Topic: Are You Growing? [Saturday 25, March 2017]
Memorise: For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. - Hebrews 5:13
Read: Hebrews 5:11-14 (KJV)
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Bible in One Year: Exodus 28, Jeremiah 2:1-19
MESSAGE:
Attaining maturity in the Kingdom of God is a process that occurs in stages, the first of which is babyhood. When a person becomes born again, he or she has to first learn the basic principles of life in Christ. Believers at this stage are fed with the milk of God’s word (1 Peter 2:2). They cannot take anything hard because they are babies. They depend on others to simplify processes for them. Just like babies in the natural realm, other people must carry them and clean them up; all they do is eat, play and sleep. If you are too dependent on others, you are most likely still in the babyhood stage spiritually, irrespective of your biological age. If you are very selective of the word of God you read, believe and practice, you are a baby. If you are always complaining about other people, what they did and how they did it, you could just be a baby. Spiritual babies are so dependent on the prayers of others. When confronted by the storms of life, if instead of going on your knees to pray, you find yourself pursuing one pastor or prophet around to pray for you, it is because you need to grow up.
Another level of maturity is adulthood. Christians in this stage are mature and no longer depend on milk but eat strong meat. Hebrews 5:14 says this about them:
“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
One major difference between those in babyhood and those in the adulthood stage of maturity is their level of discernment. Babes cannot discern anything. Anywhere people erect a signpost and call it a church, a babe will go there to worship. To him or her, every church is a Church of God. On the other hand, adults are more discerning. They are able to test every spirit they come in contact with by comparing the character of such spirits with the Holy Scriptures. They are also able to apply the “fruit test”, for every tree will be identified by the fruit it produces. An adult Christian is able to differentiate between good and evil. He or she can tell who is a servant of God and who is not. Can you call yourself an adult Christian? How sharp is your ability to discern? Are you able to discern between right and wrong? It is amazing that some Christians, who claim to have been saved for several years, still cannot discern between true and false prophets. Are you fellowshipping with people you should not be fellowshipping with? Can you differentiate the Holy Spirit from unclean spirits at any point in time?
Prayer Point: Father, grant me grace to grow to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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