February 2024
This is what the LORD says: Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool. Where could you possibly build a house for me? And where would my resting place be? My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. This is the LORD’S declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at my word.
-Isaiah 66:1-2
I want to thank Stephen Jones of the Cornerstone Church of Ames for his teaching sermon on January 21st, in which he talked about the essential elements of spiritual growth based on the above passage from Isaiah. He preached three key ingredients for spiritual growth: AWE for God, HUMILITY and submissiveness before God, and IMMERSION in God’s Word.
As the new year begins, we may have special goals for 2024. We may want to eat healthier, spend more time with family, learn new things, exercise, etc. But above all, the Christian’s desire is to become more like Jesus.
The Bible teaches that the ones on whom God looks favorably are those who think more of God than they think of themselves. In truth, this is the best way for any human to live, for thoughts of God’s goodness free us from the trappings of sin, despair, and death. Looking upward and outward also gives us freedom from the prison of selfishness and the diminishing returns of lesser desires.
How do we keep our vision of God’s holiness clear, and keep our anxious arrogance in check? Well, there are few practices better than anchoring ourselves in the Word of God. We do this through the regular habits of hearing the Word, reading the Word, studying the Word, memorizing key verses, and meditating upon (thinking deeply about) God’s Word.
What a gift the Scriptures are! They draw us into prayer. They enable personal encounters with God. They replace lies with truth. They bring us into a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. They guide us into right living.
As Stephen Jones preached, start small. Don’t burn yourself out by trying to do too much at once, just get into the habit of living with God’s Word. Start by reading and reflecting on a chapter a day. Or get involved with a weekly Bible Study.
And on the flip side, even if you’ve been in God’s Word for a while, don’t give up. Spiritual growth is a matter of years and decades, not days and weeks. Don’t be frustrated if you don’t see immediate results. Jesus used agricultural metaphors for a reason. Trust that God’s Word and God’s Spirit is there when you open yourself up to them.
God bless you, Church! Let’s commit ourselves to a year in which we worship God, humble ourselves, and ground ourselves in the Word of God. Amen!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matthew