Grow up!
How many times did you hear this during your childhood and for some of us even after we had whiskers and a drivers licence and thought we were quite capable of doing about anything we set our minds to. We would try some crazy project with very little planning or fore-thought. It would end in a great disaster and we would be embarrassed for a while, then we would get some new revelation and be off on another project with great enthusiasm and very little thought of the risk involved, nor of the pending pain we and others would likely suffer. Growing up is a slow painful process that most would prefer to avoid if possible, in fact today we have a generation that prefers to avoid it as long as possible. The normal suffering that one must endure isn’t really all that bad but when there is a refusal to suffer instruction, the suffering will be multiplied greatly.
Suffering for the right reasons will always bring a good result but suffering for our wrong doing can bring a lot of unnecessary pain and heart ache. It would behoove us to to accept the facts and not ignore the obvious any longer.
Today the Church of our Lord Jesus is suffering in some parts of the world for the right reasons and is bringing spiritual growth and rich blessing to all the faithful. As stated by our Lord Jesus; “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Ma.5:10
However, in many nations of the world the Church of our Lord is suffering because of it’s love of the world and love for the things of the world, and our Father is doing as He promised, ” to chasten the Son whom He loves.” The Church also is suffering because of an unhealthy desire to grow in numbers and a disregard for her need to grow in the Spirit and the love of God. It is time for the Church to grow up.
We need not be discouraged or dismayed: For “
It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” La.3:22
We need to take courage, the purpose of God will not fail, God sent His only begotten Son into the world with the plan of bringing many Sons into glory. We are informed: “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Heb 2:10 Jesus did not suffer in vain and in the same way that He was made perfect in suffering our Heavenly Father is perfecting the body of Christ today. If only we could understand how great it will be when we come into maturity we would be more than willing to suffer any thing that comes our way. ” For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Ro.8: 18
Sometimes when children are growing fast they will suffer growing pains. Likewise those who have received the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting the redemption of our body. see Ro.8:23 That’s not all
Saints but the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Waiting for the manifestation of the Sons of God. read Ro.8: 19-22
Now is the time for the faithful shepherd boys to collect their small stones, take their slings and bring down the giants in the land, who are intimidating the Lord’s mighty army. It is time to grow up and be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Where are they? Who among us will come and fight in the Lords army? Today we need those who have counted the cost, those who know who they want to serve and are not ready to turn back until we take the inheritance that belongs to the Captain of our salvation. Beloved lets be men in whom our Father would be pleased to call Sons of God.