Paul writes his heart's desire for the church in Ephesus by saying; Ephesians 3:16-19 - I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
This is my heart for Mt. Oak. That more and more we would grow up in Jesus and mature in our faith. Paul continues in Ephesians 4 to tell us some of the measures of a mature Christian. Read it and see what it has to say.
Part of it tells the leadership of the church, especially the pastors, that our task is to equip and train the Body for works of service. Ephesians 4:11-13 - 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 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.
What other Scriptures have you found that would help us as the Body to mature in our walk with Jesus? Share your thoughts so that others may be encouraged to grow up in Jesus!
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When Quoting Scripture Inflicts Harm
6 years ago
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Hebrews 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
This verse deals with maturity to me because we are to use the example of our great cloud of witnesses to run a race. Using the race metaphor in 1Cor 9 and my [lack of] experience as a Cross Country (XC) runner, I remind myself that maturity is an on-going process that lasts until the end. Just like a XC meet where one must run at a steady pace throughout the entire race, maturity comes as one continues to move. We must always continue forward.
Our star runner was a senior named John. His freshman year he was mediocre but by senior year he was our captain. I looked up to him and used his example to keep my steady pace, bite the pain, overcome laziness, and run a good race. The bible is full of "stars" that became mature Christians and its great that we actually get to read about the maturation journeys of most of them. Now Christian maturity doesn't seem so unattainable.
Personal Christian maturity as well as for our church has been on my heart since I began college. The world passed 14110 mt oak rd is totally devastating and as His followers, we need to be ready to change the world through the light of Christ. With Christian Maturity I believe that we will finally be able to take the church out of the buildings and into the hearts of its people so the world may benefit.
Hebrews 12:12 says make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Maturity lets us know what's best, and after acting on what's best, we in turn bless and change the world with our findings.
Pastor Rev Ray, I think you are behaving and teaching as a rabbi now, and i am happy to see & hear it. Not that you haven't always, however i think you have begun to hold us at mt oak more accountable to our words and actions as people who claim to be called Christians. & i thank you for this. You are leading the way for us and our families to grow and become more mature in our Christian Walk, in our Christian lives, and i thank you, i praise God for leading you and thank you for following Him and for guiding your "flock" in "the Way" we Should &Ought to go. We had become lost sheep, now i believe we have been "found" again. Thank you Raboni(if that is proper to say).
=)agm
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