“…we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ…” (Eph. 4:15)

Grow: to spring up and develop to maturity; to become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain. 

If you don’t grow you will become weak and dull 

“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Heb. 5:11-14 ESV)

Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus

“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.” (2 Peter 3:18 ESV)

Go on to maturity

“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” (Heb. 6:1-2 ESV)

Therefore…

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6 ESV)

“So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:10 ESV)

Quote:

“Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.” - Aiden Wilson Tozer

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding…” (Prov. 2:6 ESV)

Woulda, coulda, shoulda

I asked a man in his 90’s to tell me what the greatest thing he had learned over his long life. He simply said, “To soon old and to late smart!” Followed with, “I wish I had known back then what I know now; I would have done a whole lot of things differently!” He looked very sad. But, as often said, “hindsight is 20-20” and you cannot change the past. It’s far better to make wise decisions from the start. The Bible has a lot to say about doing just that. 

The treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in God

“In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:3 ESV)

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom. 11:33 ESV)

Ask God for it

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5 ESV)

Therefore…

“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jer. 8:23-24 ESV)

Quote:

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” - Charles Spurgeon

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10:23 ESV)

Hope – “To trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future.” – Bible Dictionary

Put your hope in the living God

“That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” (Tim 4:10 NIV) 

Hope will come through the encouragement of Scriptures

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4 ESV)

We’re born again to a living hope

 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3 ESV)

“So that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:7 ESV)

God gives a future and a hope

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 ESV)

Therefore….

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Rom. 12:12 ESV)

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lam. 3:24 ESV)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom. 15:13 ESV)

Quote:

“The hope that God has provided for you is not merely a wish. Neither is it dependent on other people, possessions, or circumstances for its validity. Instead, biblical hope is an application of your faith that supplies a confident expectation in God's fulfillment of His promises. Coupled with faith and love, hope is part of the abiding characteristics in a believer's life.” - John C. Broger

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom. 15:13 ESV)

By believing you may have life in His Name

“But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31 ESV)

“And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31 ESV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24 ESV) 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV)

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12 ESV)

Therefore…

“If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (John 19:9 NIV)

Quote:

“We should inquire once again as to what the life of faith is. It is one lived by believing God under any circumstance: "If he slay me," says Job, "yet would I trust in Him" (Job 13:15 Darby). That is faith.” - Watchman Nee

 “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.” (Isa. 66:2 NLT)

Humble: Not proud or haughty, not arrogant or assertive. 

Humility: The state of being humble. Both humility and humble have their origin in the Latin word humilis, meaning “low.” Humility is to be meek, modest, unassuming, unpretentious.

God gives grace to the humble

“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6 ESV)

God restores and revives the humble of spirit

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble of spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isa. 57:15)

Therefore…

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…” (Col. 3:12 ESV)

“The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” (Prov. 15:33 ESV)

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11 ESV)

“A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.” (Prov. 29:23)

“The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” (Prov. 22:4 ESV)

Quote:

“Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. - Saint Augustine

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 ESV)

Come to God who is gentle and lowly of heart

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 28:11-30 ESV)

God comforts you in all your afflictions so that you may comfort others

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4 ESV)

Therefore…

“Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.” (Psalm 119:76 ESV)

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” (Psalm 119:50 ESV)

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” (2 Thess. 2:16-17 ESV)

Quote:

“In the midst of the awesomeness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ. You know it is not the hand of restraint, correction, nor chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father. Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it gives inexpressible peace and comfort, and the sense that "underneath are the everlasting arms," (Deuteronomy 33:27) full of support, provision, comfort and strength.” - Oswald Chambers

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)

Jesus was sent to bind up the broken hearted

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release from darkness to the prisoners…” (Isa. 61:1)

The Lord is close to the broken hearted

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NIV)

 God will not despise a broken and a contrite heart

 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

 Quote:

 “You don't have to be alone in your hurt! Comfort is yours. Joy is an option. And it's all been made possible by your Savior. He went without comfort so you might have it. He postponed joy so you might share in it. He willingly chose isolation so you might never be alone in your hurt and sorrow.” - Joni Eareckson Tada

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13)

One of the ways the devil attacks us is through regret

 Everyone makes mistakes and the devil will bring them up to accuse and discourage. It is very easy to go back and relive memories about what we aren’t proud of. Regret can be devastating if not kept in check. If you do have regrets, give them to God in prayer. Ask Him to help you as you move through your regrets and, if you have not repented from something, do so now. If you don’t get things taken care of, the devil will have a foothold. “…and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Eph. 4:27 NIV)

 Watch and recognize where the attack is coming from

 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

 Remember that God completely forgives when you ask Him to

 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

 Therefore…

 “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” (Psalms 34:4-5)

 “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” (2 Cor. 7:10)

 Quote:

 “Never be a prisoner of your past. It was just a lesson, not a life sentence .” – Anonymous 

“Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.” (Psalm 25:12 ESV)

What to do when you need to make an important decision:

• Don’t lean on your own understanding 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Prov. 3:5-6 ESV)

• Take them to God in prayer

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jer. 33:3 ESV)

• Ask God to give you wisdom 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5 ESV)

• Seek good counsel

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Prov. 11:14 ESV)

• Listen for God’s promptings

“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” (Isa. 30:21 ESV)

• Be led by God’s peace

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7 ESV)

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17 ESV)

Quote:

“We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do things, we can accomplish those goals.” - Stephen Covey