Dec.03.03: Life For The Day - "Spiritual Growth Spurts" -- 2 Peter 3:17,18 "17 You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,  beware that you are not carried away with the error of  the lawless and lose your own stability. 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." ------------------- Think back. As a young teenager, do you remember a period of time when it seemed like you had to have new clothes every few weeks? You barely got them home from the store before you noticed your pants were hitting the high-water level and you had more arm than shirtsleeve. You might also remember your parents' distress as they calculated the cost of keeping you appropriately dressed. This phenomenon, common to the teenager, is referred to as a growth spurt. During this period of intense growth, boys/girls can gain as much as four inches in height in one year. These growth spurts are often problematic. Limbs can develop at different rates and leave a teenager feeling awkward and clumsy. They can also be painful. The layers of soft cartilage from which bones grow can he aggravated by the stress of activities such as running Or jumping. Once the bones harden, the pain eases up, but until that happens they can be difficult to deal with. Growth spurts are no fun, but they are necessary if the adolescent body is to grow and mature into adulthood. Spiritual growth spurts can be equally as uncomfortable. When you are growing as a Christian, you may find yourself feeling uncomfortable, especially in situations of immaturity that caused you no difficulty in the past. You may also discover yourself feeling clumsy and uncoordinated when talking to mature Christians who seem to have more profound insights than you and are able to back up their statements with Scripture. You may even find yourself challenging the accuracy of some of the ideas you learned from your parents and teachers. This is always an unsettling feeling. While disconcerting, these spiritual growth spurts are just as necessary to maturity as their physical counterparts maturity in Christ, that is. Consider the apostle Peter, who left his life as a fisherman to follow Jesus. At first, he found himself confused by Jesus' parables and had to ask Him what they meant. There were times when Jesus put Peter in Uncomfortable situations by asking him challenging questions. But those must have seemed like small potatoes compared to the times that Jesus tested Peter's faith-like when He told him to get out of the boat and walk on the water. Undoubtedly those spiritual growth spurts were challenging. But they played an important part in Peter's development as a great leader. Of course, spiritual growth is not exactly like physical growth. Physical growth will occur whether you want it to or not -- all you have to do is eat enough to meet your body's growing needs. Spiritual growth, on the other hand, requires effort and determination. While God will sometimes put you in situations to test your faith and make you grow spiritually. You will still have to work to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. The initial step to stimulating spiritual growth in your life is through careful study of the Word of God. Read a chapter or two from the Bible each day. As you read, you will find that spiritual principles and insights will begin to become clear to You. The second step is to take those revelations with you to prayer and ask God to show you how to apply them to your everyday life. prayer is essential. It is the soul food that fuels your spiritual growth. Eventually, these efforts will culminate in what Paul referred to as the renewal of your mind, a process by which God transforms you from your old childish self into a new creation in Christ. Like Peter, who was transformed from a clueless fisherman into the man who led more than three thousand people to Christ in one day, God will help you grow in wisdom and character until you are to fulfill His plan and purpose for your life. -- Checklist for Life ------------------------ -- Ephesians 4:22-24 "20 But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that  is in Jesus. 22 Put off your old nature which belongs to your  former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts. 23 Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your  thoughts and attitudes. 24 You must display a new nature because you are a new person,  created in God’s likeness—righteous, holy, and true." -- 1 Peter 2:2-5 "2 Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk,  that by it you may grow up to salvation; 3 for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. 4 Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in  God’s sight chosen and precious; 5 and like living stones be yourselves built into a  spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer  spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."