When we first start our hungry and zealous search for Him, it is often imagined that extensive progress has been made, when as yet we have barely scratched the surface. As our Lord takes us along our journey over the years, it slowly dawns on us that there are vast, almost infinite, areas of development through which He must still guide us through.
Through our journey there are many times we feel as though we are in drought with no spiritual activity. Bible-study is stale and prayer is almost nonexistent. It is times like this that we think that God has not fulfilled His part, and we wonder if we should even carry on. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Many have a problem with not being answered by God. Are we to only love and trust and respond to Him when it seems to be blessing us? What kind of love is that? Self-love. Our Father strips everything away from us from time to time in order for the opportunity of loving and trusting and responding to Him just because He is our Father, I can share this has happened to me on my journey with Him, and I’m sure many have had this same thing happen to them also. He knows what the Cross is going to mean in our lives; He knows the road of death that lies ahead of each one of us in order that there may be resurrection life; He knows the barren, bleeding hearts to whom He must minister to through us.
He is going to bring us to a place where we don’t care what happens to us; Did anybody watch the Charlie Kirk memorial? This man was totally devoted to the work of God and family. What an example of a Godly husband and Christian man. I’m not saying he had all the truth, I am almost embarrassed when you look at how many people he reached and was able to share his faith with. Yes, he had a much larger platform than we do, but what are we doing with what God has given to us? God was all that mattered! Are we there yet? Look at the masses he reached and look at what the Churches of God outlook is doing, there is a disconnect from the message the Church is sending out. I could do one article just on this subject. This is the discipline to which He is guiding us that Christ be number one and family a close second. The harder He is able to be with us, the stronger in Christ we will become. If God can find enough steel in us to get a grip on, He can pull us through anything, if we would only yield to Him.
Sonship is something more than being a new creature. It represents growth into fullness. It is quite a good thing to be a babe while babyhood lasts, but it is a bad thing to be a babe when that period is past. This is the condition of many Christians. The New Testament has a lot to say about growing up and leaving childhood and obtaining unto a mature Christian.
When first called we are mainly concerned with the externals of our Christian life, and the Lord guides us through this time of growth. Then in order to get us out of the externals of our walk, so that Jesus can be our All, our Father begins to take away much of what we thought we had. Here begins the long Cross-centered transition from {do to be}. Spend some time and meditate on that.
With our growth comes the greatest fullness of Christ. Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Again, his last day on earth, his last college tent meeting Charlie Kirk’s first response to a question he shared his Lord and Savior with several thousand people not knowing he was minutes from death. He always had a zeal for Christ; it is what drove him. He was always learning, a powerful example for us are we continuing to search out our Lord and Savior? We can’t let complacency dull our zeal for Christ. This is simply a weapon of the enemy. The spiritual life follows closely that course of the natural life, infancy, childhood, youth to manhood, maturity. It is, however, necessary to note that the word of God makes it very evident that the new man will supersede the babe in Christ. Full growth governs all in the mind and will and heart and finished work of God. All the Lord’s dealing with us in discipline and ordering are governed by the mature Christian-to increase the measure of Christ in us.
He intends that we should reach the fullness of a mature Christian, where we can speak, with or without manifest gifts, because we are the thing we say we are. This is the work in us Philippians 2:13 For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. For the Christian experience, the spiritual things of God are less and less on the outside, and more and more in the inward being our heart and mind. In the long run it is the depth and inwardness of a work that matters.
As the Lord Himself becomes more and more real to us, our impact on others is very different, manifesting itself in an increasing depth of the spirit’s work within them also.
Thus, we all continue, that we know He continues to work with us through His Spirit. If our hearts are really true to Him, we may be more assured He will lead us on in the knowledge of Himself just as fast as we are able to advance. He knows how much we can take in, and He does not fail to minister to us the very food that is suitable to our present need. We may sometimes feel inclined to be impatient with ourselves because we do not make rapid progress, but we have to learn to trust the Lord with our Spiritual education.
If our eyes are upon Him, and we follow with simple hearts as He leads us, we shall find that He leads us by the right way and brings us through all the exercises we need, in order to form our hearts and minds in His image and of all those blessing blessed things which are brought to pass in Him.
We have to trust His love all through, and to learn increasingly to distrust ourselves. Paul writes to us, as he did to Timothy; 2 Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore endure hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
We rejoice with you as you continue in Him. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.
Your brother in Christ,
Ron
Our Growth in Christ – Ron Volk
October 5, 2025 by Shirley Gohner • Uncategorized • 0 Comments
When we first start our hungry and zealous search for Him, it is often imagined that extensive progress has been made, when as yet we have barely scratched the surface. As our Lord takes us along our journey over the years, it slowly dawns on us that there are vast, almost infinite, areas of development through which He must still guide us through.
Through our journey there are many times we feel as though we are in drought with no spiritual activity. Bible-study is stale and prayer is almost nonexistent. It is times like this that we think that God has not fulfilled His part, and we wonder if we should even carry on. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Many have a problem with not being answered by God. Are we to only love and trust and respond to Him when it seems to be blessing us? What kind of love is that? Self-love. Our Father strips everything away from us from time to time in order for the opportunity of loving and trusting and responding to Him just because He is our Father, I can share this has happened to me on my journey with Him, and I’m sure many have had this same thing happen to them also. He knows what the Cross is going to mean in our lives; He knows the road of death that lies ahead of each one of us in order that there may be resurrection life; He knows the barren, bleeding hearts to whom He must minister to through us.
He is going to bring us to a place where we don’t care what happens to us; Did anybody watch the Charlie Kirk memorial? This man was totally devoted to the work of God and family. What an example of a Godly husband and Christian man. I’m not saying he had all the truth, I am almost embarrassed when you look at how many people he reached and was able to share his faith with. Yes, he had a much larger platform than we do, but what are we doing with what God has given to us? God was all that mattered! Are we there yet? Look at the masses he reached and look at what the Churches of God outlook is doing, there is a disconnect from the message the Church is sending out. I could do one article just on this subject. This is the discipline to which He is guiding us that Christ be number one and family a close second. The harder He is able to be with us, the stronger in Christ we will become. If God can find enough steel in us to get a grip on, He can pull us through anything, if we would only yield to Him.
Sonship is something more than being a new creature. It represents growth into fullness. It is quite a good thing to be a babe while babyhood lasts, but it is a bad thing to be a babe when that period is past. This is the condition of many Christians. The New Testament has a lot to say about growing up and leaving childhood and obtaining unto a mature Christian.
When first called we are mainly concerned with the externals of our Christian life, and the Lord guides us through this time of growth. Then in order to get us out of the externals of our walk, so that Jesus can be our All, our Father begins to take away much of what we thought we had. Here begins the long Cross-centered transition from {do to be}. Spend some time and meditate on that.
With our growth comes the greatest fullness of Christ. Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Again, his last day on earth, his last college tent meeting Charlie Kirk’s first response to a question he shared his Lord and Savior with several thousand people not knowing he was minutes from death. He always had a zeal for Christ; it is what drove him. He was always learning, a powerful example for us are we continuing to search out our Lord and Savior? We can’t let complacency dull our zeal for Christ. This is simply a weapon of the enemy. The spiritual life follows closely that course of the natural life, infancy, childhood, youth to manhood, maturity. It is, however, necessary to note that the word of God makes it very evident that the new man will supersede the babe in Christ. Full growth governs all in the mind and will and heart and finished work of God. All the Lord’s dealing with us in discipline and ordering are governed by the mature Christian-to increase the measure of Christ in us.
He intends that we should reach the fullness of a mature Christian, where we can speak, with or without manifest gifts, because we are the thing we say we are. This is the work in us Philippians 2:13 For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. For the Christian experience, the spiritual things of God are less and less on the outside, and more and more in the inward being our heart and mind. In the long run it is the depth and inwardness of a work that matters.
As the Lord Himself becomes more and more real to us, our impact on others is very different, manifesting itself in an increasing depth of the spirit’s work within them also.
Thus, we all continue, that we know He continues to work with us through His Spirit. If our hearts are really true to Him, we may be more assured He will lead us on in the knowledge of Himself just as fast as we are able to advance. He knows how much we can take in, and He does not fail to minister to us the very food that is suitable to our present need. We may sometimes feel inclined to be impatient with ourselves because we do not make rapid progress, but we have to learn to trust the Lord with our Spiritual education.
If our eyes are upon Him, and we follow with simple hearts as He leads us, we shall find that He leads us by the right way and brings us through all the exercises we need, in order to form our hearts and minds in His image and of all those blessing blessed things which are brought to pass in Him.
We have to trust His love all through, and to learn increasingly to distrust ourselves. Paul writes to us, as he did to Timothy; 2 Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore endure hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
We rejoice with you as you continue in Him. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.
Your brother in Christ,
Ron