How would you characterize your current spiritual growth rate…stunted? spurting? stable? What evidence do you see in your life of a maturing relationship with Jesus? What would be some good indicators that would demonstrate growth in your life?

Are you a lazy listener or diligent responder to God’s truth in your life? Is it possible to regularly hear God’s truth yet remain apathetic toward it? What are you doing to “train yourself” to make good moral decisions and judgments in life?

On first reading, verses 4-8 can be frightening to believers who struggle to follow Jesus completely. To whom is the author referring in these verses? Are these folks genuine believers who are still stumbling at times? Why or why not? Observe the pronouns carefully and look closely at verse 9.

It is easy to grow disheartened in our walk with the Lord when it doesn’t seem like life is fair and the Lord does not appear to be rewarding our attempts to serve him and love others. How does verse 12 speak to our dilemma when it calls on us to imitate those who inherit the promises of God through faith AND patience.

 

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