Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
We love our kids and relish every stage of their growth. Well, some stages anyway. Just like the use of a washing machine in which there are several stages the laundry has to go through, so our kids face many changes and growing pains.
There are those stages, especially for the little ones, in which we wish they could stay. They can be so cute that we wish they'd never grow up. But really, it would be pretty unnatural for that to happen.
The same is so with Christians. They have that initial joy in abundance as a new believer, then a real zealousy, but without knowledge. They can be like a bull in a china closet as they tell others of their need for Christ. Then they could charge hell with a squirt gun, giving people what for about sin and righteousness. Some grow leaps and bounds as they devour all things Christian. Ah, we wish they could just stay that way. But we could never use them in a deacon's office or as a Sunday school teacher yet, they need more tact and maturity.
The shame is, sometimes crusty old do-nothing, feel-nothing Christians model a Laodicean lifestyle to them which stunts their growth. And such is the growth process for many new believers.
But something happens to a vast majority of Christians somewhere along in their growing years. They quit maturing and begin to reverting to earlier stages.
It comes to a point in our Christian walk, where, when we ought to be teaching and serving in greater capacities, we are hamstrung by immaturity.
This is not natural! Every Christian ought to experience growth in his or her spiritual life, pressing on the upward way. They need to quit drinking the pablum of the Word, settling once and for all what they believe about the basic tenets of the faith, and progressing to the meat of the things of God.
Where many ought to have their teaching degree from the University of Ministry, they are toddling around in Bible preschool donning dirty diapers.
Isn't it time to grow up, leave those early stages long behind us, and move on to ministry? Instead, we desire others continue to warm up our milk bottles.
Get a goal to move on to the next stage of your walk with the Lord, leaving the kid stuff behind. You need to be a minister, not a ministry.
Thanks Pastor Fuller! I enjoyed this as I was thinking about the milk vs meat this morning! Awesome message. I feel the Lord leading me, but it is unclear as to "what" He is calling me in that specific area... a women's ministry perhaps? This is all I have on my heart and when He wants me to know, He will lead an open doors! I've also shared this on FB as I hope it blesses and encourages others as it did me. Thank you and God bless! :-)
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