"MATURE MEASURE??"

Hebrews 5:11-14           (ESV)
"11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."


When I was an older child (8-10 years old), a man who was a member of the church I attended told our church he felt GOD calling him to preach the Gospel.  Our pastor allowed him to preach one Sunday evening.  I was sitting near the back of the sanctuary and he was rambling on and on about his weakness with alcohol. (He never did overcome that demon). A few of us were fidgeting and restless and begin to show our youth and immaturity.  After the service was concluded, we who were restless were "instructed" to behave more appropriately, even when the speaker was struggling with closing his remarks.

There are teachers of the Word of GOD and there are "called" teachers of the Word of GOD! To be "called", and anointed, is an honor bestowed on SOME!  In Ephesians 4:11-13, the Apostle Paul writes "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for BUILDING UP the body of Christ, UNTIL WE ALL ATTAIN to the unity of the faith and of the KNOWLEDGE of the Son of God, to MATURE manhood, to the MEASURE of the STATURE of the FULLNESS of CHRIST".

Some were not MATURING as Christians.  The writer of Hebrews said "You need milk, not solid food".  Evidently, they were more interested in their daily activities than their spiritual growth. In verse 13 it is written the ones who lived on milk were "unskilled in the word of righteousness"!  Why were they "unskilled"?  Apparently, the amount of exposure to "THE WORD" was limited.  They did not have a desire to grow spiritually near as much as the other aspects of their lives.

This Sunday afternoon/evening millions of people across the world will tune in to watch the Super Bowl.  I am wondering, how many churches,and true Believers, have matured enough in their Christian walk to attend church rather than watch the Super Bowl?  Am I mature enough now to sit through someone rambling?  Or am I still on the spiritual "baby bottle"?  Do the things of GOD mean more to me than the things of THIS world?  How do I demonstrate it, if it does?

HEAVENLY FATHER, I pray YOU will continue to instruct me in the ways of YOUR Kingdom. Cause me to be a man YOU can use for YOUR glory, and that I will have a "MATURE MEASURE" attained in my life!