New Year’s Resolutions
Time to Grow Up
Hebrews 5:11-14
Question: Have you ever been told to act your age?
Introduction: Acting one’s age for men is hard, especially when they are around a group of friends. In this group, there is no brain to be found and that usually means dumb decisions are to follow. When we begin to mature, our actions change and that usually means taking more responsibility and doing things on our own. At some point, we must decide what is best for our future and that may mean moving beyond tasks and relationships that hold us back. Part of spiritual growth is personal examination and understanding what we must remove in order to reach our full potential in Christ.
Hebrews 5:11-14: 11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
Dragging Your Feet
My wife can be the slowest walker on the planet. At times it is like she isn’t even trying to keep pace. The only time that she doesn’t drag her feet is when it is cold outside. Spiritual growth can and is associated with our own willingness to commit to a transformed lifestyle. Too many times we choose to drag our feet in our development with Christ. A first step is developing the ability to listen to God’s Word and to put it into action. The writer of Hebrews challenges believers to stop being dull and commit beyond being basic.
Basic fundamentals are vital to developing into a high level performer. However, at some point you have to move beyond those basic concepts. You can no longer just live in the basics if you desire to move into a deeper life with Christ. Furthermore, you cannot remain a baby. Failure to launch is not okay. To be honest, we need to develop a baby bird mentality with believers. We must be willing to be pushed out of the nest to begin to fly and push others out as well. Leaders must develop and nurture volunteers. Church goers must develop a willingness to serve and lead in spots that will stretch themselves and force them to rely on God more in their own personal lives. This is not meant to be a belittling message but a message to encourage you to move into a deeper understanding of your purpose in God’s will and design.
You are What You Eat
If this were true I would probably be a chalupa or quesadilla from Taco Bell. I hate to admit how much I like Taco Bell. If I had a choice of where I was going to eat out for a quick lunch, it would be Taco Bell. In the area of fitness, most personal trainers will tell you that the body you want has more to do with your habits in the kitchen more so than your habits in the gym. Taco Bell may be a reason I have not received the results I want from the gym fully, or Mountain Dew, or gummy bears, or cheesecake…Anyway, we have to move beyond simple diets if we want to truly grow spiritually.
Too many times “Christians” rely on being fed the Word from a pastor or teacher. The author here reflects this is like being a baby and only consuming milk. While listening to sound biblical teaching is good, it cannot be the only thing we rely on for our own personal growth. An issue that many Christians have is they rely on the teaching of one man or woman and do not study the Word on their own. We disqualify ourselves because we did not go to college for Theology, we do not understand the Greek or Hebrew, and we discredit the work of the Holy Spirit to speak to us in our own quiet time.
A major step in our own spiritual growth is the ability to become self-reliant. At some point, you have to stop being fed by others and do something for yourself. Becoming self-reliant means dedication and hard work. Too many Christians struggle with studying God’s word by themselves because it is time consuming and difficult to understand. However, there are so many tools to help us study deeper. From study bibles to concordances, we can learn to study God’s Word in real and practical ways.
Time For You to Step Up
My question for you is this; are you willing to step up and do the work for yourself? If you desire a deeper relationship with God, it cannot be just on your pastor or small group leader to get you there. While they can be a valuable resource for your growth, they are not with you daily. Jesus told his disciples it was good for him to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come to be your Advocate and source to point you back to everything He has taught. As we read and study on our own, ask the Holy Spirit to speak and direct you in a deeper understanding of God’s Word and its application into your life.
Resolution: Read and study God’s Word Every Day and ask the Holy Spirit to direct you.
God Bless,
Nicholas Engleman
If you have any questions about Jesus or this devotional, please reach out to me through email at nengleman902@gmail or by phone at 417-808-1049.
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