EDLERS THOUGHTS:


Are you better off now.

A presidential politician once asked a question of voters in order to contrast his candidacy with his opponent. The question was "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?" I encourage you to evaluate this question in light of your personal spiritual growth. Second Peter 1:10 provides a strong argument for growing spiritually by stating that if we keep on growing we will not stumble.

What benchmarks should we use to evaluate our personal situation; emotions, success, financial wealth? I am personally uncomfortable with these as a benchmark because I do not believe that they hold the key to being close to God. I want to be successful, financially wealthy and on the mountain top, but God loves us for more than this. He gave his son to redeem us from our sin, and not for the purposes of being health and wealth acolytes.

- Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? Are they special to you?

- Do you cherish the word of God? Is it your resource for counsel and sustenance? Are you obedient to His teachings?

- Are your prayers centered on His desires and goals? Do you depend on Him? Are you thankful?

- Can you see the kingdom view of the world, or are you entrenched in being self-centered?

- Do you actively pursue making things better for others in the church, both "spurring one another on to love and good works" and "considering others better than yourselves"? Or would you rather wallow in "how bad things are around here" world?

- Are you content?

I offer these questions for your consideration in the prayerful desire that each of us wants to mature further in the Lord to "withstand the schemes of the devil". Much of our growth depends on a desire and motivation to want to grow. He has done so much for us, do we love him enough to evaluate, plan and implement changes in our lives that will keep us from stumbling and enable a rich entrance to the kingdom of Heaven?


2 Peter 1:5 "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you."

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