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PROGRAM D-8057
I am examining what it looks like to become “big girls”—or boys—for Jesus, how we can grow up in our faith. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that those who have been born from above through faith in Jesus Christ are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus with ever increasing glory. This means that we are on a journey from the day we become a child of the King to the day we see him face-to-face, and this journey should put us on a path that leads to looking, acting, and thinking like Jesus—more and more and more!
Is that true in your life? How many years have you been in the family of God? Is God pleased with your rate of growth?
How do we become “big girls” for Jesus? It won’t just happen, that much I can tell you for sure. Let me tell you a bit of my story. I grew up in a Christian home, and went to good churches and a Christian college. As a young adult and mother, life took a drastic turn and I started pursuing my own dreams, virtually leaving God out of my thinking. I stopped reading my Bible, so my spiritual growth was not only totally stunted, but I went backwards. My passion for Christ and his Word shriveled; my desire to please Jesus went away; I lived life for me.
When I finally came to the end of me and acknowledged that I had made a mess of my life, I came back to God with a promise that I’d do anything he wanted me to do and be anything he wanted me to be, if only he would restore peace to my life. Which, of course, he did.
Immediately I began a daily habit of getting into the Word and praying. I had been taught that good Christians read their Bible and pray every day and, previously, I had done that out of duty. But now, I was desperately in need of sustenance, strength, and courage to face each new day. My dreams had been shattered and I was needy. As a result, I began to spend significant time in God’s Word—not out of duty, but simply because I needed it desperately.
God healed me and changed me in great part as I forgot myself, started reaching out to others, began a simple Bible study in my home, and began sharing life with others who helped me grow.
If you want to grow up to be a “big girl”—or boy—for Jesus, there are some steps you can take to start you down that path, which I will examine with you.