Are We Growing?

While reading a few biographies of fellow sister and brothers in Christ, I have been amazed and challenged to learn of some of their spiritual disciplines. Because God meant so much to them they made an effort to go the extra mile for spiritual growth.

Watchman Nee, the evangelist to China, kept his commitment to read and study the New Testament once a week. Wow, no wonder God's Word really became a part of him. He also had a goal to witness to at least one person a day and in addition spent much time in fasting and often prayed up to four hours a day.

Fanny Crosby memorized several books of the Bible during her youth. Notice I said books, not chapters. That is simply amazing.

The spiritual disciplines of these and many others are incredible. Their deep love for God blossomed because of their consumption of the Scriptures and faithfulness in spiritual training. The result was evident in their strong and vibrant faith. No wonder Christians today who only open their Bibles twice a week are so shallow!

This is such a tragedy because too many Christians are settling for just "average." The disciplines of Christians before us should make us ashamed. Being saved is so much more than being rescued from hell; Christ should be our everything. Would we die for Him if we can't even live for Him? The more time we spend with God, the deeper we will love Him and be like Him. God's purpose for believers is to make us like His Son and this will only happen if we're reading His Word, being diligent in spiritual disciplines, and applying what we learn. All I have to say is that we need to wake up and get busy.

For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. ~Phil. 1:21

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. ~2 Cor. 3:18