Growing in Christ (1)

Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life. Psalm 119.92, 93

A Divine and Supernatural Light
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
“The mind of man is naturally full of prejudices against divine truth. It is full of enmity against the doctrines of the gospel; which is a disadvantage to those arguments that prove their truth, and causes them to lose their force upon the mind. But when a person has discovered to him the divine excellency of Christian doctrines, this destroys the enmity, removes those prejudices, sanctifies the reason, and causes it to lie open to the force of arguments for their truth.”

Only God can open people to the truth of the Gospel. This suggests that, at the least, our work of evangelism and making disciples should be bathed in and supported by prayer in every aspect. Unless God works, no one’s mind will be open to the Gospel. Unless God works, none of His people will grow to hunger and delight in His Word. We have a role to play, of course, in our own growth in the Lord – seeking Him, waiting on Him, feeding on His Word, walking in His Spirit, and so forth. And we have a role in stimulating our brethren in the Lord to grow in Him as well. But it all begins in prayer. If we want to delight in the Word of God, and in growing in Christ; and if we want those we serve to do the same, then we must pray. As Paul prayed fervently for those in his charge (cf. Eph. 1.15-23), so let us pray for the people to whom we have been sent to minister the Word of God, that God might open their minds and hearts to His truth, and they begin to delight in it.

Spend some time today and for the rest of the week, praying through Ephesians 1.15-23, inserting the names of those leaders and others whom you are training and equipping.

Mission Partners Outreach
Thinking and living like a Christian begins in our daily lives, as we are going about in the world to which God sends us each day. Our Mission Partners Outreach programcan equip you to equip your church members to identify and work their Personal Mission Fields from the vantage point of a Gospel worldview and Holy Spirit power. I’m looking for some men who are looking for a reliable resource for helping the men of their church grow in Jesus Christ. If you’d like me to take you through this free, six-month program, and help you see how it could be used in your church, drop me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The calling to make disciples
As pastors and church leaders, making disciples is our primary calling. But we need to make sure we’re growing as disciples, and that our tools for disciple-making are in top condition. Our book, Fan into Flame, provides an overview of the work of disciple-making, together with helpful assessments to discover areas where you most need to grow. Order your copy by clicking here.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations from Jonathan Edwards, “A Divine and Supernatural Light,” in Edward Hickman, ed., The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. Two (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1995), pp. 12 ff.