Bible in One Year

Monday, September  13, 2010
(1 Thess 4 - 1 Thess 5)

Memorise: "For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear" (Mark 4:28)


Read: Mark 4:26-29
 

One quick way to peg your progress is by becoming proud. If you leave the island of humility, the angels of promotion may never cross your path. But one thing about God's promotion however is that it is systematic: it is executed step by step. Isaiah 28:10 says, "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little". This tells us that God is a meticulous God. He cares for details - even those you may count as insignificant. Also, He lifts people up progressively - step by step, and not over night. If you look around, you will discover that God hardly shoots somebody up to the skyline suddenly. For everyone whose glory is evident through divine lifting, there is a story. 

"For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear" (Mark 4:28). As God does with wheat so also with men. We can simply call this wheat technology. If God will use you to accomplish something significant in His plan for the last days, He must first apply the wheat technology. This technology demands a step - by- step approach to development. Many people prefer another type of technology - microwave. They want to become rich in 12 hours. They want to become a pastor today. They want to become the G.O in minutes. Applying microwave technology to Kingdom issues could cause great problems. After the great catch of fishes, the Lord told Peter "... Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). Making of a disciple, is not automatic: it follows a process. One major challenge we face today is that of microwave believers, ministers and pastors. Dependable disciples and pastors are those who rose through the ranks. After conversion, they went through baptismal or believers class, workers in-training and were regularly taught in the Sunday School and house fellowships. Little by little, they moved levels. When you go through the ranks, certain things drop off as you pick up virtuous traits. You will learn to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit and how to develop your faith. If you skip any stage, it will show. This is why you see those who claim to be as old as Methuselah in the Christian faith still celebrating their weaknesses, such as anger, bitterness, and unforgiving spirit. They are still spiritual babes in spite of years of conversion! What technology are you made of? 

ACTION POINT:
If your spiritual growth did not skip any stage, there is no extent God cannot use you; but for every stage you skip through your manipulation, the less useful you become in God's end-time plan.