Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Enemy to Growth
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
—Philippians 3:13-14
Are you satisfied with your spiritual life right now? I am not satisfied with mine. I feel there is a lot of growing I still need to do. I feel there are a lot of things I still need to learn and a lot of changes that still need to happen in my life. And guess what? The same is true for you.
The enemy to growth is contentment. There is a place for being content as a Christian, but never be content with where you are spiritually. You should always be wanting more—wanting to learn more and wanting to grow more.
This is where people often have a breakdown when it comes to keeping their resolutions. They just give up. They think, I can never do it. I am just going to accept who I am and where I am. I will just accept things the way they are. But that is not good enough. We need to commit ourselves to get past the barriers and meet the goals we have set, whether it is growing spiritually or getting in better shape so we can live productive lives for God's glory. We need to keep raising the bar for ourselves.
The apostle Paul, after years of walking with God, said, "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me" (Philippians 3:12). To loosely paraphrase, Paul was saying, "I am not satisfied with where I am. I want to keep growing and progressing spiritually."
So don't settle with where you are spiritually. Be thankful for how far God has brought you, but at the same time, keep moving forward to what is still ahead.
Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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SPECIAL OFFER
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Have you ever doubted the Bible? Have you ever had questions about how the Bible came into being? Have you wondered about the historical reliability of the Bible? Listen. Don't feel bad about that. Let us help you. Here is a great resource that will bolster your faith and help you to defend your beliefs. This book is called Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible. It is written by Greg's friend, Dr. Erwin Lutzer, who is the pastor of the famed Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, Illinois.
You can have your own copy of Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible in appreciation for your gift to Harvest Ministries this month. 
