Text:
Hebrews 5:12-14
Memory Verse:
“But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14).
Growing from being a spiritual babe to spiritual maturity is not bread and butter. It requires skillfulness in the word of righteousness, ability to discern good and evil through using and exercising your senses. It requires a deliberate attempt to move from the elementary principles of faith to growing more and more like Christ (Hebrews 6:1). Spiritual growth does not happen automatically. You must desire and decide to grow, discipline yourself, and delight in spiritual growth.
You may be excusing yourself on the grounds of “my life is just too hard”, but understand that many people have had it worse than you and grown into spiritual maturity, while many others have had it better and remained spiritual infants. The failure to grow is because they doubted their ability to do so, drifted wherever the current took them, or delayed their growth.
Growth always begins with a decision. Jesus said to Matthew “Follow me and be my disciple… Matthew got up and followed him” (Matthew 9:9 NLT). Matthew didn’t understand all the implications of his decision; he simply decided to follow Jesus. That’s all you need to get started: a decision. Nothing shapes your life like the decisions you make. If you want to know what you will be twenty or thirty years from now, examine the commitments and priorities that rule your life. Every choice has consequences, so choose wisely. Christlikeness is the result of making Christlike choices and depending on Him to help you fulfil those choices. He will accurately reproduce His character in you (Ephesians4:24 MSG).
Prayer Points:
1. Holy Spirit, please help me to grow more and more like Christ in every way.
2. I receive the grace to be committed to growing spiritually and setting spiritual priorities.
