Make Every Effort (Spiritual Growth)

Hello Readers!
I know it's been a long time, so to get started again, I'm going to re-iterate a great sermon I heard recently.  This will be a recap and a few nuggets/challenges.  If you want the full version, it's available on-line http://www.extendgrace.org/ or you can read 2 Peter 1:1-11  Link to Bible Gateway.

Spiritual Growth
To recap the text, Peter is writing to believers who share "the same precious faith" and the main message is to "make every effort" (vs 5) to grow in our faith.  We really have a choice:  A) we can grow (progress) or B) we can remain the same.  Verses 5-8 describes choice "A" which results in "the more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful..."  Verse 9 is the other choice ("B"):  "those who fail...are blind or, at least, very shortsighted.  They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin."  Verses 10-11 recaps "A" and the amazing blessing for choosing "A" (I'll let you read it for yourself ;))

So what's the takeaway?  Like so much of life, it's about choices and we reap what we sow, so let's "make every effort".

One potent example is getting fed:  How many of us have ever said, "I'm not getting fed" or "I need to get fed"?  Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we feed babies?  Shouldn't we be self-feeding by now?  see 1 Cor 3:1-3

So how do we self feed and grow in our faith?  The answer is simple (but that does not mean that it is easy):   "make every effort".  Things that we water, will grow.  Are you watering and feeding your growth or are you staying the same?  Start with something small, then add to it.  Much like an athlete preparing for a marathon who typically starts with a 5K, then maybe a 10K and a half marathon.  Like life, this isn't a splash in the pan, but will be hard and take discipline so don't expect it to be easy :)  However the reward is priceless (see vs. 8 & 11 above).

Here are some of my favorite verses on "making every effort":
Heb 12:1 - Run with endurance the race God has set before us.
1 Cor 9:24-26 - All athletes are disciplined in their training.
2 Tim 2:4-5 - Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life.

Lastly, I will leave you with this:  "OK, I get it, but how exactly do I do it?"  That, my friend, is between you and God.  The goal is to be walking in step with God, to know His truths for you and how He can use you in your brief life here on earth (see Micah 6:8).  My answer to this is to invest time with God (sit & think, pray, read, etc.) and invest time with people (living life, loving one another).  Make every effort.