Intentional growing

[EarthMomma]

Becoming like Christ centers on His work in us, and not our work for Him. God wants to change our hearts, not our religious activity.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Guide us O Lord to open our hearts to You and Your will. Teach us to yield, submit and obey as You reveal the Christ in us. Renew, empower and recreate us into the likeness of Christ Jesus who has come to live in us.

Help us to pay careful attention to how we walk.

Ephesians 5:14-15 (KJV) 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
​

Give us the faith to examine ourselves, dear God, search our hearts and lead us toward You.

Galatians 6:4 (KJV) But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Psalms 139:23-24 (KJV) 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
​

Help us to grow in Christ as we examine ourselves according to Your Word, as we give ourselves wholeheartedly to You.

Haggai 1:5 (KJV) Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Lamentations 3:40-41 (KJV) 40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. 41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
​

We praise You and we thank You for Your Word, Your Son who lives in us and Your Holy Spirit's guidance.

In Jesus name which is love as You are Love,

Amen

 

[hungrytiger]

Thank you, EarthMomma, for your prayer. It was lovely. May the Lord hear our prayers.

You said, "Becoming like Christ centers on His work in us, and not our work for Him. God wants to change our hearts, not our religious activity." This reminds me of something I read in The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith. Don't know if I agree with everything in the book, but I think some of it has really helped me. Anyway, I thought I'd try to share some of it here.

Grow, dear friends, but grow, I beseech you, in God's way, which is the only effectual way. See to it that you are planted in grace, and then let the Divine Husbandman cultivate you in His own way and by His own means. Put yourselves out in the sunshine of His presence, and let the dew of heaven come down upon you, and see what will come of it. Leaves and flowers and fruit must surely come in their season, for your Husbandman is a skilful one, and He never fails in His harvesting. Only see to it that you interpose no hindrance to the shining of the Sun of Righteousness or the falling of the dew from Heaven. A very thin covering may serve to keep off the heat or the moisture, and the plant may wither even in their midst; and the slightest barrier between your soul and Christ may cause you to dwindle and fade as a plant in a cellar or under a bushel. Keep the sky clear. Open wide every avenue of your being to receive the blessed influences our Divine Husbandman may bring to bear upon you. Bask in the sunshine of His love. Drink in of the waters of His goodness. Keep your face up-turned to Him. Look, and your soul shall live.

You need make no efforts to grow; but let your efforts instead be all concentrated on this, that you abide in the Vine. The Husbandman who has the care of the vine, will care for its branches also, and will so prune and purge and water and tend them that they will grow and bring forth fruit, and their fruit shall remain; and, like the lily, they shall find themselves arrayed in apparel so glorious that that of Solomon will be as nothing to it.

 

[EarthMomma]

Thank you so much for sharing this hungry tiger. I'm not familiar with that book, but it sounds wonderful.

Grow, dear friends, but grow, I beseech you, in God's way, which is the only effectual way. See to it that you are planted in grace, and then let the Divine Husbandman cultivate you in His own way and by His own means. Put yourselves out in the sunshine of His presence, and let the dew of heaven come down upon you, and see what will come of it. Leaves and flowers and fruit must surely come in their season, for your Husbandman is a skilful one, and He never fails in His harvesting. Only see to it that you interpose no hindrance to the shining of the Sun of Righteousness or the falling of the dew from Heaven. A very thin covering may serve to keep off the heat or the moisture, and the plant may wither even in their midst; and the slightest barrier between your soul and Christ may cause you to dwindle and fade as a plant in a cellar or under a bushel. Keep the sky clear. Open wide every avenue of your being to receive the blessed influences our Divine Husbandman may bring to bear upon you. Bask in the sunshine of His love. Drink in of the waters of His goodness. Keep your face up-turned to Him. Look, and your soul shall live.

You need make no efforts to grow; but let your efforts instead be all concentrated on this, that you abide in the Vine. The Husbandman who has the care of the vine, will care for its branches also, and will so prune and purge and water and tend them that they will grow and bring forth fruit, and their fruit shall remain; and, like the lily, they shall find themselves arrayed in apparel so glorious that that of Solomon will be as nothing to it.

It really is whose we are and not what we do, isn't it?

May we grow closer and closer to God, letting Him draw us for His purposes.

Love and peace,
EarthMomma

 

[hungrytiger]

Thank you so much for sharing this hungry tiger. I'm not familiar with that book, but it sounds wonderful.

I'm glad you liked it. If you're interested, it was written in the 1800's so isn't under copyright anymore and is available for free online. There's a copy of it here.

May we grow closer and closer to God, letting Him draw us for His purposes.

 

[daughterofzion]

Becoming like Christ centers on His work in us, and not our work for Him. God wants to change our hearts, not our religious activity.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Guide us O Lord to open our hearts to You and Your will. Teach us to yield, submit and obey as You reveal the Christ in us. Renew, empower and recreate us into the likeness of Christ Jesus who has come to live in us.

Help us to pay careful attention to how we walk.

Ephesians 5:14-15 (KJV) 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

​

Give us the faith to examine ourselves, dear God, search our hearts and lead us toward You.

Galatians 6:4 (KJV) But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Psalms 139:23-24 (KJV) 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

​

Help us to grow in Christ as we examine ourselves according to Your Word, as we give ourselves wholeheartedly to You.

Haggai 1:5 (KJV) Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Lamentations 3:40-41 (KJV) 40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. 41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

​

We praise You and we thank You for Your Word, Your Son who lives in us and Your Holy Spirit's guidance.

In Jesus name which is love as You are Love,

Amen

Thank you for this!

 

[TheAJKMan]

Becoming like Christ centers on His work in us, and not our work for Him. God wants to change our hearts, not our religious activity.

Aint that the truth. Thanks for another lovely post EarthMomma, nice reminder/prayer. GIve me something to meditate on.

TheAJKMan

 

[GrammasFaith]

Becoming like Christ centers on His work in us, and not our work for Him. God wants to change our hearts, not our religious activity.

This is a very nice reminder and close to my devotion last night. It is not a question of our equipment, but of our poverty. Not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us. Not a question of natural virtues of strength of character, knowledge, and experience. All of that is of no avail in this matter. He can do nothing with the man who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not out for our own cause, but we are out for the cause of God. The main thing is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the atmosphere produced by that relationship. That's all God asks us to look after.

Lord, I pray that you continue to guide me in remembering this. Bring this concept continually to my mind that I do not forget that it's You who's in charge.
Amen

 

[JPPT1974]

I'm glad you liked it. If you're interested, it was written in the 1800's so isn't under copyright anymore and is available for free online. There's a copy of it here.

Hey we love whatever you do my friend
God bless you! Take care!

 

[hungrytiger]

Hey we love whatever you do my friend
God bless you! Take care!

Thank you. May God bless you too.

 

[soblessed53]

Becoming like Christ centers on His work in us, and not our work for Him. God wants to change our hearts, not our religious activity.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Guide us O Lord to open our hearts to You and Your will. Teach us to yield, submit and obey as You reveal the Christ in us. Renew, empower and recreate us into the likeness of Christ Jesus who has come to live in us.

Help us to pay careful attention to how we walk.

Ephesians 5:14-15 (KJV) 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

​

Give us the faith to examine ourselves, dear God, search our hearts and lead us toward You.

Galatians 6:4 (KJV) But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Psalms 139:23-24 (KJV) 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

​

Help us to grow in Christ as we examine ourselves according to Your Word, as we give ourselves wholeheartedly to You.

Haggai 1:5 (KJV) Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Lamentations 3:40-41 (KJV) 40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. 41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

​

We praise You and we thank You for Your Word, Your Son who lives in us and Your Holy Spirit's guidance.

In Jesus name which is love as You are Love,

Amen

Beautiful!

 

[EarthMomma]

I'm glad you liked it. If you're interested, it was written in the 1800's so isn't under copyright anymore and is available for free online. There's a copy of it here.

THANKS SO MUCH for the comments and the link, I look forward to reading that!