"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:12-17 NIV
As Christians, we must grow in much the same way we grow as children into adults. When we first accept Christ and choose to follow Him, we are but little babies. Babies just beginning to grow and learn all there is to know of Christ and His deep, unending love for us. After a time, through much prayer and seeking, we find that we have matured in our relationship with God and have reached something that could be compared with young adulthood. After more time of seeking and striving to know more of God, we reach a time that we could equate with mature adulthood.
Through each of these seasons in our relationship with God we have grown and struggled. We have had times when we are very close in our relationship with God and times when we have strayed. We experience times when we are content in our relationship with God (and sometimes maybe TOO content) and we experience times we we are uneasy and struggle with the directions we see the Lord leading.
In all of these experiences we learn and we grow and we mature. Ultimately finding ourselves in a truly life-changing relationship with our Lord. We find that the ways of world are not important to us anymore and that we live only for God and His desires for our lives.
In finding God we find that we do not have to be OF the world just because we are IN the world. We find that when we love those things of the world we draw further away from God. Part of growing in our relationship with God is learning how to turn away from the things of the world, but still share God's love with the world. After all, that is why God placed us in this world. For in addition to praising God each day of our lives, we are here to share His love with a world in need. A world that needs to hear of God's unending love. God's unending love that can be found in a true relationship with Him.
As Christians, we must grow in much the same way we grow as children into adults. When we first accept Christ and choose to follow Him, we are but little babies. Babies just beginning to grow and learn all there is to know of Christ and His deep, unending love for us. After a time, through much prayer and seeking, we find that we have matured in our relationship with God and have reached something that could be compared with young adulthood. After more time of seeking and striving to know more of God, we reach a time that we could equate with mature adulthood.
Through each of these seasons in our relationship with God we have grown and struggled. We have had times when we are very close in our relationship with God and times when we have strayed. We experience times when we are content in our relationship with God (and sometimes maybe TOO content) and we experience times we we are uneasy and struggle with the directions we see the Lord leading.
In all of these experiences we learn and we grow and we mature. Ultimately finding ourselves in a truly life-changing relationship with our Lord. We find that the ways of world are not important to us anymore and that we live only for God and His desires for our lives.
In finding God we find that we do not have to be OF the world just because we are IN the world. We find that when we love those things of the world we draw further away from God. Part of growing in our relationship with God is learning how to turn away from the things of the world, but still share God's love with the world. After all, that is why God placed us in this world. For in addition to praising God each day of our lives, we are here to share His love with a world in need. A world that needs to hear of God's unending love. God's unending love that can be found in a true relationship with Him.
2 Thoughts Shared:
Melanie, great post! Amen and amen!
Thanks for stopping by and all of your encouraging comments.
Blessings, dear!
Amen. I agree that we are here to share about His love and salvation. Each one of us can find a way to evangelize. We all have people in our lives you don't know Him yet.
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