Why not MORE?

When we were home-schooling, our children were always striving to get by with the least possible. It was as though they asked, “Just how much of this knowledge and skill do I have to put up with?”

I see the same thing in myself and my brethren. “OK I have been forgiven and given everlasting life. Isn’t that enough? Do I have to keep growing and learning?”

What do we fear? Do we fear that we will lose our identity if we sell out totally to God? But we are his workmanship designed by the master designer to be just right for the tasks we face, but only if we yield to the potters’ hand. Shall the pot say to the potter, “What on earth are you trying to fashion me into?”

Do we fear that the process of becoming more, gaining more of Christ, doing more etc. will be too painful? I have often heard Christians joke, (innapropriately) “Don’t ask God for humility, he’ll send you trials.” Trust me, you won’t avoid trials by staying stagnant as a Christian. You will just be unprepared for the trials that come.

Did we get saved by grace and have fallen back into works and think that the task of growth into more is just beyond us? Well, of course, it is beyond us. Have we joined the foolish Galatians (Galatians 3:1) and having been saved by grace, we are now trying to be perfected by our efforts? For us to be taken into “God’s more”, we just have to yield our body members into his hands. All we have to do is to pick up the Word of God and read and ponder it. Just to bend the knee and listen and talk to him. To open our mouths and testify to how wonderful he is. Of course, that will be easier if we are letting him grow into his more. God is not looking for a few capable people, (Unlike the US Marines). He is looking for people to say, “Here am I, send me.) You don’t have to do it well, or feel enthusiastic about obedience, or see how it makes sense, or get any given result. NO, you just have to obey. Like Peter, we need to believe that we have tried all other ways and they have all let us down so that God and his way is our only hope. What do we have to lose by reaching forth for more?

Are we afraid that we will become a peculiar person and not fit into our social circles? Well hopefully, but what would be so bad about that?

Are we afraid, “Lest, having him, we will have nothing else”. Still, anything you, “have” through clinging to it, rather than yielding it to Christ, you do not actually have, IT HAS YOU! You are not a fool to let go of what is an illusion in order to gain the reality that can never be lost. If you cling to things and people with a tight fist, then when (in love) Christ takes them from you, you will feel pain in the process. If you hold all things in an open palm, as a steward not as an owner, then when he takes it away it will not hurt and he will polish it up and give it back. When Moses threw down HIS rod and it became a large scary snake and he then picked it up by the tail, (never do this with a snake you find) it became THE ROD OF GOD.

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment.

Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

2 Corinthians 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith in and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. (To give of yourself to the Lord and to the brethren.)

1 Thessalonians 3:23 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.

1 Thessalonians 4:1,9,10 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. and that ye increase more and more in your loving one another.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.

2 Peter 1:3 ( God has given you all that you need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Jesus who has called you to glory and virtue. If these things be in you, and abound, you will not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.)

2 Peter 1:5,6 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, add to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness.

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracle of God: and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.