Christian Maturity

Christian maturity involves acting on the guidance that we have already received. We must live up to what we already know - and life out what we have already learned. We often think that we can be sidetracked or stymied by what we lack in knowledge of God and His ways. But an exhausting search for truth simply isn't necessary - because truth always wants to reveal itself in our journey so that we can live it out.

Life's Purpose

The Apostle Paul's real purpose in life was to speak out boldly for Christ and become more like Him. (Philippians 2:21-24)

Could my own purpose in life really be any different than that?

Set Self Aside

Laying aside self interest is essential to all of our relationships - at home, work, church or anywhere else. The most successful relationship dynamics rest on this foundation. So, for example, real leaders show self-denying concern for others. They are willing to sacrifice themselves for the ones that they lead.

Happiness & Joy

Happiness and joy are not the same thing. Joy runs deeper and stronger; it is much more resilient. Joy is the quiet, confident assurance of God's love and work in our lives. Happiness depends on happenings (i.e., circumstances, things and experiences). But joy depends only on Christ.

Sharing Pain

When life is comfortable, we should willingly take a share of someone else's pain - and so tell the world that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. (It's God's will that we bear each other's burdens.) So whose pain or burden can I share today?

Wholly Righteous

Those who are mature should press on in the Holy Spirit's power, knowing that Christ will reveal and fill in any discrepancy between who we are and who we should be. He is the One who makes us wholly righteous.

Peaceful Conscience

As you grow in Christ's love and become more spiritually mature, your heart and mind must grow together and become one. Your conscience will then be at peace in all things.

Sin is Terminal

Sin is like a terminal disease. Sinful people cannot be cured by being good or being religious. Nor can they be cured in an emotional event. Putting our confidence in such useless cures only allows sin to spread and cause even more pain. Only God can cure the disease of sin in me. Am I willing to submit to His healing?

Employer vs. Employee

Christian employees should do their jobs as if Jesus were their supervisor. And Christian bosses or employers should treat their employees fairly and with respect. No matter whom you work for and now matter who works for you, the One you ultimately must please is your Father in heaven. And the sincerity of your heart about pleasing God is surely reflected in your work relationships as much as it is in any of your other relationships.

Justification

People often excuse selfishness, pride or the lack of loving actions toward others by claiming their rights. They may say things like, "It's time I get what I want." or, "I deserve this (self indulgence)."

Such people seem to think that rights - or entitlement - can trump virtue or obedience to God. but that is never the case. (It's a lie that they believe anyway though.)

God Revealed

We often think that if we know Jesus and His character, then we know God's as well. While it is true that Jesus showed us every single thing about God's character, He only showed us the aspects and dimensions of God that can be explained in human terms. (There is more to come!)

Obey Your Parents

Children are to obey and honor their parents. But this does not mean that as children they are to be subjected to abuse. Nor does it mean that, as adults, they are to cow down to domineering parents. To obey is to do as one is told - and we do that with our parents as children. To honor is to love and respect our parents - and we do that as adults throughout our lives. (Ephesians 6:1-3)

All of Me

We should not be concerned with how much of the Holy Spirit we have. Instead, we should concern ourselves with how much of us the Holy Spirit has. It is easier to accept what Jesus has to give us than to consider what we have to give Him. We must submit ourselves daily to His leading and His power.

Bad Language

The Bible seems to define swearing as simply taking the name of the Lord in vain. However, vulgar or crass language of any sort should have no place in the Christian's conversations - because it does not reflect God's gracious presence in us. We cannot praise God and remind others of His presence when we are speaking coarsely.

Pray for Leaders

You may find it difficult to pray for those in authority if they seem to behave in an ungodly or less than righteous manner. But that is when your prayers are most needed. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

In Troubled Times

Life cannot grind to a halt in troubled times or disastrous situations. We must adjust to the circumstances that God puts us in and keep moving. We cannot just wait for the circumstances to pass. Often we hear people procrastinate and say, "... as soon as things get back to normal." What they're really saying is that they know God has asked them to do --- but they prefer to do it when they are not facing any challenges. This is not Biblical. It is disobedience. It is allowing the circumstances to distract us from doing God's will.

Seeking Wisdom

James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom you should ask God (for it) ..."

The wisdom that we need and should ask God for has these distinct characteristics about it:

1. It is practical. It is relevant for daily living.
2. It is divine. God's wisdom goes beyond common sense right to insight that humans would naturally miss.
3. It is Christ-like. Asking God for wisdom is really just asking Him to make you like Christ, who is the "wisdom of God." (1 Corinthians 1:24 & 2:1-7)

Look for God

To look for God in something big, like a church conference or a great leader, may be to miss Him altogether. He is often found gently whispering in the quietness of a humbled heart.

Pleasure Vs. God?

Why is it so tempting to love pleasure rather than God? Pleasure is something we usually can control. God can not be controlled. Most pleasure can be obtained easily - but God requires us to seek Him, which can take work and time.

False Teachers

There are at least four warning signs of false teachers or false prophets:

1. They may appear to speak God's message (be religious) but they do not live out His principles.
2. They water down God's message trying to be relevant and please their listeners.
3. They encourage their listeners, even passively or subtly, to disobey God.
4. They often tend to be arrogant and self-serving (but can be so with poor self-esteem.)

God's Provision

God's provision is never given so that we can rest on it. We should plan to do more with God's provision in our lives than to simply savor it and be grateful for it. (That simply doesn't go far enough.)

Good Advice

To evaluate advice, ask yourself (or others who are at least as mature as you are) if it is realistic, workable and aligned with Biblical principles. It does not have to be practical, conventional or usual. Determine if the results of following the advice will be fair, make improvements and give a positive solution of direction.

Seek advice from those who are more experienced and wiser. Advice is only useful if it is consistent with God's standards; so good advice will most likely come from the most godly people you know.

Church Staff

All churches have the responsibility to keep worldly burdens off the shoulders of spiritual workers. What does this mean? It means we must take proper and complete care of the ministers and other staff who devote themselves to the work of the church.

Effective Bible Study

We can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes.

Unrepentant Sinners

Those who are committed to do evil may be used by God to sin even more in order to hasten their deserved judgment. (Exodus 11:10) This is true for all unrepentant sinners at any level.

Knowing God

He did what was right and just - and all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy - and all went well. "Is that not what it means to know Me?" declares the Lord.

- Jeremiah 22:15-16

Love the Sinful

Our love always leads us to identify with the desires of those whom we care about. If those are not virtuous, we may at first resist them. Eventually we will come to tolerate them. But as time goes on we will rationalize them. Before it's over we may even come to embrace them.

Resist, tolerate, rationalize and embrace.
It is a slippery slope to love someone who does not have virtuous desires in their heart.

Sin Against God

If we will view every wrong attitude and action as a serious offense against God, we will begin to understand (finally) what living for God is really all about.

Self Pity

Self pity - or feeling sorry for yourself - will always dilute the good that you may be doing in life? Why is that the case? Because at its root, it is selfish.

Source of Miracles

A simple act of faith can produce a miracle. Faith is the step between promise or hope - and assurance. But every miracle - whether large or small, begins with a faithful act of obedience. We may not see the solution or the miracle until we start to act in obedience.