Progress Forward

[0:00] A Pastor's Reflections Progress Forward! John 1.50 Jesus answered and said unto him,! Because I said unto you, I saw you under the fig tree, believest thou?

[0:14] ! Thou shalt see greater things than these. Hosea 6.3 Then shall we know, if we follow on, to know the Lord. Philippians 3.14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

[0:34] The call of the Christian's walk is always forward, onward. If at any time the believer in Jesus Christ ceases forward progress in his walk with the Lord, he invariably begins to slip backwards.

[0:51] It is not that we must always be in motion or busy in our actions. But our relationship with Jesus is such that we must always have a living and active faith in the person of Jesus Christ.

[1:07] In the same way a spouse has a living and active trust in their partner, so must we with Christ. A marriage relationship that is alive, active, and faithful does not always need to be full of activity and motion to prove that it is healthy.

[1:26] In fact, some of the healthiest relationships enjoy some of their sweetest moments in times of rest and quiet. However, that rest and quiet has come about not through a lack of an active relationship, but as a result of a relationship that is actively alive with mutual love and trust.

[1:51] A true and genuine love will always be an active love, but it does not need constant activity to prove its genuineness. Luke 10, 38-40 Now it came to pass, as they went, that Jesus entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

[2:14] And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving. Our relationship with Jesus is one of forward movement.

[2:31] We go from glory to glory, as it were. 2 Corinthians 3, 18 There will always be something up ahead for us, some greater understanding of who Jesus is, and some further revelation of his love for us.

[2:46] That truth, however, does not mean that Jesus desires us to always be on the go, always busy, and always in motion. Jesus' desire is not that we be busy, but that we be believing.

[3:03] Today, our growth in our relationship with Jesus is not based upon what we believe we can continue to do for Jesus, but upon what we believe he can continue to do for us.

[3:19] We will progress forward as we continue to believe in the great things he is able to accomplish. Father, thank you that all things required for a living, active, and healthy relationship with you have been accomplished by your Son.

[3:35] Thank you that in Christ, I can continue to progress in the love you have for me. Help me to be actively believing all the great things your word says that Jesus has done, is doing, and will do.

[3:51] Amen.