Growing In Spiritual Maturity

Spiritual GrowthIf I am to be a healthy member of the Body of Christ, then as like a member of the human body, I must grow and mature as does the rest of my body. Imagine my right hand not growing in harmony with the rest of my body, stunted and tiny compared to the rest of me. It would be a strange sight indeed to have my right hand half the size of my left hand.

Perhaps my stunted growth could be attributed to my diet. If I’m still eating baby food and drinking formula at age 3, then obviously my diet needs to change. So it is for the spiritually immature:

    “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14)

If you find yourself clueless on how to live this Christian life and are not maturing spiritually, then the writer of Hebrews says you need to learn “again the first principles of the oracles of God.” (Let me tell you a secret: I’m currently working on a book on just that subject)

Our spiritual state is very important to our Lord Jesus Christ. If we have been born again for dozens of years, then the Word tells us our spiritual state should be quite mature. We should not be weak and constantly defeated by Satan:

    “I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.” (1 John 2:14)

Through my conversations with Christians, I get the feeling that many of them think that God is keeping His will from us like it’s some top secret message to be deciphered only by the most discerning of theologians. The Bible dispels this myth in the the Book of Proverbs’ first seven verses:

    “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion—a wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, to understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:1-7)

In fact, as you read through Proverbs you discover some very simple truths for life. This is why I encourage everyone to read the numbered proverb that corresponds with the date (there are 31 proverbs; one for each day). Just this practice alone would radically change 95% of Christians’ lives. C’mon Bro Dave, just reading the Book of Proverbs can do that? Yes!

    “When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; but when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.” (Proverbs 21:11)

Our Lord has graced us with the Holy Spirit so that we can know “what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

Beloved, we have a choice, we can trust our human abilities, or we can look deeply into God’s Word. The Prophet Isaiah made clear what is the best path:

    “His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears…” (Isaiah 11:3)

Dear friend, you know not what is God’s will for your life, because you seek not. And yet if you do seek, you lack faith doing so:

    “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8)

I am more than confident in saying that it would greatly please the Lord to reveal His will for your life. So use wisely what He has already given you to attain the knowledge I pray is becoming your heart’s desire and watch yourself grow in spiritual maturity.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2013 David Jeffers

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