Growing Up....Maybe It's Time

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does it's work.

Ephesians 4:11-16


Over the past several weeks our focus has been on spiritual roadblocks and how they can make us complacent in our daily walk. If we are standing still we are not moving forward (profound isn't it), and we are not growing....spiritually speaking.

So why do we choose to put the proverbial brick on our own heads? Why do we allow ourselves to become lukewarm? Why is it that we can't get off the milk? More on this later...

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Paul? This guy is a fireball!!! He can hit you in the teeth and make you like it so much that you smile :) Paul was an encourager as much as he was a teacher. He understood that in the process of building a church, that these infant Christians were easily swayed back to their "old nature". He understood that they (the early church), would encounter spiritual roadblocks, but he also understood that if they unified...they would encounter God. Just as he spoke to the people of Ephesus in the text above, he speaks to us. Through God's word he speaks the "truth in love". He encourages us (the church of today), to use our God given gifts to prepare each other to do God's work. GROW!!!! in "faith and in knowledge...and become mature."

I didn't event screwing up, but it feels like I've mastered it at times. I don't understand why I put the brick on my head. I don't understand why I allow myself to become lukewarm. I do however, know what it takes to get off the milk. If you're like me you have to ask WHY!?!?! If I know how, why don't I do it? That's just it "I" can't do it...not alone. Not only do I need God's help, I need your help too. I need the "whole body" to be the Christian God is growing me to be. You hear me say all the time that I'm so very thankful God has placed each of you in my life. I hope the text above makes it clearer and I also hope that it provides encouragement to you.

DJ sent me a devotional today by Henry Blackaby. The first line really jumped out at me and I want to share it with you now. It says, "If you are walking daily with the Lord, you will not have to find God's will------you will already be in it."

Maybe it's time to grow up.