SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Hebrews 5:13-14

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:13-14, NIV

Once we are saved by grace through faith, we are to live by faith; to walk by faith; to mature in the faith and to grow in grace. We are to progress from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity and to become disciples of Christ, students of the Scriptures and skilled in the Word of righteousness.

As believers who have trusted Christ for our salvation, we are to develop in our Christian walk and advance from simply taking in the pure milk of the Word to feeding on the strong meat of everything that proceeds from the mouth of God. We are to walk each day in spirit and truth as we regularly read, mark, learn, study, inwardly digest and practice the truth that we have been taught from the Word of God, so that our senses are trained to discern good and evil.

But we are to be nourished on the Word of God, and to practice biblical precepts and scriptural principles if we are to become spiritually disciplined mature believers. To do so means that we are to die to self and look to Christ alone. It requires that God's Word dwells in us richly day by day and that we are quick to eschew evil and do that which is good. We are to walk in spirit and truth, abide in Christ and He in us, so that in the power of the Holy Spirit we may bring forth much spiritual fruit to the glory of God.

As maturing Christians, we should desire an increasingly intimate relationship with our Lord and set our hearts on things above and not on the things of this carth. We are to remember that we are in Christ and that in Him, we died to our old sinful past, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God. We are to rejoice that Christ is our life. We are to pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks. And we are to remember that He is coming one day to take us to be with Himself, and that the day is fast approaching when we also will appear with Him in glory. Praise His holy name!!!

Father, thank You for this day and the breath of Your Word that sustains us. Lord, let your abundant blessings be our family's portion today. Lord, we pray that we continue to grow in grace and become spiritually mature. Lord, we pray that as we submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in our life that we may become increasingly like You, and that we live and work to Your praise and glory. Lord, these words have searched us, have found us out, have made us to see ourselves. We thank You for that. Lord, use us to be the embrace of Your love to those who need it today.

Father, we love You. Amen.