Daily Devotional
Are You Maturing in Jesus?
“Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
James 1:3-4
June 13, 2023
Ponder This
Suppose you’re running a 100-yard dash and you’re 10 yards ahead of everybody else and three feet from the goal, but you quit. It doesn’t matter how far ahead you were; you just lost the race. You’re never a failure until you quit.
What does God want out of you? God wants you to be a full-grown Christian. He wants you to be mature. There is no maturity without patience and no patience without trials. But if you’re not mature, you’re not like the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says God wants to bring you to the fullness of Christ. And the way He does that is by allowing you to have trials and tribulations so that you might be mature. Are children patient? Of course not! Anybody who has children knows children don’t know the difference between “no” and “not yet.” If you just say, “Wait a while” to them, it might as well be “No!” They want it now! But God is interested in growing you up and making you mature. The only way you’ll learn maturity is through tribulation that leads to patience.
- When have you needed endurance in a trial?
- What were some moments in your life that have helped you mature in your faith?
Practice This
Pray and ask God to show you the areas where you need to mature.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
