Where ever we go in the world people are watching us.  Even when we don't realize it, there seems to be a peering eye watching to see how we respond in every situation. Can you imagine what it was like for Jesus everywhere He went?  In Luke 14, we read that the Pharisees carefully were watching every move he made. They were ready to pounce on any misspoken word or deed that did not somehow align with their viewpoint of things. Wow! Can you imagine what that would be like? There are some people reading these words right now that can relate with Jesus. Everywhere you go you feel like you are being analyzed for any weakness that can be found.  There is no question that anyone who is running for public office can relate to this passage. What about the Christian that stands for a standard of morality, love, and self-control?  In this world, these qualities are faintly seen and there is a cynicism that they even truly exist anymore. Yet, Christians are a light of contradiction to this kind of thinking. All around us there are people that are carefully watching you and I.  You often don't even know they are there, but they are analyzing your words and actions to see if they line up with each other.  About ten years ago I had the opportunity to climb the Eiffel Tower.  Once we made it to the top the tower it began to sparkle because of the lights that were installed a few years earlier.  As soon as the tower began to sparkle an amazing thing happened.  The city of Paris then began to sparkle from the flashing of camera lights going off around the city.  Even though the flash was miles away, it was a light that you could see shining through the darkness.  The person taking the picture had no idea that someone on the tower just observed their action.  In this dark world your flash of Christ-likeness will be seen by many even though you will never meet them.  

Graduation season is upon us once again.  We have a whole new group of students that are moving from one stage of life into an exciting new adventure.  Recently I went to the University of Minnesota to have a Root canal and crown down on tooth #3.  (Knowledge gained by being a dental training institution).  The young man who was doing the work on my tooth had been in school for eight years.  Needless to say, he was more than ready to move on into the next stage of his life.  

Really life is a collection of stages that we go through. Life in the Kingdom of God is no different.  Corinthians tells us that we are to graduate from glory to glory.  Peter tells us that we are to attain certain characteristics in increasing measure.  We call it Spiritual Growth.  That Growth will give us all we need for life and Godliness. For many Christians, however, they are content to live for years at the same place in their Christian walk.  They never experience deliverance from bondages, operate in the signs, experience wonders and miracles that God intends for their life, and never increase in the understanding of God's love for them and for others.  They never graduate to the next level of a knowledge, relationship, and position with God.  It is important to understand that every new stage we enter releases us into new intimacy with the Creator of the universe and a revelation that was but a mystery.  Although before you can handle these new mysteries you must show that you understand and comprehend the revelation that you have already been given.  Therefore, just as in school we are given final exams and tests, it is the same spiritually. We need to demonstrate that we have spiritually grown to a place where it is time for a Spiritual graduation.  

So it begs to ask this question: "When was the last time that you went through a graduation in your spiritual life?"  Ask yourself when was the last time that you felt excited about your connection with God?  These are times when although you had some anxiety you chose to move forward in your pursuit of God. In doing so, God revealed new understanding of the mysteries of the Word of God. These experiences are graduations from what has become stale and a movement into a new stage that will be exciting and fresh.  If you are a Christian that has lost your excitement, take this advice.  It is time to graduate!  When you continue to progress and graduate from level to level you will never experience boredom on your Spiritual journey.

In Luke chapter nine, Jesus sends out the disciples to all the lands to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Upon their return we hear of all the amazing things that they were able to do by the authority and power of Jesus. The lame walked and the blind were able to see!  

A few verses later when Jesus is speaking to the masses and dinnertime is approaching, the disciples point out that the people are hungry and should be sent home so that they may eat. Jesus response was, "You feed them." You would suspect that after the spiritual high that the disciples were coming from that they would be all about this, but they weren't. In fact they stood around confused. In their search they return with a few loves and some fish. Most of us know then that Jesus went on to bless and feed EVERY PERSON THERE!

But here is what I want to draw your attention to. There are things that we experience where God does something utterly amazing in our lives or loved ones, and then within days, even hours we are quick to forget about that which he has done for us. It happened with the disciples, and it happens with us. We can't forget abut the things that God has promised and done for us. We walk as if we have never seen or heard.

Let us walk with a holy confidence in the God that we serve!

May the awe and wonder of God serve as a constant reminder of the things God has done in your life!