“The Way You Should Grow”

Scripture: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. …” -2 Peter 3:18, NIV

Back in the 3rd grade during science class, we had a project dealing with growing plants using a seed provided to us. The seed was placed in a pint sized milk carton, with dirt, and watered on a daily basis. Some watered theirs every two days, but made sure it was in the sun. After seven to ten days, one could recognize the difference in the plants when one has been watered and in the sun and when one was not watered as much and did not receive as much sun. If we investigate this thing spiritually, we have often grown through various tracks of life. Some of us have grown through others’ mistakes, some of us have grown through our own life’s experiences, but God has provided you and me the way we should grow. This provision is found within today’s main scripture.

Today’s focal book is found in 2 Peter. According to my research, 2 Peter, written by Peter, explains that God has delayed His second coming so that more people will have the chance to reject evil and find salvation. Within this final chapter of 2 Peter, Peter discusses the day of the Lord. Within these eighteen verses of scripture, he provides us with the way we should grow when it comes to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The text reveals the way we should grow. Peter writes, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ …” If truth were told, Jesus provided the blue print for us throughout the New Testament of these things. When it came down to the woman who committed adultery, He showed her mercy and grace and no one stoned her. When people came up to Him desiring to be healed, He had mercy and grace over them and provided healing. If Jesus can provide grace and mercy upon His fellow man, what makes you or me different? Simple, it does not! If we are going to be the people that God is calling upon in these last and evil days, He needs us to have grace and mercy upon people. He wants us to understand that it is by His grace and mercy that we live today! It’s because of grace that you and I have a job, that you and me are able to live, and other things.

Not only do you grow in the grace of Jesus, but also grow in the knowledge of Jesus. The Bible makes mention that “we perish for the lack of knowledge” and if truth were told, some of greatest blessings are in Heaven because we have not tapped into the knowledge of Christ! To receive His blessings and live a life that God would be pleased with, we have to grow in His knowledge and we can do this by reading the Word, meditating on the Word, praying to our Father, asking for help with our everyday walk, and the list goes on and on! As you grow in the knowledge of Christ, He desires that you may impart that knowledge into others and as you do that, they will grow the right way and not the wrong way!

In closing, there is a right way and a wrong way to grow as a man/woman of God. Peter gave us the right prescription in order to grow by growing in the knowledge and grace of Christ. Now that you have the keys to grow, are you ready to get everything else God has for you in His Kingdom?