Maturity
is the ability to reap without apology and not complain when things don't go
well.
Recognize that no one is going to see anything
in you that you don't see in yourself.
Stop waiting for a producer. Produce
yourself.
Teacher Amos.
#Today'sBread
Before moving somewhere you have to discern where you are
coming from. Sadly, you may be a Christian who is not going anywhere. You may
be committed to serve Christ with your life but are immature, defeated and
deceived. Your life is unfruitful and hopeless.
Discipling people to Christian maturity and freedom in
Christ involves much more than leading them through a tidy step by step ten
week Bible study. Your or rather our
maturity in Christ is a product of time, pressure, trials, tribulations, the
knowledge of God’s word, an understanding of who we are in Christ and the
presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
With God, be personal and ask: Who are you? How are you doing?
What do you believe about yourself? And where do you want be or move?
See, our past will always shape our present belief system and will determine
our future unless it is dealt with. Every Christian is responsible for their own
maturity and freedom in Christ. Nobody can make you grow. We as friends and
ministers alike can only point to you the things that will help you in your
growth and maturity; among them attending and
participating in bible studies, going to church, reading and listening to Godly
materials and many others. Doing all this is your responsibility.
Your pastor or as friends we won’t come to force you to attend church or pray
or fast. That’s your decision and daily responsibility. It’s a process you as
an individual must initiate and follow through. Nobody can solve your problems.
But you won’t be alone. The indwelling Christ is eagerly willing to walk with
us each step of the way.
Who are you?
Eng. Amos. {But this is just my name.}
I am a Civil Engineer working in the Building and
Construction industry. {Arrgh! This is what I do!}
I am Russian. {Mmmh! Merely where I live}
I am a Baptist. {This is just my denominational
preference}
I could also say that
I am six feet and three inches tall and a little over 135 pounds!
But friends our physical appearance and dimension aren’t we
either. If your legs and arms were chopped off would you still be you? If my
heart were transplanted, kidney or liver would I still be me? If you keep
chopping of every part of me or I keep on losing my weight you will eventually
get to me because I’m in here somewhere. Who you are or I am is far more than
what people see on the outside.
2nd Corinthians 5:16 puts it even better, “…we
recognize no man according to the flesh.”
It’s interesting that we tend to
identify with each other primarily by what we look like (tall, slender..!)
or by what we do (carpenter, teacher, secretary..!) and in
Christianity you’ll hear friends identify themselves with doctrinal positions (Protestant, evangelical, Calvinist..!) or our denomination
preferences (Anglican,Presbyterian..!) or our roles in church (Choir Member, Deacon...!)
Is who you are determined by what you do or what you do is
determined by who you are?
Your understanding of who you are is the critical foundation for your
belief structure and your behavior pattern as a Christian. For most
people, among them very devoted and dedicated Christians – what you see on the
outside doesn’t match what is inside. Most of us who appear to have it all
together on the outside are often far from being together on the inside. What
we show on the outside is a false front designed to disguise who we really are
and cover up the secret hurts and pain we feel about our identity. Compare this
to a building being constructed. In case you are to run out of cash to complete
the whole construction you are going to ensure utmost the front is done and
finished well – where people see.
External appearance, accomplishment and recognition don’t
necessarily reflect or produce internal peace and maturity. Never belief that a
certain amount of of status plus the recognition it brings equals to a whole
person. It’s like saying 2 + 2 = 6!
Whatever pinnacle of success we achieve soon crumbles under
the pressure of hostile rejection or criticism, introspection or guilt, fear or
anxiety! If this equation would work for someone they would have worked for
King Solomon. But with all He had He writes in:
Ecclesiastes 1:2-3
Everything
Is Meaningless
1.
The words of the Teacher,[a] son of
David, king in Jerusalem:
2.
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says
the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
3.
What do people gain from all their
labors at which they toil under the sun?
And the book of Ecclesiastes goes on to describe the
futility of pursuing meaning in life on an external level. It’s so unfortunate
that on this earth people live strictly on the external plane. Happiness is
equated with good looks, relationships with important people, the right job and
a fat bank account. And a life devoid of these benefits is equated with
hopelessness.
The
only identity equation that works in Gods Kingdom is you plus Christ equals
wholeness and meaning.
When we fail, we see ourselves as failures which only cause
us to fail more. We sin, so we see ourselves sinners which only causes to sin
more. We have been sucked into the devils futile equation. We have been tricked
into believing that what we do makes us what we are. This false belief is the
source of many unhappy people out here who are chasing this world’s vanity
affair.
To end today's daily
bread lets read;
2nd Corinthians 4:16
16. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though
outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
And check out this simple song talking about the fact that
we've won:
Tumeshinda (We Have Won)
I
guess real maturity, which most of us never achieve, is when you realize that
you're not the center of the universe.
Blessings and stay prayerful.
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