”.

Whilst as adults we seem to become more patient as we grow, there remains a part of us that is anxious to know if “we’ve arrived” in life.

In terms of our Christian walk, this side of eternity, we are continually on a road to maturity as we grow up into the fullness of Christ. This is the calling of the church according to Ephesians 4, to build up the body of Christ

“until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (verse 13)

The word “mature” (Greek: Teleios) literally means “perfection” or “to be complete”. Now, if we are on this journey through life with God the answer to our question “have we arrived yet?” is NO! But we are on the road towards it.

If ever you are wondering “what on earth God is doing with your life?”, you can be assured of the answer.

He is maturing you! He is completing you. He is perfecting you. He is working in and through you to bring you to a place where you grow up to “mature manhood” in the “fullness of Christ”.

This is the road to maturity that all of us are on. Recognising this can be exceptionally liberating.

No longer are we shadow boxing or sulking in offence towards God because of what we’re going through. Instead, we are able to discern how God is at work in our lives, how He is using those circumstances we are facing, how He is using it to refine us and, ultimately, what sort of response He is looking for us to give.

It might be to repent.
It might be to “be still” and trust Him.
It might be to pray and contend.
It might be to prophesy His truth.

It could well be all these things and more. But it starts with recognising that God is at work.

When we recognise God’s purpose is to bring us to a place of greater maturity, we’re able to come into agreement with God concerning it.  Whenever we surrender our agendas and submit to His, we allow Him to forge in us more of the likeness of Jesus Christ.

And that’s maturity.

Photo by Hector Perez from Pexels