Bible Reading: Job 39; 1 Peter 2:1-8.
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,” – 1 Peter 2:1 (KJV)
Growth is a natural phenomenon for all living things including human beings who are expected to grow in every area of their lives. When a child is born, he will start eating by taking liquid particularly milk and water as it is unable to process hard food. However over time, it begins to take in solid food. And when it grows teeth, it is able to take solid food that the teeth can help to grind before passing it through the throat.
This process of growth is expected to be experienced even in the lifecycle of a Christian. Everyone who gives his life to Christ is expected to grow through a learning process. This learning process begins by taking the first step of accepting Jesus as your lord and Saviour. Subsequently, you are expected to ask God for mercy and forgiveness of sins you have committed in your past. You are also expected to make a promise to God to forsake your sinful ways and to accept his way of life. This is expected to be your first step in communicating with God in prayer.
Prayer is to a Christian as food is to a natural body. The physical body cannot grow without food so also the spiritual body cannot grow without prayer. This is why it is stated in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV): “Pray without ceasing”. This will help to grow the mind of the Christian and make him like that of Christ. Praying without ceasing implies constantly thinking about God in everything you do. With this alignment, you will see that your mind will be transformed as stated in Romans 12:2 (KJV): “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
The growth process is in your mind and part of the basic growing steps is studying the bible. You really cannot pray very well without knowing the ways of God as stated in his words. When you study his words and gain more understanding of Him, you begin to memorise some of those words so that you can also meditate on them. Because there may be situations that the bible may not be by your side and you need to communicate with God reminding him of his words in the bible. At such times what you have memorized will come handy. As a Christian, you will also read of several promises in the bible that you can claim as a child of God. In your prayer to God, you will remind him of such promises and ask that these be fulfilled in your life.
However, you should realize that God is Holy and without holiness it is impossible to please him. So you must live a life of righteousness by forsaking all sins. Some of the common ones are stated in 1 Peter 2:1 (KJV): “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,” If you can do this, you will grow to know God more and get more of his revelations.
Prayer point:
Father, help me to grow more in you and be transformed by renewing of my mind through the knowledge of you in Jesus Christ name.
Bro Biodun Oyapero