ARE YOU GROWING (5).

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*ARE YOU GROWING (5)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

1 Sam 3:18 *And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

You stop growing when you have the Eli mindset of "what will be, will be" rather than active repentance.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Some Christians often dare God.

We often resign our submission to God in the midst of serious challenges.

Elijah's response to God that he was the only one left was a mixture of resigned submission and a voluntary acceptance to live no longer. He told God *".......even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."* 1 Kgs 19:10.

Eli knew God but while recognizing God's authority, he was short of true repentance or personal responsibility. 

A major strength of any Christian growth is endurance rather than a passive acceptance of impending doom. 

Some so-called Christians, rather than faithful repentance, justify their sins.

For God to have revealed His impending judgment on Eli, it was expected that he would remorsefuly respond but Samuel's revelation of God's indignation to him was met with an indifferent and non-challant attitude.

The scripture teaches endurance.

Matt 24:13 *But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.*

It teaches us not to quit as men do.

1 Cor 16:13 *Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.*

Long service is not maturity.

He had been in service long before Samuel

but this may mean little to God except we make it to the end, Lk 9:62.

*And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.*

We must not cooperate with the inevitable.

It is never too late to change any situation and its never too late to ask God to reverse His pronounced judgement.

Moses prayed God to change His judgment against the people of Israel, Exd 32.

We must refuse to reach a stage where there is no strength left to fight against the consequences of our actions to plead God for restoration.

Paul finished his race but not without a good fight, 2 Tim 4:7.

We are not in a Kingdom where we will not fight and the fight is against our arch enemy, Satan, Eph 6.

Eli lacked the urgency in addressing sin, both in his family and in his personal life.

His "do-nothing" approach to God's warning allowed God's judgment to occur in his life.

To start but not finishing is as bad as not starting at all.

To start but not finishing is immaturity in the Kingdom because Christ had warned that we count the cost of discipleship, Lk 14:25-33.

Are you growing?

Do not allow your challenges to stop you from growing!

*Remorse corner.*

How far you can go and end with God is a strong determinant of how well you have grown.

*Call to Word action.*

We are to grow daily to the end, regardless.

Challenges must not negatively impact your growth and your godly character

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Eli did not finish well, 1 Sam 4:18.

Eli's life teaches that we can be guilty of unresponsiveness (a failure to repent).

*Prayer.*

Lord, keep me from falling, and present me faultless before the presence of Your glory with exceeding joy, in Jesus name, (Jude 24).

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.