And Then There Were 5!

Well, it finally happened. He is here! Asher James Pettus was born Friday, December 15 at 1:44 pm. He was 8 lbs. 3 oz. and 21 inches long. Mom and baby are both at home and doing well. It is a pretty exciting time at the Pettus house. The other two Pettus kids love having a baby brother around. He eats good, goes #1 & #2 good, and is sleeping good, which are all very important things.

It is amazing to me that something so small will grow and become so big. I look at my other 2 children now, Mackeznie 10 and Jackson 7, and am amazed at how big they are compared to him and they still have a lot of growing to do. It may be that this little 8 pound mound of pure Pettus will one day be bigger, stronger, and smarter than me. It may be that this little one may have to care for me the way I am caring for him now .

For that to happen, Asher has a lot of growing to do. He has the potential for great strength, great love, and great thoughts, but in order to realize his potential he will have to eat and sleep, and in time exercise and study. It is only by being fed and later learning to feed himself, and then using those calories for productive purposes that he will become all that he can be.

So it is true of all babies. And so it is true of all who are born in Christ. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3 “In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’”

All believers are born as babies into God’s great family, but God does not intend for us to remain as babies. God’s will is that we grow. Ephesians 4:13-15 “...and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”

God’s will is that we be capable of fulfilling His plan for us in Christ, which He has prepared us. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

In order to grow and fulfill God’s plan for our life, we must do the basics. Feed our soul on the Word of God. Exercise our spiritual gifts in love and share the Gospel with the world. We are to give all that we are to God for His glory.

One of the things I love most about being at Living Hope is that we all, pastors included, are given the opportunity to help people get to God, grow in Christ, and give to others. This simple and yet profound mission enables us to fulfill our potential in Christ.

In 2007 Living Hope is going to “Walk in the Word”. We are going to study the Bible from beginning to end. Every time the church gathers for worship a book of the Bible will be preached through. Each person who is willing will read through the Bible using D.A. Carson’s devotion For the Love of God. It is our hope that everyone will be in small group by the end of the year so they can discuss what they are learning and how they are growing in Christ and do life with other followers of Jesus.

Pray that Asher will grow and reach his potential. As his father, I promise to challenge him and provide every resource necessary.

Pray also that we will all grow and reach our potential in Christ. Our heavenly Father has provided every resource necessary. James 1:17-18 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”