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For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
For 30 years, Christian leader and spiritual adviser Billy Graham has been offering advice to the thousands of readers who share their problems ...
Read more about By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services.
Why Am I Not Growing in My Faith?
By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services
Q: I've been told that I'm supposed to be growing in my faith but I
don't think it's happening. Maybe I don't understand what it means. Am
I missing something? -- R.L.
A: You are right; God's will is for us to grow stronger in our faith. Only then will we be able to resist the devil's temptations; only then will God be able to use us as fully as possible. The Bible says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).
Remember: When we come to Christ, the Bible says, we are like newborn babies. But birth is only the beginning for a baby; an infant isn't meant to be a baby forever, but to grow and become strong and eventually reach adulthood. The same is true for us. When we first come to Christ, we are "spiritual newborns" -- but we aren't meant to remain that way. God's plan is for us to grow strong in our faith and become more like Christ.
How does this happen? It happens as we make use of the "spiritual food" God has provided for us. What is that "food"? First, God has given us the Bible; through it we learn about Him and His will for our lives. God also has given us the privilege of prayer. In addition, He has given us fellowship with other believers. If any of those -- God's Word, prayer, fellowship -- is missing, our growth will be stunted.
Make it your goal to grow in your faith. Set aside time every day to be with God, and ask Him to lead you to a church where you can hear His Word and grow through your contact with other believers.
========
Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.
(c)2008 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
This news arrived on: 10/10/2008
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Posted Comments:
10-10-2008 14:37
normajun wrote:
growing in faith
when one has come to know God, he should strive to know Him more and more, each day.God wants us to get close to Him, for He has all we need in this life, and noone else can help us, in whatever we face in this temporary place, or exile.it's in His kingdom we all belong to.That's why He gave us even Jesus, to save us, and open heaven's gates for us!He left us the church as a visible guide and instrument of His grace.Thru daily prayer and scripture reading, we get food for our souls, for our souls live forever, unlike our bodies that will die someday.being active in our parish and joining prayer groups or retreats
will nourish and sustain us thru the years.cleaning our souls thru the sacraments of confession often prepares us for that inevitable moment-our death, and journey into eternity-to be in heaven or hell.how we lived our faith will be the basis where our soul will live.let us cling to spiritual things, by working for things that last-serving God thru our churches, needy people,loving them as we should, and putting God first in our daily lives!Recognizing God as our final end, is the key, thru daily prayers to HIM.Doing His will, not ours.He is a God who wishes good for all His creation aolne.Let us show Him our love and gratitude, for all His gifts! amen.
will nourish and sustain us thru the years.cleaning our souls thru the sacraments of confession often prepares us for that inevitable moment-our death, and journey into eternity-to be in heaven or hell.how we lived our faith will be the basis where our soul will live.let us cling to spiritual things, by working for things that last-serving God thru our churches, needy people,loving them as we should, and putting God first in our daily lives!Recognizing God as our final end, is the key, thru daily prayers to HIM.Doing His will, not ours.He is a God who wishes good for all His creation aolne.Let us show Him our love and gratitude, for all His gifts! amen.
10-10-2008 13:21
Revmark wrote:
Growing in Faith.
When all else fails, read the instructions. But these instructions need an interpreter, and that interpreter is The Holy Spirit.
9 But as it is written:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Cor 2:8-11
Just like you pray before you eat physical food, pray before you start in on The Bible. Ask The Holy Spirit to help you to understand what you are reading, and then after you read it, and understand it, act on it. Remember, The Bible says to not only be hearers of The Word, but doers of The Word.
Each day, take a Psalm, a chapter of Proverbs, and a Chapter of The New Testament. After you get through The New, then go to The Old, because then they will make more sense.
I guarantee, that if you start reading, and acting, your faith will grow, and when you pray, remember, you must pray, believing that God has not only heard your prayers, but that He will answer, and then after praying, take a few minutes to just meditate, and allow Him time to respond in His way, which is usually by putting certain Scriptures on your heart to read.
God Bless
9 But as it is written:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Cor 2:8-11
Just like you pray before you eat physical food, pray before you start in on The Bible. Ask The Holy Spirit to help you to understand what you are reading, and then after you read it, and understand it, act on it. Remember, The Bible says to not only be hearers of The Word, but doers of The Word.
Each day, take a Psalm, a chapter of Proverbs, and a Chapter of The New Testament. After you get through The New, then go to The Old, because then they will make more sense.
I guarantee, that if you start reading, and acting, your faith will grow, and when you pray, remember, you must pray, believing that God has not only heard your prayers, but that He will answer, and then after praying, take a few minutes to just meditate, and allow Him time to respond in His way, which is usually by putting certain Scriptures on your heart to read.
God Bless
10-10-2008 05:34
billy graham wrote:
growing in faith
i have had the same problem and all that i needed was to get motivated.nothing makes me happier than a new biblical book.i just got a new nkjv study bible in the mail among other books from crossroads and i have rekindled the fire to study things tgat i find imprtant to me each day!each day find a question about you,your life ,something to get yourself to dig in the word. thats how i do it,ps.love you to death brother hang in there,your brother in christ alvin krause
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