Never Stop Growing – The Presidential Prayer Team

But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 3:18

Pediatricians would become seriously concerned if children did not grow. Growth is a sign that all is going well with the child. When people get older, they will no longer grow in stature, though they might grow too much in the midsection. However, growth in knowledge is important. Studies show that people who learn new things, such as playing a musical instrument, are less likely to get dementia.

Spiritual growth, in grace and knowledge of the Lord, is even more important. Some may think believers who have been attending church every Sunday for several decades may have no more growing to do, but there is always room for spiritual growth. Paul’s admonition to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ applies to all stages of the Christian walk.

From the time of accepting Christ as Savior, to learning more about Him in the Bible, to understanding the importance of Christian disciplines, to becoming more like Jesus in character and action, to maturing in love and forgiveness, to developing a deep prayer life, growing remains necessary no matter how “seasoned” a believer you are. In fact, growing Christians tend to have a deeper understanding of how much growth there is yet to do. It is often said in the Christian world, “If you’re not dead, you’re not done!”

So cultivate those things that help you grow in the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus. And as you pray for citizens and governing officials of the United States, remember to pray for spiritual growth as well as the issues that concern the nation.

Today’s Verse: 2 Peter 3:18

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Luke 8:4-18

⁴And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, ⁵“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. ⁶And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. ⁷And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. ⁸And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

⁹And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, ¹⁰he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ ¹¹Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹²The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. ¹⁴And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. ¹⁵As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

¹⁶“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. ¹⁷For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. ¹⁸Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”