Fri.’s Devo - Spiritual Growth

Read: Daniel 4:1-37; 2 Peter 1:1-21; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 28:17-18 I don’t know the time passage from Nebuchadnezzar’s first dream and this one but apparently there was some time. Instead of humbling him, his first dream had only made him more proud, so God gave him another dream. This time it was of a big tree. A holy one came down from heaven and declared that the tree be cut down, the branches lopped off, the leaves shaken and its fruit scattered. It was left as a stump with roots into the ground. Here it was to stay for seven with the mind of a wild animal instead of a human’s. Then everyone would know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. When Daniel heard the dream he was so shaken, the king had to assure him he was safe to tell him the interpretation. Daniel humbly told him that the tree was him and he would be driven from society and have to live in the fields with the wild animals, living like one. Seven years would pass until he finally learned that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and givens them to anyone he chooses. Then he would receive his kingdom back. Daniel begged Nebuchadnezzar to stop sinning and turn to God so that God could have mercy on him instead. But, apparently he didn’t because everything happened just as he had dreamed. One day he was taking a walk on the roof of his palace. He looked out at his great city of Babylon and declared that he had built this city that displayed his glory. While the words were still in his mouth, God spoke from heaven and said that he was no longer the ruler of this kingdom. He would be driven from it to live like an animal till he understood that God rules all kingdoms and gives them to whoever he wants. They took Nebuchadnezzar that very hour to the field where his hair grew long and his nails became like bird’s claws. He lived this way for seven years till he came to his senses and repented. When he did, his kingdom was restored to even greater honor than before. This should bring some comfort for those who have had children who rebelled against God and the way they were raised. Sometimes we just have to let them go and fall on their own. They have to eat the bread of their own devises and reap the fruit of unrighteousness until they come to their senses. But the end for a very proud king was repentance which gives us hope. In Peter, he gives us a progression of growth to follow. First we have to have faith. We add to faith, a generous provision of moral excellence. Moral excellence is living according to God’s laws and allowing it to change our hearts toward righteousness. To this we add knowledge of God. To the knowledge we get by drawing near to God and reading his Word is self-control. Self-control is not just abstaining from something bad for us but ordering our lives in a way that we control our desires and our empty spaces. I see that empty spaces are sometimes the downfall of many. Not knowing what to do with time when we have nothing planned is when self-control is so important. Having self-control allows us to choose the right thing to do. To self control we add patient endurance. Patiently enduring suffering and the times when it doesn’t look like God is moving is hard, but God’s grace helps us to endure. The next quality is godliness which is the result of training your mind through all the others before. Last is love for the brethren and the world. That is the end result of maturity. This shows the world that we are really among those God has called and chosen. If we can grow into maturity, we will never fall. That is why Jesus spoke so much about loving God and loving one another. It all boils down to those two things. Jesus gave his Father much joy because he did these things. Lord, the only way we can do these things is by your love and grace. Pour your Spirit out upon us to walk as Jesus walked and to love as Jesus loved.