Christian Living

Christian Living tips and encouragement for Christian women to live confidently in Christ, by growing closer to God and practically applying God’s word.

Christian Living

Are you tired of feeling like a spiritual toddler, taking tiny steps towards growth but never really getting anywhere on your journey as you learn how to grow in Christ daily? The wonderful thing about our walk with Jesus is that He doesn’t want us to remain a toddler in our faith. Baby steps are where we grow confidence in walking, but we don’t want to take baby steps forever. Our baby steps should graduate in confidence to toddling, walking, speed walking, toddler jogging and then running! Perhaps you’ve lost your confidence and haven’t reached the level of a full gaited sprint of growth that the Lord has for you. No worries, Sister. In this blog article, it is my goal to help you gain confidence to grow in the Lord and His grace as you walk with Him confidently. What helps you to grow in the Lord? One of the most important factors in helping a person’s growth is found in Matthew chapter 13, where Jesus was illustrating the condition of the heart. Jesus is illustrated as the sower, and we are the various grounds where His seed is sown. We can learn a valuable lesson from each example, as shown in the table below: A sower sowed seed Resulting in: What we can learn: On the wayside Birds eating the seed Satan takes the seed that was sown Stony places Receives the word with joy but no depth of roots, scorched by the sun, withered by sun and choked He is offended Good ground Hears and understands the Word Bears fruit What is the importance of growing in Christ? Jesus sowed seed in three different types of soil. A seed that is sewn by the wayside will cause birds to eat the seed and also Satan to take the seed that was sown. A seed sown in stony places has no depth or roots, and when confronted is offended. A seed sown on good ground hears and understands the word and bears much fruit. Have you thought about the condition of your heart at this moment? If you could describe it in one sentence, what would it be? I ask that, because one of the most beneficial things that we can have that will determine our growth in Christ is the condition of our heart. God wants us to grow. He knows the importance of growing in Christ. He never meant us to be stationary but wants us to progress into the exact image He has for each of us. Each of us has a purpose in life. To get to the stage we can fulfill our God-given purpose here on Earth, we need to grow in Christ. How can I grow like Christ? The condition of the heart is one of the most important factors in how to grow in Christ daily. There is a possibility that if you are reading this, you are that good soil that the Lord speaks about. If not, I’m believing that you want to be that beautifully dark, moist, and nutrient-rich soil that the sower sows His seed on. If you’re asking yourself the question, “How can I grow like Christ”, the answer is the soil of your heart. Being that good soil is simply a heart matter. The thing that takes you from being a dry and parched land to beautiful, nutrient-rich soil is the condition of the heart. The bridge lies in a simple prayer asking God to change your heart. Ask God for a hunger and thirst for Him, then act upon that prayer by watering the seedlings that God has planted in your life. 4 Tips to grow in Christ In researching this blog article, I found that there are basically 4 things needed when you want to have good soil to grow healthy plants and flowers. They are mineral, water, air, and organic matter. Hold on Sis and be patient with me because there’s a spiritual illustration coming down the pike that you don’t want to miss. ● minerals are rocks that give soil essential plant nutrients. ● water helps nutrients move into the plant roots, and help in seed germination and plant growth. ● air creates optimal conditions for plant roots and microorganisms that help plants thrive. ● organic matter is/are both living and dead elements, in some stage of decomposition that improve the soil’s capacity to store and supply essential nutrients. The same is true for our daily spiritual growth in Christ! As there are four things that are needed for good soil quality- there are four things necessary, as a spiritual representation, for our daily spiritual growth in Christ. ● minerals, or rocks, represent the rock, because Jesus is the firm foundation upon which we build our salvation and our lives. ● water– water of life represents spiritual refreshment and eternal life only given by Jesus. ● air– represents the comforting Holy Spirit (pneuma: breath of God) and His indwelling of the lives of Christian believers. ● organic matter represents the daily experience of dying to self. Every day we have the ability to take our experience of failures and shortcomings and turn them into fertilizer which helps our growth in Jesus! How can I grow spiritually like Christ? Now that we have a nutrient rich soil and seedlings bursting forth from the ground, let’s dig into some practical things you can do to explode your spiritual growth in Christ Jesus. Here are four tips to achieve Biblical growth in your life and to grow spiritually like Christ. Tip 1: Read the Bible As Christians, we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, and that it contains everything we need to know about who God is, what He has done for us, and how we can live our lives in a way that honors Him. Reading the Bible for yourself is incredibly beneficial for anyone who wants to grow in their relationship with Christ. When we read the Bible, we get to know God better. We learn about His character, His love for us, and His plan for our lives. We also learn about the life of Jesus and His teachings, which can help us better understand what it means to follow Him. Tip 2: Connect to God in Prayer Prayer is simply defined as talking with God. It’s a conversation with God. In any conversation, no one wants to talk to a wall. Prayer is a two-way conversation where we speak to God and He speaks to us. Talking with God helps us to cultivate a spirit of gratitude and thankfullness exercising the opportunity to thank God for the blessings in our lives, both big and small. It is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and transformation that helps us grow in our Christian faith and trust in God. Tip 3: Find a Bible Based Church Home In a Bible based church, the preaching and teaching is centered around the Word of God, which means that you will be hearing messages that are straight from the word of God. This is integral for your life, so you know you are building your life upon the rock, Christ Jesus. When you attend a Bible based church, you will be able to fellowship with other Christians who share your faith and hold the same values. This can be a wonderful way to build friendships, find support during difficult times, and to grow in your understanding of what it means to be a part of the body of Christ. Tip 4: Serve the body of Christ with your gifts and talents God has given each of us unique gifts and talents that we can use to serve Him within the body of Christ to bless others. When we use our gifts and talents to serve, we not only help to build up the church, but we also grow in our own faith and relationship with God. How to grow in Christ spiritually Bible verse One of my favorite Scriptures that sums up the growing experience of a Christian in the grace of God comes from 2 Peter 3:18 (NASB) which says: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” The key to our growth in Christ is to grow in grace! Prayer for growth in Christ In closing, I would love to pray for you. “Father, I pray for each and every reader of this blog, that they would have a heart that is desirous of your will, and your will only. Help them till the soil of their heart so your word can flourish and bring forth much fruit for your glory. May You show them the way how to grow in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen. You’ve been given the amazing tools you need to flourish and learn how to grow in Christ daily. May God bless you as you, Sweet Sister!

Are you tired of feeling like a spiritual toddler, taking tiny steps towards growth but never really getting anywhere on your journey as you learn how to grow in Christ daily? The wonderful thing about our walk with Jesus is that He doesn’t want us to remain a toddler in our faith. Baby steps are […]

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