My Blog For Christ the King - SPIRITUAL MATURITY

What Is Spiritual Maturity?

May I say unto you, it is of the utmost importance that we as believers and followers of Jesus Christ put on the coat that Jesus wore and the sandals that he wore, and we need to have the heart and mind of God. What does this all mean?

2nd Corinthians 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

Does 2nd Cor.48-11 make sense to you? We are supposed to live like Jesus lived, think like Jesus did and act like Jesus did! You say, I can't be that way, I have a life to live. Your pride just put a division between you and God.

So now, let me get into some detailed explanations, answer to yourself this?

Do you call yourself a Christian or like me, go by the word believer or follower of Christ Jesus?

The first and most important virtue of being a believer who has an intimate relationship with Christ is how high on the humility scale do you measure? If one was Very proud, and 10 was very humble, what number are you?

Everything Jesus did was for our example, He always spoke the truth even when it hurt, there was no such thing as political correctness back in his day! When he was approached by anyone, he did not shun them, and if confronted with words, he spoke the truth back to them which either brought them closer, or drove them away because of their pride! So as an example of humility that Jesus portrayed remember this set of verses?

Mark 11:27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, 28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? 29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. 31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? 32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. 33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Here's another example of Jesus neutralizing his confrontational situation.

John 19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin....12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: ....

What example does this show?

The example we can take away from this is, we can either answer a question thrown at us with pride and ridicule or talking like a smart-mouth enemy, or we can answer in a way that neutralizes the friction or blame in the question. And which sends a message that, I don't hate you, but I don't think your acting right either.

You might ask yourself or be saying, why it's almost impossible for me to change to that kind of person.

Well I've got news for you, it's not impossible and all you have to do to accomplish it is to truly want it and to pray with a sincere heart asking God to change your spirit in that way.

James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

In Luke 11: 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Jesus told us in John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

So if you understand the above scripture, now I present to you some basic principles in order to keep a close relationship with God. We have to avoid these things, dishonesty, offense, lying, deception and most of all pride and unforgiveness!

Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Proverbs 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

Proverbs 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

Proverbs 14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Psalms 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

1st John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Mark 7:14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Here's what it says about Humility in God's word!

1st Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

This last verse is particularly important, because God has promised to heal their land! Ask your self a question, what exactly did God mean when he said he would heal their land?

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My hope for you is that you have had a prayer of salvation,

and if you haven't and you want to ask Christ into your heart and life,

then I offer these words for you to repeat,

but only if your heart is sincere,

because God knows it if you're not.

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Dear God, I now know I have needed you and have

rejected your calling, so today, right now,

I ask Jesus Christ to come into my heart and my life,

and forgive me from all past sin and Lord cleanse me

from my unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus was

crucified for my sin, died, and was buried and rose from the

dead according to the scriptures. I want you forever more

to be my guide and I want to follow you as a believer.

I ask for your strength to change my heart and

my earthly ways so that I can become a better

child in your kingdom. Show me how to depend

on you in all things. And show me how to do

your will in my life. I thank you and pray this

prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!