The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

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#126: The Inspiration of Scripture Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

When it comes to Scripture, we have something far more reliable than the guarantee of a government—we have the promises of Almighty God that His Word is perfect and pure. God promised to preserve His Word for us. That means that, according to the promise of God, we can have complete faith that every word in the Bible is there on purpose.
Proverbs 30:5 say, “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.”
The Bible’s authority is the final word concerning matters of faith. If someone is preaching a doctrine and that doctrine does not line up with the Word of God, reject that doctrine. If someone gives you a personal prophecy and it runs contrary to Scripture, reject that prophecy. If someone is acting contrary to Biblical morality and claims God told them to do so, then they are being deceived.
Many today question whether the Bible is true and trustworthy. We live in a day wered, there is an eroding of the credibility of the Bible. Without a doubt this is a work of Satan. The tools he uses is our secular/humanistic society, our media, atheist/agnostic university professors, and others.
394 times the OT calls this book “The Word of God.”The Bible did not come from the best religious ideas of the apostles or prophets.
This is how the Bible describes itself: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” (2 timothy 3:16)
When we talk about the inspiration of scripture, what does the phrase “inspired” mean? This phrase “God-breathed” in the Greek language means inspired, but I don’t want us to confuse this with the common use of the word “inspired.” We might say Shakespeare was inspired and he wrote good plays. We might say Beethoven was inspired and composed great symphonies. You might get inspired some night and decide to paint your living room. This is not what we are talking about when we say God’s Word is inspired.
In the biblical sense inspiration is unique. God was the author of the Bible; He was the One who inspired the writers to speak truths. He was the initiator. God was the source, the writers were the recipients.
Peter said (2 Peter 1:21) “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
This phrase “carried along” is the same Greek word that Paul used in Acts 27 to describe the “ship being driven along by a strong wind.” It was no longer under the control of the sailors, but the wind. The sailors were active, but not in control. The human authors of scripture were active, but under the control of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible is the product of God himself. The ideas are not human thoughts but come from God’s will. We also need to understand though, that the writers of the Bible were not just writing machines. God did not punch them like keys on a keyboard. His Holy Spirit prompted their hearts and minds, but it is clear that each writer had a style of his own.
Today’s Challenge: There are solid reasons for you to trust the Bible. If you haven’t made a decision about the trustworthiness of Scripture, let me plead with you. Please do not make your decision without reading it. Begin in the gospels and read about the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Read with an open heart. Ask God to reveal himself to you. I believe He will.

#125: God's Miracle Working Power Dec 13, 2020

Show notes

Does God still perform miracles today?
Here are some of the objections I hear:

God only did miracles in the Bible days to prove His existence.
The days of miracles are over.
Miracles are just natural phenomena that are misunderstood by uneducated people.
If science cannot explain it, I don't believe it
Unexplained wonders are simply coincidences

What do you believe about miracles? Where do I stand? I believe God answers prayer. I believe He still performs miracles. I still believe there is power in the name of Jesus.
Since you are listening to this podcast, it’s likely you believe in the power of God. If you believe the Bible, you know our God is more than capable of doing miracles. The entire book is filled with miracles.
The more pressing question is, “Does God do miracles today?” The answer is yes. I believe Hebrews 13:8 to be true. - “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
What is a miracle? Miracles - “extraordinary events taken as a sign of the supernatural power of God.”
Some would say, miracles impossible.” But consider for a moment what man can do. A few decades ago we would have said many things are impossible:
An airplane can transport hundreds passengers nonstop from Los Angeles to Beijing, traveling at a cruising speed of 560 miles per hour (900 km/ h).
Video conferences can enable people on different continents to engage in face-to-face conversations.
Thousands of songs can be stored on your phone.
Surgeons can transplant hearts and other body parts.
If humans can accomplish feats that just a few years ago seemed impossible, then surely the God who created the universe and all that is in it can perform amazing acts that we do not yet fully understand.
It’s miraculous that Jesus would leave the glory of Heaven and take on human flesh and die for our sins. It is miraculous that on the third day he walked out of the tomb alive forever more. It is miraculous that He has given us His Holy Spirit to empower us to live for God and to accomplish His purpose. It will be miraculous when He returns for us and we go in the rapture of the church.
In the New Testament Jesus spoke of having a child-like faith. Have we lost that? In a time in which we have so many resources at our disposal, have we lost the ability to simply pray and believe God.
What if returned to prayer and faith? What if we once again would believe that our great God would hear us and respond and do miracle?
Mark 9:23 - “All things are possible to him who believes.”
He is God. He can break into our world any time he chooses to do things that we cannot explain. It’s not God’s power that is at issue. Our struggle is understanding how, when, and why God works. We need to remember this truth:
Miracles are not about us. Miracles are about God.
Let’s trust Him. Let’s surrender to his sovereignty. He knows what is best for us.
Today’s Challenge: Where in your life or family do you need a miracle? Don’t stop praying and believing. Keep trusting our miracle working God.

#124: Giving God Your Best Work Dec 12, 2020

Show notes

It’s amazing how much work ethic we have if we know the boss is watching. But whether or not our employer is watching, we know our God is always watching. As Christians, we do what we do, not just for a paycheck and benefits, but even the way we work should bring glory and honor to God.
If we live out this truth, it will completely transform how we work. I believe out of all the people on the planet, followers of Jesus should have the highest work ethic.
Listen to Colossians 3:23-24 - “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Did you catch it? We are just working for the boss. We are not just trying to please our employer, he said we are working for the Lord…and if we do so, God makes us a promise: we will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Wow! That’s amazing!
I have two teenage daughters who recently entered the workforce. They are getting an education as to what it’s like out there. They are noticing that most people want to get paid as much as possible for doing the least amount of work.
If we live in obedience to God’s Word, if we these verses from Colossians 3 our guide, it will change how we work.
William Barclay said it this way, “It is the conviction of every Christian worker that what he produces must be good enough to show God.”
It is possible for teachers to educate children, for doctors to treat patients and nurses to care for them, for lawyers to help clients, for store clerks to serve customers, for accountants to audit books, and for assistants to make phone calls as if in every case they were serving Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”
As a teenager I began working in a local grocery store bagging groceries and bringing in carts. I remember my parents telling me to be the best employee they have ever seen.
Why? Because we do what we do for the Lord. I’m accountable, not just to the boss, but to God for how I live. My life is a reflection of Christ. My work ethic is a reflection of Christ. How I work when the boss is not present is a reflection of Christ.
We tend to think that little things don’t matter. Hudson Taylor, the great 19th century pioneer missionary to China once said, “A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in a little thing is a big thing to God.”
We work with integrity because we represent Christ. Honor God with your work ethic.
Today’s Challenge: Serve God faithfully in your current context. God to work with a completely different mindset. Work for God. Use your gifts. Be the best employee you can be for God. Let your light shine through your work ethic. As you do, you’ll bring glory to your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

#123: Obeying God When He Speaks Dec 11, 2020

Show notes

My wife and I had been praying for a family member. Our specific prayer was, “God, would you show her that you love her?” She was moving to a new city and we met her there to help her move into her new home. That night we all stayed at a hotel.
There was another woman staying at the hotel. We didn’t know her, but that morning she had prayed and God spoke to her heart to get out a $20 bill and write a note to go with it. On the note she felt led to write: “Be thankful and find joy in this life God created you for.” She said the Lord told her, “This morning, I’ll show you who it to.” We were sitting at breakfast in the hotel restaurant and the woman walked up to our family member and said, “God wants me to give this to you.”
Through the obedience of a woman we didn’t know, God answered our prayer to show our family member He loved her.
I truly believe God speaks to us, but are we listening. What would happen if we listened daily for the still, small voice of God? What if we heard his voice and obeyed the promptings of His spirit? I believe he wants to use us to represent Him and to make a difference.
Jesus said in John 10:27 - “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
Followers of Jesus recognize his voice because they are in relationship with Him. When my wife and children call my name, I instantly recognize who is talking to me, because of our close relationship.
Have you heard his voice? Have you recognized the voice of God in your spirit?
Many people scoff at this, because they do not believe God ever spoke to people, and for others they believe the Bible, they just don’t believe he speaks to us today…but I am here to tell you, God does speak today.

He speaks to us through the Bible
He speaks to us through the experiences of life. Sometimes we learn the most about God from the things that happen to us. Often the circumstances of our lives are designed to wake us up…and to take us deeper.
He speaks to us through His Spirit. He might use the teachings of a pastor, a writer, a singer, or he might whisper gently to your mind in an unmistakable and biblically consistent voice.

We have a relationship with a living God. He is a speaking God. Not only does God want to hear you pray, but he wants to speak to your heart and life. God wants to speak words of comfort, promise, guidance and direction, and even correction.

God doesn’t have a speaking problem, we have a hearing problem. Our struggle is simply giving God quiet time and space to hear his voice. God can get your attention in a big way, but we don’t want that to happen. We want to live daily with an ear towards heaven, expecting to hear from God.

I believe God is speaking today. For you, perhaps God is:

Calling you to turn away from something in your life that doesn’t please God. We make excuses, we rationalize…
Maybe he is calling you to repair a relationship
Maybe he is calling you to help someone who is in need
Maybe he is speaking to your heart to stop living in the past. Stop reliving the hurts. Stop making excuses for why you do what you do today. Start new. Start fresh with Christ.
Maybe he is calling for you to take some bold action…to do something…to give something…to begin something, or to take a step of faith.

What would happen if every day we prayed, “God what is it that you want to say to me today? I am listen.”
Today’s Challenge: Act on the voice of God you have heard. Respond to him. Take action. Obey whatever it is God is asking of you. You just might be the answer to someone’s prayers.

#122: Worshipping God in the Hard Times Dec 10, 2020

Show notes

In the book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl wrote about his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp.
“Everything was taken away from Jewish prisoners. They were stripped of their clothing, their pictures, and their personal belongings. The Nazi captors even took away their names and gave them numbers. Frankl was number 119,104. But Frankle said there was one thing the Nazis couldn’t take away.” He wrote, “Everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”
We can’t imagine the suffering and horror Viktor Frankl and the millions of others suffered in these camps. I have deep respect for Franks’s ability to control his heart, mind, emotions, and attitude, even in the worst possible circumstances.
This question arises today: How do you and I respond to our circumstances? This year, in one way or another, we have all experienced set backs due to covid-19 and the restrictions placed upon us. How are we responding spiritually, emotionally, and in our relationships? How are you doing with your attitude?
Life and it’s challenges come at all us. We experience grief, heartache, illness, financial setbacks, broken relationship, worry, stress, and discouragement. How are you responding?
Like Frankl said, “Regardless the circumstances, we get to choose our attitude. We get to choose how we respond.”
I think of another man who was in prison. He was called by God to preach the gospel. As a result, he and his co-worker were stripped and severely beaten with rods. Then they were thrown into a terrible prison and their feet were put into stocks.
I can’t imagine the pain and suffering they experienced. How defeated they must have felt. Here they are obeying God and now they are bleeding and in prison. How did they respond? Well, they too, decided that they could control their reaction. They decided to worship God anyway.
The story is found in Acts 16. Verse 25 says, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.”
They were complaining. They weren’t angry at God. They weren’t playing the victim card. The knew something we have to learn.
Worship refocuses our hearts and minds on Jesus. Pastor Mark Batterson wrote, “Worship is forgetting about what is wrong with you and remembering what is right with God. It restores the joy of your salvation.”
No, it’s not easy. If it was everyone would do it. It’s hard to worship God when nothing seems to be going right. Anyone can worship God when life is good, but isn’t God still good when life isn’t?
Like all of our spiritual disciplines, worship must be intentional. It won’t happen any other way. I believe the enemy of our soul knows what worship does and so he’s determined to keep our focus away from God and on our problems.
Here’s a truth to hold onto today: Your present circumstances and your feelings do not change what is true about God.
If you are on the mountain top, He is with you. If you are way down in the valley, He’s there too. He will never leave you or forsake you.
Let’s rise about discouragement, defeat, and despair. Let’s rise about worry, stress, fear, and anger. Let’s determine to have an attitude of worship.
Today’s Challenge: Choose to worship God today. Regardless of how you feel emotionally, regardless of what you might be going through. As you worship, your focus changes. You’ll be reminded of the goodness and faithfulness of our God. I believe you’ll be encouraged.

#121: The Scariest Verses in the Bible Dec 09, 2020

Show notes

I’ve always though the scariest verses in the Bible were found in Matthew 7:22-23 where Jesus says, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
Listen again to these words of Jesus….“I never knew you.” These are people who knew of Jesus, but there was no relationship. They knew him by name, but did not know him personally. They did good deeds, but there was no surrender of their life. They wanted to serve Jesus on their terms.
How can this be? Not everyone who claims a relationship with God, actually has one. Verse 22 says they replied, but Lord we did good works in your name!
In other words, these were people who came to prayer meeting, they gave in the offering, they showed up on Sundays. By their outward behavior, their practices, and their language, these false Christian appear indistinguishable from true Christians.
You can be a good person and still not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. A relationship leads to a desire to please God. A relationship leads to lordship.
I’m not saying the only people going to Heaven are those who have it all together and are living perfect lives. No, we all still struggle with sin.
What I am saying is that you have to acknowledge Jesus’ claim over your whole life. There is no portion of your life that is off limits to God. Yes, you mess up and you need a lot of work, but you recognize His Lordship and you are looking to Him to bring all areas of your life under His control. You willfully submit to His authority in your life.
Here’s something that concerns me very much: There are many evangelical churches that are moving towards a universalism doctrine. It goes like this: God is good. He is loving. Jesus died for the sins of the world. Everyone will be saved and will go to Heaven.
This not what Jesus is teaching us in the Sermon on the Mount. Yes, God is good and loving and wants all people to be saved, but we must enter through the gate.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)
So what do we do with this? Paul said in 2 Corinthians 13:5 - “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.”
Is my faith only based on an intellectual understanding?
Is my faith only based on experiences?
Is my faith only based on emotion and feelings?
Am I trying to earn salvation through good works?
Is my faith resulting in a changed life?
Saving faith is different from worldly faith. We hear it all the time… “If you believe it, you can achieve it.” That’s not biblical faith. That’s man-centered faith. Biblical faith is not just believing Jesus can save you. That is just an intellectual assent. Even Satan believes that Jesus can save.
Saving faith is acknowledging your own sin and rebellion against God. It’s realizing that you could do nothing to fix this on your own. It is believing that God love you by sending His son to die for you and to pay the penalty for your sin. Saving faith is turning from your sin and trusting Jesus for forgiveness and freedom.
Today’s Challenge: In prayer, do what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 13…examine yourself to see if you are truly in the faith. True salvation comes as we place our faith in Jesus Christ as the atonement for our sins. Nothing else will work.

#120: God's Purpose for your Life Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

A farmer sitting on his porch noticed a highway-department truck pull over on the shoulder of the road. A man got out, dug a sizable hole in the ditch, and then got back in the vehicle. A few minutes later, the other occupant of the truck got out, filled up the hole, and got back in the truck. Then they drove forward on the shoulder about 50 feet and repeated the same process…digging, waiting…refilling….tamping. After a half-dozen repetitions, the farmer sauntered over to them and asked, What are you fellas doin? We’re on a highway beautification project, the driver said, and the guy who plants the trees is home sick today.
Have you ever felt this way? As if your life had no real meaning…as if you were just digging holes for someone else to fill in? If you have you are not alone. This world is full of people who are asking this question, Is there anyway to find my purpose in life? Why am I here? What is the reason for my existence? These are questions we all ask.
“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” (Psalm 57:2 ESV)
Did you catch that? God has a purpose for our lives.
“ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
I think the reason the search for the purpose of life has been such a struggle is because we typically begin at the wrong starting point - ourselves. We ask self-centered questions like: What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, and my dreams for my future?
We were created to bring God glory. Your life’s purpose begins with acknowledging God and keeping him at the right place in your life. God is to be at the center of who we are and all we do.
As we live for his glory and his purpose we get to experience his joy. This is the life we were meant to live. God gets the glory and we get the joy.
You were put on earth to make a contribution. You are not here to just consume resources - to eat, breath, and take up space. God designed you to make a difference with your life.
Here is an interesting thought…God created you, He designed you…your appearance, your personality, your talents, gifting, abilities…and we so often we are not content. We want to be someone else. Especially in this day of social media. We easily compare ourselves with others. This always leads to dissatisfaction.
Listen to this verse…created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Everything we need to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives has been given to us. God has already wired you for how he wants to use you.
When you stand in your kitchen, you’re surrounded by appliances. A refrigerator, an oven, a stove, a microwave, a toaster, a coffee maker, and others. All of these appliances were uniquely designed by the manufacturer to fulfill a designated purpose. The refrigerator will not heat up our food, the oven won’t wash the dishes, and the toaster can’t make the coffee in the morning. That’s not what they were made to do.
If men can do that with machines—design them to fulfill a designated purpose—God can craft people for unique purposes that will bring Him glory, bring others good, and advance His kingdom.
So how can we find God’s purpose? Usually, it’s right in front of us, but we fail to see it. Consider these questions:
What good works are in front of you?
What opportunities has God given you?
What steps of faith is God asking you to take?
In whose life can you make a difference?
Who can you share Christ with?
Today’s Challenge: Never stop seeking God’s plans and purposes for your life. That’s right. Purposes - plural. Your purpose life’s purpose is not just one thing - it is a series of things. Wherever you are in life make sure it reflects Jesus.

#119: Finding the Peace of God Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

Download a free copy of "25 Recommended Resources for Spiritual Growth.
I think of Jesus on the night before his crucifixion. He could have been overwhelmed with worry, anxiety, grief, and sorrow, but he wasn’t. He knew what He was facing, yet He still took time to comfort His disciples with the message of peace:
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)
If Jesus offers us this deep, inner peace, why is it that the peace of God seems distant and so far away? More and more of us rarely experience peace within our own hearts.
It seems as if we are constantly fighting our own inner battles to free ourselves from anxiety, fear, and worry.
For me, the struggle is often connected with my focus. If I focus on problems, the cares of life, and things I can’t change, I find myself anxious, worried, and afraid. I’ve learned that the more time I spend with God, the more peace I experience.
The peace God gives us is a peace that passes human understanding. It is a kind of peace that enables us to experience an inner calm in spite of all the circumstances that would normally cause us stress. It’s like the eye of a hurricane…perfect stillness and peace while storms rage all around.
I recently spoke with a man who had just lost his job. He said to me, “my fellow employees couldn’t believe I was so at peace, that I was okay with it.” They asked, “what are you going to do?” He said, “I am at peace. I know God is going to take care of me.” He went on to say, “I used to not be this way, but because of Jesus in my life, I am at peace.”
How can we regain this peace in our hearts?
Change your focus. The Bible instructs us to fix "our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete" (Heb. 12:2). As we change our focus -- off of our problems and onto the Lord -- His peace will fill our lives.
Change your circumstances. Sometimes it is necessary to take a break from the things that trouble us, even for brief periods of time. You may be lacking peace simply because you are not following God's pattern for rest.
Change your attitude. Are you facing a difficult situation? The Bible says, " give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thes. 5:18). Begin to thank God right now and soon you will experience His peace in the midst of the storm.
Today’s Challenge: Let’s obey Philippians 4:6-7, which says, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Bring every need to God, trust Him to take care of everything, and let his peace fill your heart.

#118: When we Deny Ourselves for Christ Dec 06, 2020

Show notes

Download a free copy of "25 Recommended Resources for Spiritual Growth.
If you know Jesus as savior and Lord, you are among the most blessed people on earth. What a blessing it is to have this salvation and forgiveness of sins, and it comes to us freely by grace. While our salvation is free, Jesus calls us to take up our cross, to deny ourselves and to follow him.
Have you ever wondered:
How can salvation be offered to us as a free gift of God, yet discipleship have a great cost? Consider this analogy:
Suppose you have a desire to climb Mount Everest. Suppose a wealthy businessman heard of your desire and offered to pay for the entire expedition. It costs about $70,000 to do it. He would buy all the expensive clothing and gear; he would pay for your transportation, the guides, and the training. It’s totally free for you in terms of financial cost. But if you accept his free offer, you have just committed myself to months of difficult training and arduous effort. It could even cost me my very life, because many good climbers die trying to climb Mount Everest. It is free and yet very costly.
Jesus said in Mark 8:34 - “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”
Notice that Jesus does not say, "Let him hate himself." He is not asking us to deny our basic humanity, our personhood. The word, "deny" means to "disavow any connection with something, to state that you are not connected in any way."
Denying self means that we renounce our natural feelings about ourselves, our right to ourselves, our right to run our own lives. We are to deny that we own ourselves. We do not have the final right to decide how we are going to live.
This is where things get challenging for us….because the one thing that we, as human beings, value and covet and protect above anything else is the right to make decisions for ourselves.
Denying self means I stop thinking I’m always right, I stop living in my own power and I refuse to pursue my own pleasures because I no longer belong to myself.
We see this in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
What is Paul saying? He’s saying I must give up the right to run my own life because I no longer own my own life. I’ve been bought with the blood of Christ and I now belong to Him.
If you are going to follow Jesus, you no longer own yourself. He has ultimate rights; he has Lordship of your life. We surrender that right to Jesus.
Jesus is saying, “Let him give up his rights to run his life, let him submit himself to my leadership, to my Lordship." And this is fundamental to all discipleship. There can be no discipleship apart from it.”
The question that rises from our heart is: why? Why would we do this? Why would we deny ourselves? Why would we surrender all to Christ?
He is worthy that we would do so. He went to the cross. He took our place. He purchased our salvation.
Our surrender to Christ is our natural response to Christ. What else could we give him but ourselves?
True joy and freedom is found in giving ourselves to God. It goes against our natural thinking, but millions of people can testify to the joy found in giving our complete lives to Christ.
Today’s Challenge: Take time to pray and ask God if there is an area of your life in which you have withheld your surrender. I’m confident the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart. As you deny yourself, you will experience the joy that comes from giving our lives to Christ.

#117: Becoming More Like Jesus Dec 05, 2020

Show notes

Download a free copy of "25 Recommended Resources for Spiritual Growth.
It’s been said, that you and I as Christians, may be the only likeness of Jesus that people will see.
This may be a scary truth for some of us. Because we often struggle though with feeling like we aren’t measuring up. We might say, “I’m not as spiritual as I should be. I’m not as close to God as I could be. I’m not as mature as a Christian as I should be. I still struggle. Look at everyone else. They seem to have it all together. I wish I was as spiritual as they are.” Perhaps someone else is a better reflection of Christ.
We often have that person in mind that seems so godly. They seem to have it all together. They are so in love with Jesus. They exude spiritual maturity. We look at them, we watch them and we want to be like them. Meanwhile, we are over here messing up, falling, and are frustrated that we aren’t further along than we should be. We are disappointed we aren’t more like that person.
On the other hand, we sometimes think about that one person who seems like they are less spiritual than we are. You know, that guy, that girl who seems to keep messing up. And when we think about them, well, you know, spiritually speaking, we look pretty good! Well, at least I’m not like him!
But the problem with this is that we are using the wrong measuring stick. Comparison to one another is the measuring stick of the world.
A little boy came to his mother one day and said, “Mom, guess what! I’m 8 feet 4 inches tall!” His mother checked it out and realized that he was using a 6 inch ruler; he was actually 4 feet and 2 inches tall. This describes us! When we are measuring our spiritual maturity by comparison, we are using the wrong measuring stick.
In Ephesians 4:12 Paul reveals what will be the final standard by which we will ultimately be measured. It is the measuring stick of Christ. “…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.”
This verse teaches us that God is at work in our lives bringing us to maturity in our faith. As you surrender your life to God, he is bringing you to maturity in Christ, so that you will be like Jesus.
The writer of Hebrews said we are to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” The more you gaze at Christ Jesus, the clearer your focus will be on what it means to be like Jesus. He is the measurement of our spiritual maturity.
You cannot know Jesus Christ until you follow him. You will never know him without that. Several of the disciples were acquainted with Jesus before they became his disciples, that is obvious from the Gospels, but they never knew him until they left everything and followed him.
I love this quote - “It is not what men eat, but what they digest that makes them strong. It’s not what we gain, but what we save that makes us rich. It’s not what we read, but what we remember that makes us learned. It’s not what we preach or pray, but what we practice and believe that makes us Christian.” I would add, “It’s not only what we believe, but what we obey that brings us to maturity in Christ.”
Today’s Challenge: In your quiet time or devotional time today, grab a sheet of paper and begin to write down the areas of your life that you need to surrender to God. Identify those areas where you want to be more like Jesus. I’m sure the Holy Spirit has already spoken to you about some of these areas of your life. I know He has in mine. Commit this list to God in prayer and let the transformation begin.

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