Hi there! I'm reading 1 John 2 this morning and I'd like to share with you 7 things that will help you grow your walk with Christ. So grab your Bible and follow along!
1. Repentance - (v2) This guy is the most important. That's why every walk begins right here. Whether you just accepted the Lord and you're trying to figure out where to go next or if you've been walking with the Lord for 50 years; Repentance is the first thing to check, when your walk isn't feeling so "Fresh". It's not just confession but once it's brought to mind and confessed; we should also turn from the thing you are confessing.
Not only does repentance help to remove the wedge of sin so that there is nothing between you and God. Repentance also helps to keep us humble by reminding ourselves that we too are sinners. This makes it easier to love others, particularly when they aren't so lovely. It also aids in teaching us how to depend on Christ. When we are weak, He is strong.
2. Obedience - (v3-6) - "We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands in a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did."
I really don't need to add to that. But the point of Jesus dying on a cross was so that the Holy Spirit could come and live with us. This Holy Spirit is full of power and can help us overcome any situation or sin. So, if the Holy Spirit lives in you and you are spending time daily with the Lord, you will not be sinning in the exact same manner as before. I say exact because we are all sinners. We will all still have sin present but you should be able to see areas that you have overcome in time. (So should others.) As God reveals an area in your life that is sin, you should have the strength to overcome it and then on to the next.
It's also a good exercise to start a timeline for yourself with all of the main points about your relationship with God. You can add to it any personal milestones, etc. Not only will this encourage you in those dark areas but it will also give you a skeleton to build your testimony on.
3. Check your love walk - (v9) "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness." My commentary says that "Love is the key to walking in the light because we cannot grow spiritually while we hate others. Our growing relationship with God will result in growing relationships with others."
It sounds good on paper or a blog but stop to consider your past week. You may have gone to church or spent some time with the Lord praising him for how awesome He is BUT-
Does your neighbor make your blood boil? Is everything that you've said to your husband this week snarky? Do you have a short fuse with your children? Have you gossiped about a co-worker? Real love reaches out and looks for ways to make a relationship work- not how to avoid it!
If you're struggling in this area, let me tell you a very simple prayer: Dear Jesus, I see that this area of my life is sin. I struggle to love, like and/or be near _______. Please help me see and even love him/her the way that you do.
Then look for ways to build that bridge or reconnect!
4. Not being held back by yourself or the devil - (v12-14) Look, it says here that all of the junk in your brain that keeps you from moving forward has already been defeated! This includes your past. We're all weak and imperfect by ourselves. But remember we're not alone. The helper is with us!
You remember what happened to the guy that hid is talent, right? Yes, you do have talent! So, don't even go there. You just might not have developed it yet. (You get that when you practice it.) So, insecurity, sin, doubt- We all have it! You're not isolated or special. Whether it's service, preaching, befriending, or anything else you're feeling led to do, show some faith that God will meet you in it and give Him the reigns.
And the devil well, he's just a liar. He's the one probably whispering all of the above stuff in your ear. Jesus overcame him too. So just walk on by.
Don't let the Devil's lies rob you of God's promises!
5. Not Loving anything in the world (v15) - Wait, What? Didn't you just tell me to love my brother and sister? Yes, and we know they are all "in this world" like you and I. It is good to love others. It's natural to also love your hobby, your job, your collection and your car. -BUT you can't let that love come before God. So, when you get your paycheck on Friday and you really want to go to a show but you only have enough to pay tithes OR the tickets. Well, your love for God should be bigger. When you're having a temper tantrum and you only want to do what you want but a friend or even a foe has a need, your love for God should help you overcome yourself so that you can put your brother or sister first! -But in contrast, if you feel like the Lord's leading you to do something, you can't not do it because of what someone else might think. You must put the Lord first.
6. Not Denying God - (v22) So, I don't want to skew this. Clearly this verse is describing the antichrist as someone who denies that Jesus is the Christ. BUT for the purpose of growing in your walk, I'd like you to scale this item back to simply "Denying God" in general terms.
Not denying (or withholding) God can be a tough one, even for seasoned believers. You know when you're starting out in faith. You're curious enough to get more into it but you're just not sure that you want others to know about that side of you. So you don't mention God. Later, we might have times and places that we feel more comfortable with doing so but certain situations can still make us hesitant.
Yet, the "soul" purpose of our walk with God is to raise disciples and other believers; to save the lost and to glorify His name by pointing everything back to Christ himself. If you [we] can't mention Him, you're missing a critical nutrient in your own soil.
If you need a little encouragement here Philemon 1:6 says that your testimony builds YOUR faith. Revelations 12:11 says that the Devil will be defeated by the blood of the lamb AND the word of their testimony. -Both involve your pretty little lips and the word of God!
7. Reading the word - (v20-27) John 1:1 says that in the Beginning was the Word [When He first spoke it] and the Word was with God [As the Trinity] and the Word was God [His Name]
His word is still alive and active! It was all that he used to form the earth. It's all that he uses to speak into your heart and transform life. It's all that you need to call upon in a moment of strength! Whether written or spoken the word of God is who God is!
If you're not reading the word, how on earth can you know what it says? How can you possibly know him?!
The best part is...
While 1-7 might sound like a bunch of rules, if we continue in Christ as it says in the final verses of this passage, then these items actually become the fruit of that effort alone. Something revealed after or throughout our walk, not done only in order to have one.
You will want to repent because you won't want any wedge between you and God (1). You will want to do what Jesus did (2) because your interests change and your ways begin to mirror his; which includes loving others (3) and trusting in God not our self (4), putting God first (5) and bringing everything back to him (6).
So spend your time in the word friend and let his water simply wash through you; bringing life to the roots of your soul.
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So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7
Photo Credit: Taken from here: http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Seedlings and then modified.
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