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"Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." "Jesus, considered as a man, was perfect, yet He grew in grace. 'And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.' Even the most perfect Christian may increase continually in the knowledge and love of God." "First the blade, then the ear, after the full corn in the ear." "At every stage of development our life may be perfect; yet if God's purpose for us is fulfilled, there will be continual advancement. Sanctification is the work of a lifetime. As our opportunities multiply, our experience will enlarge, and our knowledge increase. We shall become strong to bear responsibility, and our maturity will be in proportion to our privileges." "As you receive the Spirit of Christ - the Spirit of unselfish love and labor for others - you will grow and bring forth fruit. The graces of the Spirit will ripen in your character. Your faith will increase, your convictions deepen, your love be made perfect. More and more you will reflect the likeness of Christ in all that is pure, noble, and lovely." "We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ." "Our work is to strive to attain in our sphere of action the perfection that Christ in His life on the earth attained in every phase of character." "Christ is seeking to reproduce Himself in the hearts of men; and He does this through those who believe in Him. The object of the Christian life is fruit bearing - the reproduction of Christ's character in the believer, that it may be reproduced in others." "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us." "None are living Christians unless they have a daily experience in the things of God and daily practice self-denial, cheerfully bearing the cross and following Christ. Every Christian will advance daily in the divine life. " "Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, or a day. It is a continual growth in grace. We know not one day how strong will be our conflict the next. Satan lives, and is active, and every day we need to cry earnestly to God for help and strength to resist him. As long as Satan reigns we shall have self to subdue, besetments to overcome, and there is no stopping place, there is no point to which we can come and say we have fully attained." Besetments are situations and temptations that will come to you, but you can keep self yielded to God and have victory every day. This is our testing time. "So long as we are in this world, we shall meet with adverse in-fluences. There will be provocations to test the temper; and it is in meeting these in a right spirit that the Christian graces are developed. If Christ dwells in us, we shall be patient, kind, and forbearing, cheerful amid frets and irritations. Day by day and year by year we shall conquer self, and grow into a noble heroism. This is our allotted task; but it cannot be accomplished without help from Jesus, resolute decision, unwavering purpose, continual watchfulness, and unceasing prayer." "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." "The grace of Christ is essential every day, every hour. Unless it is with us continually, the inconsistencies of the natural heart will appear and the life will present a divided service." "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." "He will give you grace to be patient, He will give you grace to be trustful. He will give you grace to overcome restlessness, He will warm your heart with His own sweet Spirit, He will revive your soul in its weakness." "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." "Abundant grace has been provided that the believing soul may be kept free from sin, for all heaven, with its limitless resources, has been placed at our command." "In the matchless gift of His Son, God has encircled the whole world with an atmosphere of grace as real as the air which circulates around the globe. All who choose to breathe this life-giving atmosphere will live and grow up to the stature of men and women in Christ Jesus." "Let a living faith run like threads of gold through the performance of even the smallest duties. Then all the daily work will promote Christian growth. There will be a continual looking unto Jesus. Love for Him will give vital force to everything that is undertaken. This is true sanctification, for sanctification consists in the cheerful performance of daily duties in perfect obedience to the will of God." "May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." |