Bible Reading : 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Verse of Reflection : 1 Thessalonians 5:6
“Therefore, it is good for us not to sleep like other people, but to be vigilant and aware.”
Spiritual growth never happens by chance. Every beginning of a new season, there is always one important job that must be done first, which is cleaning. Like a plant that needs to be pruned so that it bears more fruit, so does the life of believers. Healthy growth always begins with the courage to clean up, get rid of things that hinder spiritual, spiritual, and physical life.
The first cleansing is spiritual cleansing. This means rearranging the centre of faith, returning to Jesus is the only focus. The rapid flow of information, teaching, and spiritual display in the digital age, believers are challenged to be more sensitive to distinguish which is pure and which only appears spiritual. Teachings that shift Christ from the centre of faith, making symbols, figures, or sensations as a focus, need to be removed. Spiritual cleansing also means leaving an indifference to God's word. Reading the Bible, praying, and faithfully worshipping is not an empty routine, but a means to keep the heart bright and life directed.
The next cleaning is touching the physical and mental areas. Physical life needs to be cleansed of habits that destroy holiness, discipline, and life testimony. What is done by the hands, where the feet step, and what is maintained by the eyes and mind, all determine the direction of growth. On the other hand, the soul also needs to be cleansed of greed, immaturity, and immaturity. Physical abundance without soul maturity will only give birth to a new emptiness. God longs for His people not only to be blessed, but also ready to bear the blessing with the right character.
Cleansing is not a goal, but a path to true growth. God not only calls His people to become Christians as a status, but also function and position. A clean life enables a fruitful life, and a fruitful life becomes a blessing for many people. It is time for us to reorganise our hearts, faith, and lifestyle, so that growth does not stop at discourse, but is real in everyday life.
*** Clean up first, because the life that is cleansed by God is the one who is most ready to receive abundance.***
-GN