Seeking Jesus First Feb. 21, 2025
Spiritual Maturity - Part Five
“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11, NKJV)
Righteousness is the received through faith. According to this Scripture, we are trained by righteousness to produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 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 5:13–14, NKJV)
When we are born again, we are babes and capable of partaking only in the milk of God’s word. The milk provides His essence, His forgiveness, His love, His provision. But God does not desire for us to stay babes. He has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His son. This means that we go after the deeper things that cause us to grow into maturity and be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then, through the practice of righteousness, we exercises our senses to discern and follow after what is good.
Deep calls unto deep. Holy Spirit searches out the deep things of God and reveals them to those who have been faithful over the little things. Obedience is important. Faith is important, and love is important. “These three remain, faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.” How can we say that we have faith, hope and love if we do not obey?
Chastening is used for perfecting, or completing, the believer. “Persecution comes for the word’s sake.” “In this world, you shall have tribulation.” Facing and overcoming opposition to the word is an essential part of growing in the word. Facing and overcoming unbelief and failure is essential to spiritual maturity.
Be faithful in the little things because it is the small foxes that spoil the vines. Be faithful in your everyday quiet time. Be faithful in the fruit of the spirit. Be faithful in truth. Be faithful in love. Be faithful in the little things because it proves that you are ready for bigger things. Don’t make spiritual excuses for being wishy-washy or unfaithful. The body of Christ needs you to be faithful in the little things.