How Will We Grow? (Part 1)

There exists in Scripture a great tension between God's work and ours... do we work hard or do we let God do what God is going to do? YES

Paul wrote to the Philippians in chapter 2,

Therefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Work out your own salvation...for it is God working = tension.

Some of us don't like this tension - but that's OK - there is a combination here of working and depending... the Christian life isn't an "either / or life". It is both. Work and Depend.

So we will GROW as God sees fit - this is Jesus' body. We depend on Him. We trust in Him. We hope in Him.

And we WORK - hard - laboring as unto the Lord - as workmen whose efforts will be approved.

I will do a series of How Will We Grow? posts. Primarily they are our plans for growth in 2012. We will work hard at them and labor as for Jesus. But under girding all of our plans and work is the belief that it is God who is our sovereign King - we depend on Him and trust Him to do what is right and best. And we recognize that it is Jesus who builds His church.