GROWING UP IN JESUS

1 Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, (2) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

 

Sometimes the number of immature Christians we encounter is surprising and more than a little frightening.  The sad thing is that they are not even aware that they are babes in Christ.  Sadly I am not talking about those that have just been saved.  Many of the most immature Christians I have met have been in the church for ages.

 

They are focused on themselves.  If you think about it one attribute of a child is that they think everything is about them and they are the center of the universe.  When they don't get their way they become angry, they attack others, they are envious and they think they look better by putting other people down.  Does this sound like anyone you know, that is, besides children.

 

I have known many people like this and still they did not desire the sincere milk of the Word so that they could grow.  They desired the milk because that is all that they could digest.

 

As we grow in grace and begin to spiritually mature we should be able to digest more of the Bible, the meat of the Word.  As we become more mature we realize that our focus should not be on our self, or even on others but should be on Jesus.

 

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

THE GLORY SEEKERS

3 John 1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

In my thirty something years since I surrendered to the ministry I have met a lot of different types people. I suppose I am more perplexed by those who seem to have no spiritual inclinations but have a desire to run the Lord's church as if they were left in charge of it.
They seem bound and determined to have things their way even if the majority is against it and even if it goes against the teachings of the Bible. I suppose they feel like if they have the preeminence that the Glory will be theirs.
We should never seek our own glory. If we glorify the Lord and we are humble and submissive, God will be Glorified and He will in turn Glorify us.
I once heard a story of a church janitor who did an extraordinary job of keeping the church clean. A visiting preacher commented to the pastor that he certainly should make sure the man was well paid because he did such a terrific job.
The pastor then informed him, "We don't pay him a cent. He is one of the richest men in this community and he is retired and he does it for free. He came to me one day and said he saw a need for someone to do a good job of cleaning the church and he would like the job. He said that he didn't feel he could teach or do some of the other things but he knew he could do a good job of keeping the Lord's house clean. He has been cleaning it ever since and he does a terrific job because he is doing it out of love for Jesus. Most of the people in the church aren't even aware it is him that cleans it."
We should do whatever we do for God's glory, now our own.