Grow Up

Happy Sunday!

The theme this week has been maturity.   Every sermon, podcast, scripture, and word of encouragement has revolved around growing up!  Then today, the sermons I enjoyed confirmed it as well.

Pastor Theresa Goode, Senior Pastor of the New Dimension Apostolic Center, in Providence, Rhode Island preached at the Jubilee Christian Church Boston Campus this morning at 7:30 am.  Her sermon was entitled, "Moving From Place to Position".   The highest form of the Gospel is not Salvation, the highest form of Gospel is Adoption.  Only when we understand that we are no longer slaves, but sons and daughters will be able receive fully what God has prepared for us.  The Prodigal Son's older brother was living right in the house with access to everything, but he did not understand his position.  He did not realize that ALL that the father had was his, if he'd only receive it.(Luke 15:11-32).

Romans 8:10-17 says, "And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.  The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.  Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.  For if you live by its dictates, you will die.  But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.  So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves.  Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father".  For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.  And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering".(New Living Translation).

The enemy is always trying to keep you in your place, and prevent your rise to your position.  The enemy wants to keep you childish, ignorant, and impoverished.  The writer of Hebrews wrote..."You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God’s Word.  You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn’t very far along in the Christian life, and doesn’t know much about the difference between right and wrong. He is still a baby Christian!"(Hebrews 5:12, Living Bible).   

How can we grow up?  Great question!  I'm so glad you asked!  2 Peter 3:17-18 says, "Dear friends, you already know about this. So be careful. Don’t let these evil people lead you away by the wrong they do. Be careful that you do not fall from your strong faith.  But GROW in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory be to him, now and forever! Amen."(Easy-to-Read Version).  The more we know about our Lord and the way he did things, and the more we implement these principles in our lives, the more we will mature.  It's up to us to make the decision.

What was the original sin?  We often zero in on Adam and Eve, but even before their fall, Satan attempted to exalt himself above God.  He felt that he was smarter, and knew better what should be done than God.  He's still tempting us to do exactly what he did.  The Word says, "Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near"(Hebrews 10:25, Living Bible).  But we can easily find reasons or excuses not to attend.   The Word says, "Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for GOD, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work."(Colossians 3:22-13, Message).  How often do we forget who we are really working for?  I'm guilty too, but I'm changing and working on me.   The Word says, "Here then is my charge: First, supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings should be made on behalf of all men: for kings and rulers in positions of responsibility, so that our common life may be lived in peace and quiet, with a proper sense of God and of our responsibility to him for what we do with our lives."(1 Timothy 2:1-2, Phillips).  But when was the last time you prayed for our National, Regional, and Local officials?  When was the last time your prayed for your manager or supervisor?  God's Word is Truth.  Even though we get to choose, we must strive to choose wisely.  Jesus said, "If anyone listening to My teachings chooses to ignore them, so be it: I have come to liberate the world, not to judge it.  HOWEVER, those who reject Me and My teachings will be judged: in the last day, My words will be their judge because I am not speaking of My own volition and from My own authority. The Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and speak.  I know His command is eternal life, so every word I utter originates in Him."(John 12:47-50, Voice).

Love and prayers, Cynthia