God wants us to act like his adult children.

Leon ♦ June 17, 2017 ♦ 3 Comments

No matter what our age, we will always be our parents children.  When we were very young we depended on our parents for everything. To feed us, burp us, and change our diapers. As we got a little older, we began doing a few thing for ourselves. Our parents, began to expect, or even demand, that we do things for ourselves. “Mom can you get me a drink”, was answered with, “your a big boy or girl, get it yourself”. The same is true with our Father in heaven. When we were new Christians, we looked to God for help with everything, in our new life of faith. As we become more mature, God wants and expects us, to become more and more like himself. Doing spiritual things, for ourselves. By this, we become brighter and brighter, in an ever increasingly dark world. Bringing glory to God our Father, and our Lord Jesus. 1 Peter 2: 1-2 “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” Peter explains we grow as Christians, by studying his word.  2 Peter 3:18  ^“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” Peter again tells us to grow, in grace and knowledge. That knowledge of who Jesus is, what he has done for us, the victory we have received through him, and who we now are in Christ, all comes from his word. 

What do I mean specifically, when I say God wants us to do more for ourselves?  When we stop regarding,  the false news Satan spreads, and start believing the Good News, Jesus and his apostles spread, our faith will grow and grow. Until nothing that is in line with God’s will, is impossible for us. Jonah 2:8 ^“They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” Lying vanities are anything we perceive with our five senses, that is contrary to the Word of God.  Sickness, disease, fear, hopelessness, are all lying vanities. Six billion people on the face of this Earth, who believe there is another way to eternal life, aside from Jesus, are all lying vanities. One of the most misquoted verses in the entire bible is, “the truth shall set you free.” Jesus told his disciples, it was his word, that is truth, and that would set them free. John 1: 31-32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  John 17:16-17 ^“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” God’s word, as revealed through his Holy Bible, is truth. When Jesus fed well over five thousand, with a few loafs of bread, and a few small fish, the first thing he told his disciples was, you feed them. Matthew 14:16 ^“But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.” Jesus was testing their faith. Jesus knew they could have fed the multitudes, if they had the faith to do so. Jesus told his disciples, they would do the things he did, and even greater things. John 14: 12-13 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”  It does not bring glory to Jesus, or our Father, if we continue to act as little children. Peter started out with little faith, he feared what men would do to him, to the point he denied Jesus three times on the night of his arrest. Did Peter’s faith remain so weak? No, of course not.  Peter went on to become a pillar of faith, and of good works. It would not be a stretch to say his healing power surpassed Jesus, because Jesus is in Heaven, and wants to see tremendous growth in us. Acts 5:14-16 “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.” Peter went from a trembling liar, denying he even knew Jesus, to one whose very shadow healed the sick and infirmed!  God our Father and our Lord and Brother Jesus, want to see that kind of growth in all of us. Jesus is incapable of lying. If he said it, then it’s true. Jesus commanded his disciples to do this. Matthew 10: 7-8 “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” We are the Lord’s disciples today, as much as any that followed him two thousand years ago. Jesus also told his followers they could move mountains! The first mountain we must remove, is the mountain of doubt and lies, Satan and his world of deception has placed before us. Command doubt to leave your mind, and it will obey. Matthew 21:21-22 ^“Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”