Daily Devotional
Are You Spiritually Maturing?
“I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.”
1 John 2:12-14
August 9, 2021
Ponder This
What is maturity? Maturity is Christlikeness. In Ephesians 4:13, Paul said, “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” and the word perfect here does not mean sinless, it means mature. In Colossians 1:28, Paul said, “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” And again, the word perfect means mature.
Maturity is a life-long process. It’s not a hundred-yard dash; it is a marathon. Nobody is instantly mature. It has been said if you want to grow a squash, you can do that in forty days. If you want to grow an oak, you can do that in forty years. You can be instantly spiritual, you can be gifted, you can be healthy, but you cannot be instantly mature.
- Where might you place yourself in the categories John included in today’s verses?
- What are the practical means by which you are seeking to grow toward spiritual maturity?
Practice This
Do a search of where the Bible talks about maturity or completion. Make a list of the marks of maturity you find.
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.’”
