Today I want to look at each of our lives and I want us each to personally evaluate where we are on a spiritually maturity level. I want us to look at where we were, who we are, and where we think God wants us to be. I think that a lot of times we somehow always seem to forget that we are living for God, that we decided at one point to give our lives to God by accepting Jesus into our hearts. Most of us will remember to go to church every Sunday and we give God that day, but what about “the space between”. Have we really given our lives to God? A lot of times, we will trust God with eternity, but we will leave him out from now until then. We live life in this world for ourselves, kinda just doing our thing day by day, having good times, maybe not even doing anything wrong, but really not doing anything at all when it comes to living for God.
*Bible knowledge is not equivalent to spiritual maturity
There may be a lot of people who some may think are spiritually mature or spiritual giants, because we have seen them in church for years and maybe even decades, but this always isn’t the case. They may be, and they may know the Bible in and out, they may have the whole thing memorized, but bible knowledge does not equal spiritual maturity. Bible knowledge is definitely a great thing to have!! But God really calls us to give our lives to him completely, and that isn’t by knowing only, but buy being a doer. Obeying the word of God not because that is what saves you, because we are saved by grace through faith, but doing the word of God, because that is what his grace is all about. God doesn’t give us all these new rules like love your enemies, forgive those who persecute you, be humble just to have rules, but he is casting a vision for a life that is truly devoted to him. We should trust God not only with our eternity but with our lives and the space between(life here on earth). If you look in your heart of hearts, you know that God has a bigger plan for you! God has a life for you that he wants you to start living out, and his grace gives us the power to live a life stronger for him.
James 1:22 “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
Basically, it’s not just about knowing what the bible says, it is about living a lifestyle of what God is calling us to.
Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”
Jesus is calling us out here. He is calling us to a closer walk with him and he is calling us to be doers of his word and true followers. I don’t think he had in mind for us when we gave our lives to him, that we would give our lives to him to trust him with eternity only, I think he was calling us to be true followers of his words, his example, and his call on our lives. He isn’t giving us all these “things” to just do and so we have rules, but he is giving them to us for vision and to learn and to grow spiritually. Someone can go to church their whole lives, but you never see them being a doer, that means the spiritual maturity level isn’t where it needs to be. But you can have someone who has gone to church their whole lives and you see them serve people where ever they can, they tell others about Jesus, they are living a lifestyle that coincides with God’s call to love people, they follow after God’s word with all their heart, and then we can see how they are a more balanced spiritually mature person.
This is my challenge to you today. Look and evaluate your life, where you came from, where you are and where you think God is calling you to be. Be totally honest with yourself in your heart. Maybe you have made great strides in what God is calling you to do, and maybe you have been stagnant for years and years. It is never to late to start following after God’s plan for your life. God is calling YOU, yes I am talking to YOU, to something great. He has a plan for your life and he wants to use you for his glory. Take this as a sign for you to get started. Ask God and yourself where God wants you to be and what steps you need to start getting there and to become more spiritually grown up and mature. It’s time to move past immaturity and being stagnant and to move into growing up spiritually by being a doer of his word, taking up your cross and following him. Giving up your life to truly serve him. Making Jesus not only your Savior, but your Lord! Maybe you need to start serving in your church or in your community as a first step. Maybe you need to start really seeking the life full of love that God talks about for your first step. Maybe you feel God is calling you on a mission trip, it will be different for every one of you, so ask God and let him speak to your heart on what steps to take to grow and to really give your life, not only in eternity, but here and now and the space in between.
Jon Rouse 