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Enjoy Life, Enjoy God


Dale Patterson

GROW UP --2

May 22, 2009

The goal of Christian discipleship is not so much about our spiritual well-being or personal fulfillment, but serving Christ, and personal maturity, completeness.

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

- Hebrews 6:7,8 TNIV

Part of maturity is moving beyond freshman level courses and into a fruitful life, rather than weeds. "Fruitful" is surely service of Christ, neighbor, community around us and the world, but also fruit of a maturing spirit. In other words, Christ's presence growing in us.

Yesterday, I was cruising through my neighborhood with my windows open in my car--beautiful day--and I passed a home where the owner was standing in his driveway screaming on the phone at the top of his voice. It was a grotesque scene. Whatever the problem on the other end of the phone, what justification is there to speak to another human in such a manner? True, I don't know the facts, but the screamer was probably fifty years old, but he sounded like one in the Terrible Two's. Wonder if he's a Christian?
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson