GROW

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the honor both now and on that eternal day." 1 Peter 3:18 NET

Peter's last word is "grow." Spiritual growth should be the constant quest of every Christian. Paul believed this when he wrote, "Not that I have already attained this--that is, I have not already been perfected--but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me" (Philippians 3:12). Are you pursuing growth?

Our growth as Peter lays it out is to be "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Grace is the generous, undeserved love of God toward us through which He freely blesses us. We have been saved by grace. But we are not finished with grace once we are saved. We continue to need grace to grow to spiritual maturity. We cannot become like Christ merely through our personal striving. We must have grace to reach such heights and so daily we look toward God's throne of grace seeking the grace we need to grow (see Hebrews 4:16). In addition to grace, we need knowledge to grow. This knowledge of Jesus is gained through prayerful reading, study, and meditation over the Scripture wherein He is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. We must not only look daily up to God's throne for grace but we must look daily down to the copy of God's Word in our hand for knowledge of Jesus. Are you looking up to God and down to Scripture seeking to grow each day?

Father, may I never be content with the ground I've already gained in my Christian growth. Fill me with the continual desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark