Bronx, New York – Abundant Life Baptist Church in the Bronx celebrated its annual Women’s Week. The guest speaker, Mrs. Juliana Adu-Gyamfi, First Lady of the Ghana Baptist Convention, called on Women to strive and achieve higher heights in the Lord. She said, “when we talk about higher heights in the Lord, we are talking about maturity in Christ, and you and I know that as Christians we are not there yet.”Speaking from Philippians 3:12 in the Bible, “Paul said, Not that I have attained of which I have to get in Christ, But I press on for the upward call so that I can get hold of that which Christ Jesus has laid hold for me.”When we talk about presenting ourselves mature before Christ, we are talking about growth. We want to grow in our Christian walk again, grow in the demonstration on God’s route and our Christian service and loyalty to God.
She stressed that as women they should not let their emotions overcome their maturity in Christ so that when offended they can just let go. As women, we tend to get hurt easily at church and pick up grudges which sometimes leads us not to attend church. She pleaded with them that attaining maturity in Christ is a personal responsibility as a Christian. She charged them to strive to achieve higher heights or maturity in Christ. We must pursue our goal of an upward call so we can achieve maturity. She said Paul was accessing his walk with the Lord, knew he was far away from attaining the height he wanted to reach in the Lord. “Because I have not yet arrived at my goal, I strain myself to achieve maturity in Christ so I can get into Heaven.” Even Paul who did a lot for Christianity at some point realizes he has not achieved his goal. She told the congregation they should accept the fact that they are still growing in the Lord.
As we are gathered here today clad in our ministry cloth, and it is everyone’s responsibility to strive to make it to heaven. As Christians, we will fail at times in our Christian lives, but that should not be an excuse not to press on. “The mark of attaining spiritual maturity in Christ requires continues self-assessment of your growth and service to God. The questions we should ask ourselves every day how far have I gone with my assignment” We should ask ourselves what else can I do for the Lord? Many of us women are equipped to give up our God-given assignment, and we refrain from trying harder with excuses. Attaining spiritual maturity in the Lord requires that you and I accept the fact that we are not there yet.
There is still room for growth and improvement in our Christian living and service in the Lord.We should forget the past if we must attain higher heights.”Paul said one thing I do is to forget the past, attaining higher height in Christ requires that we forget both past achievements, trials, and sufferings. One thing I do, I forget what lies behind”. As you strive to attain the price of your upward call, there will always be obstacles of pain, hurt, disappointment and many more. We must go through trial and persecutions for Christ. But when they do come you have a responsibility to let go behind”. Paul encourages us to have an attitude of excellence, perseverance, endurance and not comparing ourselves with others. As women, we should recognize ourselves as a unique vessel in the hands of the Lord. We have been called in heavenly position in destiny. In conclusion, she told them to remember what Paul said and should strive to attain higher height and maturity in the Lord.