DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – GROWING UP INTO CHRIST.

A man, after 25 years with one company, was still doing the same old job and drawing the same salary. Finally he went to his boss and told him he felt he had been neglected. "After all," he said, "I've had a quarter of a century of experience."

"My dear fellow," sighed the boss, "you haven't had a quarter of a century of experience, you've had one experience for a quarter of a century." – Source unknown.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. – 2 Peter 3:18.

A person who is "born again" starts a new life similar to that of a newborn infant. Seven rules that promote good health in babies can be adapted and applied to a Christian's spiritual growth…

1. Daily Food: Take in the "pure milk of the word" through study and meditation.
2. Fresh Air: Pray often or you will faint. Prayer is the oxygen of the soul.
3. Regular Exercise: Put into practice what you learn in God's Word.
4. Adequate Rest: Rely on God at all times in simple faith.
5. Clean Surroundings: Avoid evil company and whatever will weaken you spiritually.
6. Loving Care: Be part of a church where you will benefit from a Pastor's teaching and Christian fellowship.
7. Periodic Checkups: Regularly examine your spiritual health.
- Source unknown.

I met a young man not long ago who dives for exotic fish for aquariums. He said one of the most popular aquarium fish is the shark. He explained that if you catch a small shark and confine it, it will stay a size proportionate to the aquarium. Sharks can be six inches long yet fully matured. But if you turn them loose in the ocean, they grow to their normal length of eight feet.

That also happens to some Christians. I've seen some of the cutest little six-inch Christians who swim around in a little puddle. But if you put them into a larger arena--into the whole creation--only then can they become great. - Charles Simpson.

Behind the scenes of an Arizona circus, Bobb Biehl started chatting with a man who trains animals for Hollywood movies:

"How is it that you can stake down a ten-ton elephant with the same size stake that you use for this little fellow?" I asked, pointing to a baby elephant who weighed three hundred pounds. "It's easy . . .” the trainer said. "When they are babies, we stake them down. They try to tug away from the stake maybe ten thousand times before they realize that they can't possibly get away. At that point, their 'elephant memory' takes over and they remember for the rest of their lives that they can't get away from the stake."

Humans are sometimes like elephants. When we are teenagers, some unthinking, insensitive, unwise person says, "He's not very good at planning," or "She's not a leader," or "Their team will never make it," and zap, we drive a mental stake into our minds. Often when we become mature adults, we are still held back by some inaccurate one-sentence "stake" put in our minds when we were young.

Today you are an adult capable of much more than you realize. You are far more capable than you were even twelve months ago, and next year you will be able to do things you can't imagine doing today." - Bobb Biehl, Masterplanning.

Loving Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, help me to grow in the grace and knowledge of my lord and Saviour Jesus. I ask this in His wonderful name, and for His glory. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY