In our travels to maturity we all spill our milk. We say things we shouldn’t say, and at times we don’t act our age. We sometimes act like a two year old throwing a temper tantrum. At other times we pout like a ten year old, and still at other times we go through sweeping mood swings like an awkwardly adjusting teenager.
This process is called up growing up, and it is a painful one. We struggle through it more by trial and error than by charm school grace. Consequently, every now and then we bruise a knee, skin an elbow, or bloody a nose. Growing up…sooner or later we all have to do it. And the sooner we do, the easier it will be to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory now and forevermore.
Few things are sadder than a person who has known the Lord for years, yet is still unable to feed on the Word of God without relying on others to feed them milk like a baby. This is someone who has grown old but who has not grown up.
The Word of God tells us in Hebrews 5:12, 13 (NLT), “You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food. And a person who is living on milk isn’t very far along in the Christian life and doesn’t know much about doing what is right.”
Growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord makes everything of Jesus and nothing of man. Grace takes control away from us and forces us to live in the place of constant faith. Some men don’t like that. Truth is God never intended us to be in control. Controlling things is His role, not ours.
Millions of believers think they are spiritual because of what they do and what they don’t do or because of the group they belong to or the leader they follow. The Lord shows us in Galatians how wrong we are…and how right we can be if only we would give up control and let Jesus be in control. When we give control to Jesus, there will be freedom not bondage, co-operation not competition, glory to God not praise to man. The world will see true Christianity, and the lost will come to know the Savior living His life in and through His body of believers, and they will be drawn to Him in us. This is the solid food of the Gospel of Grace.
There is only one who has ever lived the Christian life, and there is only one who ever will. His name is Jesus, and He will live His life in and through His body of believers by grace through faith, not by our works lest any man boast. Growing in Grace is real maturity.
LIFE LESSON: Christianity is not a religion, Christianity is a life, His life in our bodies and growth (maturity) is the only evidence of this life. Keep growing! “He must increase; we must decrease.” (John 3:30)
This August is the one year anniversary of The Galatian Road A Road Less Traveled. Over 6,000 copies are now in print and thanks to Kyle and Brooke Aulerich; it is in the process of becoming available worldwide on the internet in Spanish, Korean, Russian, and Chinese. Praise God! We will keep you posted. As we continue to sow and water the truth contained in this minibuk, please pray that God will continue to make it grow! Tell your friends who either speak these languages or come from these countries to spread the word. Go in to all the nations!
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. You are great partners in Christ.