A Limitation to Growth

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A Limitation to Growth

James 2:14

February 16, 2024

“What does it profit, my brothers, if a man says he has faith but has no works?”

— James 2:14

Jesus is Lord, and if you’re submitted to Him, He should be Lord of all your life. Are you willing to obey the Lord in all sorts of areas, but one particular one? It may be that because we are holding back in this area, we have reached a spiritual plateau, a limit to our growth in Christ.

We grow in grace by our obedience, because as God tells us various things that He wants us to do, we are confronted with a decision, and it is a decision either to be obedient or to be disobedient. And if we obey God, then He pours out grace upon grace and blesses us yet more abundantly. If we disobey Him, we have the experience of a person rising up and hitting the ceiling and coming back down, then trying to rise again and hitting the ceiling and coming back down because of those acts of disobedience.

May I ask you this: What is it that God has told you to do in His Word that you have refused to do? That is as far as you will grow spiritually. That is your ceiling. That determines the size of your room for growth and improvement. So obedience to what we already know works a tremendous blessing. We don’t necessarily understand what that blessing is until we obey. Sometimes obedience precedes understanding. But in retrospect, we realize what a glorious, wonderful adventure to which Christ has called us.

Abba Father, I ask You today to show me any area in which I am not obeying You. Bring to my attention anything that hinders my growth and short-circuits any blessing You have for me…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE TO OUR GROWTH.

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

February 28, 2024

“Let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” — Hebrews 12:2 In the early days of my pastoring, I had the pleasure of witnessing to a young man in his twenties, who finally accepted Christ. He was growing in the Lord. The very week after he joined the church, he made the central headlines of the newspaper. The FBI was looking for him for some kind of fraudulent activity he had been involved in before. In fact, when they found him, he was so overwhelmed by this experience he had a mental breakdown. I visited him in Broward Hospital’s mental ward. When I went into his room, he was like a caged lion. He hardly seemed aware of my presence. He was pacing back and forth across the room, mumbling to himself, moaning, bewailing, and gesturing about what was going to happen to him. He was possibly facing twenty years in prison. After some time, he quieted down as I read the Scripture to him about how Peter had looked at the waves and had begun to sink. I said to him, “You are looking at the waves, and you are sinking into total mental depression and agony of spirit. Lift up your eyes to Jesus. Fix your eyes upon Him. Look upon Him. Look unto Him.” Gradually, all of his anxiety and distress just seemed to drain away. He sat down in a chair and began to look at me with eyes that obviously were quite full of understanding. He was restored. Later, the charges against him were dropped. Though your problems seem insurmountable, fix your eyes on Jesus. Jesus Christ, give me strength for today to focus on You. Forgive me for too often focusing on the problems of life, but not You. If ever I should start to sink, let me say with Peter, “Lord, save me.” Thank You that You have overcome the world… BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN KEEP OUR EYES ON JESUS.

The Secret to Walking on Water

February 27, 2024

“Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, bid me come to You on the water.’” — Matthew 14:28 As we know, one night when the disciples were on the Sea of Galilee and Jesus was not present, a storm came up. They were afraid and even thought they saw a ghost. It was Jesus, walking on the water. Then, impetuous Peter said, “If it is you, let me walk on the water to You.” And Jesus said, “Come.” Peter, climbing up the gunnel of the ship, steps down upon the water, no doubt very hesitantly. Holding on to the side, he pushes himself away and begins to walk upon the waves, coming to Christ. What an extraordinary experience. Other than Jesus Christ, he is the only other human being I have ever heard of who actually walked upon water. Now, we may tend to smile at Peter because of the fearfulness that came upon him and his sinking into the waves. But, let us not forget that Peter did walk a number of steps upon the water. How about you? How many steps have you walked on water? Then Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the boisterous sea. He saw the effects of it in the waves that were dashing about him. And when he took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the waves, he began instantly to sink. How many times have you or I lain upon our beds at night microscopically examining the waves and wondering why we were sinking? If you would learn to walk on water, then don’t look at the waves, look at Jesus. Lord Jesus, thank You for holding us up in life, even through difficult storms. Help us to focus on You and not the wind and waves. Give us the grace to keep our eyes on You through the storms of life… BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN “WALK ON WATER.”

The Real Super Bowl

February 26, 2024

“Woe unto the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short.” — Revelation 12:12 Every year millions of Americans eagerly await the Super Bowl. This is when the two most successful and powerful teams in the country meet together for a final conflict, for the championship of the world, preceded by a long competition leading up to the final event. But when you think about it, there is a real Super Bowl, which is of far greater consequence than any football game. I am talking about a supernatural bowl in which there are two teams in this world that are involved in a contest for the championship of the world, for the dominion of the world. So in this “Super Bowl” it is Christians vs. the dragons, and many people don’t know what the outcome is going to be. There are those in our country today who join Satan’s team, really believing they are winning and are going to have the victory, receiving from below the success they are seeking in this world. It is a bowl that should indeed cause great interest, because not merely is there a trophy or ring involved, but the entire conquest and dominion of the world is at stake. This Super Bowl is described in the book of Revelation. Thank God we are on the winning side. As the hymn notes, “So from the beginning the fight we were winning.” Lord, give me strength for today to serve You, knowing that You have conquered the evil one. Though his “craft and power are great and armed with cruel hate,” You defeated Him, Jesus, on the cross and in Your resurrection. Renew my spirit to serve You with joy… BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE KNOW WE ARE ON THE WINNING SIDE.