Faithful Growth in God
Jeremiah 1 | September 26 – October 1, 2023
The Holy Bible contains a multitude of verses that provide comfort and hope that are both inspiring and comforting to believers. This also results in significant spiritual growth. In 2 Peter 3:17-18, it says, “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 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.” Peter's words bring comfort to Christians who can relate to his past failures. Despite Jesus' constant correction, Peter still denied Him after being warned. However, Peter was able to fulfill God's purpose with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Chris recently stated that babies in Christ cannot bear spiritual children in his sermon Refrigerator Verses. My faith journey since accepting Jesus as a nine-year-old has been filled with many ebbs and flows, hot and cold, lukewarm and lost moments. While I was living my life, I held onto hopes and dreams that I had for my future. Due to my unwillingness to surrender to God's will, I doubted the power, love, and purpose of Christ for my life during my teenage years and young adulthood. My willful sin left me hopeless, restless, lifeless, destined for God's wrath, and unaware of God's purposes. Through God's patience, mercy, love, and grace, we are offered a chance to overcome the blindness and decay brought on by a sinful heart. Those who succumb to sin will inevitably fall short of their goals, as death and eternal separation from God is the ultimate outcome. Through believing in the lamb of God, we are forgiven of our sins and destined for eternal victory in Jesus. God has faithfully redeemed my life and given me an eternal purpose.
As believers, we are entrusted with an immense responsibility that we can never fulfill on our own. To live out the plans and purposes of God for which we were called, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as the Author, Savior, and Perfecter of our faith. Our own maturation as followers of God can be achieved through the six keys described in Jeremiah 1.
1. His father was a priest from the tribe of Benjamin, holy and sanctified for God's use as an advocate and intercessor on behalf of God and his people.
2. God chose Jeremiah before he was formed in his mother's womb and before he was born.
3. The King of Judah was Josiah who reigned as king at the age of 8, and the specific call of Jeremiah took place when Josiah was 21. This debunked and removed any validity to his response that he was too young.
4. The kingship of Jerusalem changed twice during Jeremiah's lifetime, but God spoke to him in both instances.
5. Having a relationship with God would cast out fear since he was promised protection by God.
6. It is the eternal touch of God that looks beyond all our faults and inabilities and pours out all that we need to do what he wills.
The Lord's plan for Jeremiah and Peter was beyond their comprehension and imagination, as I’m sure we can agree. The crossroads we face each day are whether we obey God or are ashamed and reject God’s promises. We must choose to obey God as Jeremiah 1:18-19 says, “For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land— the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah. They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the LORD, have spoken!” Our belief in Jesus makes us the beloved of God and the first fruits of the immortal High Priest. Having been given eternal liberty and freedom by Christ, he has called us for this specific moment in history. We can be strengthened by the truth of John 14:23. May Jesus' call reach and compel you to respond. "Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.'" We have the victory of Jesus through God's faithfulness to grow us in him.
