DRAWING NEAR
February 26
Enjoying a Bountiful Harvest
"Bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the
knowledge of God" (Col. 1:10).
Your fruitfulness is directly related to your knowledge of divine
truth.
Every farmer who enjoys a plentiful harvest does so only after
diligent effort on his part. He must cultivate the soil, plant the
seed, then nurture it to maturity. Each step is thoughtful,
disciplined, and orderly.
Similarly, bearing spiritual fruit is not an unthinking or haphazard
process. It requires us to be diligent in pursuing the knowledge of
God's will, which is revealed in His Word. That is Paul's prayer in
Colossians 1:9, which he reiterates in verse 10.
The phrase "increasing in the knowledge of God" (v. 10) can be
translated, "increasing by the knowledge of God." Both renderings are
acceptable. The first emphasizes the need to grow; the second
emphasizes the role that knowledge plays in your spiritual growth.
As your knowledge of God's Word increases, the Holy Spirit renews
your mind and transforms your thinking. As you gaze into the glory of
the Lord as revealed in Scripture, you "are being transformed into
the same image from glory to glory" (2 Cor. 3:18). You have "put on
the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to
the image of the One who created him" (Col. 3:10).
One of Satan's ploys to retard spiritual productivity is getting
Christians preoccupied with humanistic philosophy and other bankrupt
substitutes for God's truth. That's why he planted false teachers at
Colosse to teach that knowing God's will is inadequate for true
spirituality. Paul refuted that claim by affirming that Christ is the
fullness of deity in bodily form (Col. 2:9). In Him are "hidden all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). He is all you
need!
Scripture commands you to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus
Christ (2 Pet. 3:18). Is that characteristic of your life? Are you
looking forward to a bountiful spiritual harvest?
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for the privilege of knowing His will and studying His
Word. Prayerfully guard your mind from sinful influences. Saturate it
with God's truth.
For Further Study:
Read the following passages, noting the effects of God's Word:
Psalms 119:9, 105; Acts 20:32; Romans 10:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2
Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 2:14.
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Colossians 2:9 (NKJV)
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily
Colossians 2:3
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
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 forever. Amen.
Psalms 119:9
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your
word.
Psalms 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Acts 20:32
So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace,
which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all
those who are sanctified.
Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you
received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not
as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which
also effectively works in you who believe.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and
been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which
are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for
every good work.
Hebrews 4:12-13
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit,
and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things
are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
1 John 2:14
I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is
from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are
strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the
wicked one.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
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NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
http://www.gty.org/Gospel/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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