Spiritual Maturity

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” -Ephesians 4:29, 31-32

Your spiritual maturity stands on the foundation of important theological knowledge! However, growing your base of information and knowing the right answers does not alone equate to spiritual maturity. There are many people who know a lot of information about the Bible, but who do not live a life that looks like Jesus!

Spiritual maturity is applying the information you learn (James 1:22)! The greatest depth of spiritual maturity is not more information, but experiencing transformation!

Being kind when someone is unkind to you, forgiving a person who has hurt you, and being compassionate when you don’t feel like it are all marks of spiritual maturity.

Applying knowledge you have learned is more emotionally difficult than just attaining the information. It requires courage, commitment, and compassion to live like Jesus!

How do you consistently apply God’s Word when it is not easy? How do you keep maturing year over year when your natural motivation fades?

Jesus is our model for how to love and also our motivation for living out His Word in difficult situations! He loves you so much that He gave His life on the cross so you can experience His grace and forgiveness! Now, we choose to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to others just as in Christ God forgave us (v.32).

Spiritual maturity occurs more rapidly when I apply the truth of God’s Word consistently! There is much you need to know, but there are also things you need to do! Until you do what you know, you will stall out your advancement toward spiritual maturity!

Act on the information God has given so you can experience transformation!

Right on?

Read/listen to Ephesians chapters 3-5

Prayer focus: talk to God about anything He has asked you to do in His Word that you have not yet fully acted on and ask for strength to follow through like Jesus

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What Are You Planting?

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” -Galatians 6:7-9

There is a gap between when you plant and when you harvest. During that time, the seed is maturing, but it’s not changing to a different seed. It is becoming a bigger and more expanded version of itself. When it bursts through the soil, it is rarely surprising to anyone. It is a grown up version of what was planted and expected.

Outcomes in life are observed, but hard to influence after the input has been deposited. Once the seeds have been planted, the outcomes are evident in time. God’s Word tells us that you will get a harvest in line with what you plant (v.7). It’s not surprising when you harvest the crop that you planted.

Many people are dissatisfied with the results in their spiritual life, but they are not changing the inputs so they don’t see improved outputs.

If you want to improve the results in your spiritual life, improve what you are depositing!

Your results will be in line with the seeds that you plant!

It shouldn’t be surprising to see regret, brokenness, and emptiness if you plant in the ways of the world. You reap what you sow!

On the other hand, it shouldn’t surprise you to see love, joy, and peace growing when you plant to please the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). You will reap what you sow!

What harvest are you seeing in your life? Is there a different seed you need to start planting to improve your future outputs?

Walk in the Spirit, meditate on the Word of God, pursue God’s presence in prayer, and expect to see a God-pleasing harvest! You will reap what you sow, so plant to please the Spirit!

Right on?

Read/listen to Galatians chapter 6 and Ephesians chapters 1-2

Prayer focus: talk to God about the inputs in your life and ask for wisdom to improve the deposits you are making so that you can see greater outputs

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Sliding Into Salvation

“…to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ’Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” -Galatians 4:5-7

When Jesus becomes your Lord and Savior, you are adopted into the family of God (John 1:12) which means you become a son or daughter of the Great King. When you know the reality of your new identify, you start to understand what you are not as well.

You may have walked in the kingdom of darkness, but you are now a child of light (Ephesians 5:8). You’re not an outcast or an outsider - you have been brought near to Him through Jesus (Ephesians 2:13). You are no longer a stranger and someone far from God - you are inside the family! This new identity should change everything about how you think as well as your future expectations!

If you think you barely slid into salvation, but are not really wanted or welcomed, it will rob you of peace and leave you feeling less loved than you should!

When you realize you are not only a part of the family, but deeply loved and desperately wanted, it allows the love of God to wash over your heart and mind with great assurance!

You don’t always have the capacity to include every friend in everything that you do, but there’s always room for family! You are forever included, invited, and welcomed relationally with God!

Friends can come and go throughout your life, but family is lifelong! In the family of God, it’s a long-term part of your future and a new reality in your present. You will never be abandoned and you now have unimaginable blessing to look forward to in this family!

You may give to others out of a generous heart, but your children and grandchildren are heirs of your estate. God has not just entrusted you with extra scraps from His table, but He has given you a seat and entrusted you with the wealth of His eternal Kingdom! You are a child of the King and adopted into His family! You are an heir with an unfathomable inheritance!

Dwell on the goodness of God and thank Him for how He has included and welcomed you into His family as an heir of His eternal Kingdom! You are part of the family so start thinking like it and raise your expectations! You have so much to look forward to in Jesus!

Right on?

Read/listen to Galatians chapters 3-5

Prayer focus: thank God for including you in His family and talk to Him about any insecurities you have had so that you can rest more in His love for you

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