Grow Intentionally!

INSPIRE Devotionals With Emmanuel Afiawari Sunday, January 19, 2025 Topic: GROW INTENTIONALLY! Bible Text:  2 Peter 3:18; Luke 2:40‭, ‬52 2 Peter 3:18 NKJV 18. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. Luke 2:40‭, ‬52 NKJV 40. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. 52. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. INSPIRATION: In the last few days, we've been talking about manifesting glory. But you can only manifest glory to the degree you're willing to grow. The more you grow, the greater and brighter the amount of glory you radiate. "But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day" (Prov. 4:18). Personal growth is fueled by an inborn passion for transformation. Growth is evident in how balanced your nourishment is. If you fail to eat balanced diet, you may suffer some deficiency in essential nutrients. In similar manner, you cannot neglect the feeding of every aspect of your life: spiritual, emotional, financial, family, social, career, mental, etc. To outsource the responsibility for your growth is to trade off your opportunity to shine. Peter counsels us to grow in grace but also in knowledge. We must constantly strive to bridge our knowledge gap, to increase our chances of maximising opportunities as they come. Stop feeding yourself with junk food and things that pollute your spirit and corrupt your mind. Guard your eyes and mind from straying into fields where your eyes are not supposed to wander into. Jesus grew and became strong in spirit and filled with wisdom. When you see scriptures like this, you must determine to interrogate what he did to grow, and why his life and ministry stood out while commanding results and impact. Your discovery should be your personal growth tool if you intend to reign in glory this year. TODAY'S TAKE HOME: Sit down, analyse and list out areas in your life where you need to grow urgently. Take the necessary steps towards your growth; be intentional about it. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you stay focused and disciplined as you pursue growth. PRAYER: Oh Lord, help me to take practical steps towards my growth. Cause my efforts to deepen my roots in personal growth, and may I be firmly rooted to bear good fruits as my glory becomes more visibly attractive, in Jesus name.