by God's Little Boy
© MakeshiftDarkroom.com 2013
Posted 12/30/13

If you are someone who has received grace to take big steps toward God, then continue to do so. A large capacity for God affords large steps, but if you are like many who are young in the faith, it is possible that your capacity for God is small. If this is the case, you may be encouraged to know that God understands. Do not be discouraged by the limits of your current capacity. Don't believe the lie that tells you, "you could never be a godly person, and you can't live a godly life," or "this Christianity stuff just isn't you - just forget it, and go back to your previous ways." That is an empty lie that is sent to rob you of your new identity, and the life that God has for you. Before salvation, every believer began life as a sinner separated from God. The believer's life, however, is concluded by completing a long perilous journey of faith. A man may think that such a long journey is nearly impossible, but if the journey is to be undertaken and completed, it must certainly begin by taking steps. Strong and mature believers became strong and mature by taking many steps toward God; over a long period of time. It takes a hundred years to grow a mighty oak tree, and the growth rings inside the oak reveal that it became mighty by small amounts of slow steady growth. Some of it's seasons of growth were less than others, nevertheless with time, the oak has become mighty! The Christian life requires a great deal of patience, and persistent faith (a very very great deal of patience!) Continue in patience, and endure steadfast in faith. Do not think in terms of days, weeks, or months but the long haul, over the years. Commit yourself, once and for all, to patience. The truth is, that your potential is a significant threat to the kingdom of darkness, and that is why you are hit with so many temptations and discouraging lies. The truth is, that God loves you. You are valuable, and your life is useful to God. You were created in God's image, and for a much higher purpose than you may realize. Have you ever considered that you may be destined for something important in the kingdom of God? God wants to restore to your life what is missing. Do not retreat into the old worn out life of the sinful flesh. Many people do not experience the power of God because of their distance from him. If he is The Way, and he is, can you be blameless if you turn away from him?

If your capacity for God is small, then just take small steps toward God. Do what you can according to your capacity. Take small steps that put you in a place to receive from God. The secret of the Christian life is receiving. Freely receive from God. Begin by freely receiving his love. Get to know his great love for you, personally. Take small steps, each day, toward God to receive his love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, strength, and encouragement. Receive his thoughts toward you. Do you know what those thoughts are? His thoughts about you are found in the Bible; so be sure to hear his preachers! It is in God's word that we meet him. Receive his word and learn to love the things that he loves and hate the things that he hates. He will give you a new found love for the truth and you will begin to hate the sinful things of the world and the flesh. If you keep taking small steps toward God you will not have to change yourself, but you will find that you are being changed because of your increasing nearness to him. His yoke is an easy one; he is good to all who come to him. He will be patient with you. God is pleased with the God-ward life. He is very pleased with the life that keeps right on taking steps, even small steps, toward him. The Christian life is often a life of, two steps forward and one step backward. This may slow your progress, but it cannot stop it. God will increase your capacity as you use what capacity you have. "For whoever has, to him more shall be given" (Matthew 13:12) There is no limit to the new beginnings you have in Jesus. If you loose ground or fall down, you have fallen into grace, just get back up and move toward him again and receive the next measure of grace. If you draw near to God he will draw near to you. Keep taking steps of faith.

None of what is written here will help you if you have never placed your faith in Christ. You must first be saved and become a new creation in Christ, before you can draw near to him. God cannot put his new wine in an old wine skin. You must first become a new wine skin, if you are to accommodate the new wine of his life in you. If you begin with a genuine faith in Jesus and continue in the same, over time, you will grow strong and be established in his grace.

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2)

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