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***** My pastor was mature---- he had been in the Lord 40 years----- displayed the fruit of the Spirit and Wisdom-----gifts can help you mature if the people use them correctly---- example prophetic people can speak into your life and confirm God's purpose for your life----- you can be used in gifts for ministy---- example---- you can minister to people and have supernatural knowledge to help them---- it can come to you in the Holy Spirit...
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Someone who has their own life under control and by that I don't mean they never have any problems because we all live in this world so inevitably we'll have issues to attend to. By under control I mean someone who relies on God in those times of trial. The one who trusts God to work all things out to His glory, even in the midst of seeming defeat.
Someone who is trustworthy and not a busybody or a gossip. We have to be able to rely on someone not to reveal private/personal discussions.
Someone who prays because he/she knows the immeasurable value of a vibrant prayer life/relationship with God.
Every member is necessary and needful to the full functioning of the body of Christ --- even the young Christians.
God has blessed each and every one of us with abilities and capabilities. The new believer should be encouraged to involve him/herself in areas in which he/she is interested. The new believer should not be forced to engage and should never be made to feel that he/she does not measure up.
I believe shepherding new believers is one of the weak areas in some churches. I have seen churches which eagerly participate in witnessing and outreach, but fall short when the new believers show up. I am a firm believer in mentoring and helping the new believer to find his/her niche where he/she can grow and flourish in those gifts given by God.
I think Romans 12 answers this question:
Romans 12:
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Not an exhaustive list of spiritual gifts, but the point is made clear that whatever ability/capability God has blessed us with, we are to give our utmost to bless the body of Christ.
Someone who is trustworthy and not a busybody or a gossip. We have to be able to rely on someone not to reveal private/personal discussions.
Someone who prays because he/she knows the immeasurable value of a vibrant prayer life/relationship with God.
Every member is necessary and needful to the full functioning of the body of Christ --- even the young Christians.
God has blessed each and every one of us with abilities and capabilities. The new believer should be encouraged to involve him/herself in areas in which he/she is interested. The new believer should not be forced to engage and should never be made to feel that he/she does not measure up.
I believe shepherding new believers is one of the weak areas in some churches. I have seen churches which eagerly participate in witnessing and outreach, but fall short when the new believers show up. I am a firm believer in mentoring and helping the new believer to find his/her niche where he/she can grow and flourish in those gifts given by God.
I think Romans 12 answers this question:
Romans 12:
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Not an exhaustive list of spiritual gifts, but the point is made clear that whatever ability/capability God has blessed us with, we are to give our utmost to bless the body of Christ.
D
God showed me who was truly mature in Christ by using this in my life: if you were to die today, at your funeral, if everyone could use one word to describe you what would it be? I say this because God showed me these attiributes in many many brothers and sisters in the body of Christ I am a part of. For example: if I read 1 Corinthians 13, what attributes of those can I truly say that I am? Probably none at this point. But I know people who you can truly say... wow that person is truly patient. That person is kind. This brother is not self seeking. This sister rejoices in the truth! You see? This is how I can see that God in his spirit is dwelling among these people ..."because of their love for one another."
P
[FONT="]Blessed is the man[/FONT]
[FONT="]Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,[/FONT]
[FONT="] Nor stands in the path of sinners,[/FONT]
[FONT="] Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;[/FONT]
[FONT="]2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,[/FONT]
[FONT="] And in His law he meditates day and night.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3 He shall be like a tree[/FONT]
[FONT="] Planted by the rivers of water,[/FONT]
[FONT="] That brings forth its fruit in its season,[/FONT]
[FONT="] Whose leaf also shall not wither;[/FONT]
[FONT="]And whatever he does shall prosper.
I have ment many mature Christians in my walk, they are the doers of the word and not hears only.
your relationship with spouse, friends, children, are a direct reflection of your relationship with God.
You should have good stewardship over your blessings in this life.
A man is not rich by what he possesses but by what he can afford to give away.
Knowing such people like this is a gift in its self. We should always be transparent to others.
Bible knowledge is not so much a requirement for little is much when God is in it.
I've been blessed to know many people such as these. I include my wife in these people.
How she keeps seeing good in people and presses on through thick and thin with little or no effort floors me sometimes.
Your life, your speech, your finances, your family, should all be in order according to God's word.
This is your first ministry.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,[/FONT]
[FONT="] Nor stands in the path of sinners,[/FONT]
[FONT="] Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;[/FONT]
[FONT="]2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,[/FONT]
[FONT="] And in His law he meditates day and night.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3 He shall be like a tree[/FONT]
[FONT="] Planted by the rivers of water,[/FONT]
[FONT="] That brings forth its fruit in its season,[/FONT]
[FONT="] Whose leaf also shall not wither;[/FONT]
[FONT="]And whatever he does shall prosper.
I have ment many mature Christians in my walk, they are the doers of the word and not hears only.
your relationship with spouse, friends, children, are a direct reflection of your relationship with God.
You should have good stewardship over your blessings in this life.
A man is not rich by what he possesses but by what he can afford to give away.
Knowing such people like this is a gift in its self. We should always be transparent to others.
Bible knowledge is not so much a requirement for little is much when God is in it.
I've been blessed to know many people such as these. I include my wife in these people.
How she keeps seeing good in people and presses on through thick and thin with little or no effort floors me sometimes.
Your life, your speech, your finances, your family, should all be in order according to God's word.
This is your first ministry.[/FONT]
Hi Ariel,
Great questions.
When I think of a mature believer my thoughts are that they will be producing lots of fruit.
As the fruit and nut trees grow and mature, they're constantly being pruned each year so that each year the harvest might be even greater.So I would say that a mature person would accept the pruning process as God's love towards them instead of seeing it as a punishment. Instead, seeing it as God's kindness towards those He loves.
Also, the vine is used metaphorically as to our abiding in the vine. We must abide in Jesus to produce that fruit. So I would say that the mature person will handle the truth of God's word in reverence, in honesty and with a sober heart.
It causes me to think of the scripture in one of the timothy's that tells us to study to show ourselves approved, a workman that rightly divides the word of truth.
I'm thinking that the mature person will be able to know and understand the truths of scripture because he/she spends time in study and reading the word of God. We can't be transformed into His likeness without the transforming power of His truth. And they spend time in prayer in relationship with the Head (Christ).
Jesus told the Pharisees to produce fruits of righteousness. That would show whether or not they repented of their sins or not. I think John the Baptist also said this to them.
There are many believers that have crossed my path that I would consider mature in the Lord. So so many.
That was 37 years ago. I truly believe the numbers are diminishing. When I look at what's going forth as the gospel today it concerns me.
Spiritual gifts are seen in believers and sometimes the persons themselves don't even realize they have a particular gifting. They just walk in it. Other's, like Timothy have hands laid on them. He received the gift of evangelist through Paul laying his hands on him. And Timothy needed coaxing and encouragement to fan the flame of his gift and not allow it to go dormant.
To help mature us in the Lord we need good teachers and those who will help to disciple us. We need those who have the gift to serve, those who show mercy to do so cheerfully. We need the leaders, elders, teachers that help us grow and mature.
In Romans 12 Paul speaks of some of the gifts we don't probably consider at first. Some of us might consider the Corinthian gifts first.
Romans 12:3-8
For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
These and also the gifts in Corinthians help to build up the body of Christ and edify her. It's all a part of our life in Christ to help mature and grow us up in Him to be transformed into His likeness and to be a light to all who cross our path.
Love and hugs! Great thread!
Ariel, yeah, me too. It's very discouraging at times.
I sometimes wonder if we were all in a restaurant enjoying a cup of coffee or tea together would some that are the way they are here act in the same way in the presence of others?
Would they call names? Would they fight over every word another speaks that they don't agree with? I don't think they would.
I sometimes wonder if we were all in a restaurant enjoying a cup of coffee or tea together would some that are the way they are here act in the same way in the presence of others?
Would they call names? Would they fight over every word another speaks that they don't agree with? I don't think they would.
I met this young girl who treated me the same as other people; It was first impressions and I was looking to her for support in encouraging me in my walk with Christ, but it was a mistake to look for that from her just because she treated me the same as everyone else. And so I pretty much rely only on my Good Shepherd for my walk with Him.
Since it is on God to cause the increase, I only look to Him for those deeper roots. I believe no matter how much maturity we have in our walk with Him, there is still more maturity to be obtained by faith in Him to wrought within us. He may use other christians to bring His words to us, but He can do the same by trusting Him to provide the edification or the answers we need from the King James Bible Himself.
Prophesy or edification in the word is the top gift to seek for yourself & others.
I thought by loving every one the same would be indicative of someone listening to the Lord in following Him, but that does not mean they are mature in all areas of their walk with Him.
1 Corinthians 13:[SUP]9 [/SUP]For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.[SUP]10 [/SUP]But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.[SUP]11 [/SUP]When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.[SUP]12 [/SUP]For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.[SUP]13 [/SUP]And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Gift of prophesy or edification in the word is how I believe we grow mature by, relying on God to cause the increase.
I think we help others by sharing how the Lord helped us in edifying us in the knowledge of Him. It could be seen like having many talents or what the Lord has done for you so you can share that edification or comfort or encouragement in the hopes that the Lord will help others in the same way should the need arises at the moment or later on in life.
Scripture does seem to show a penalty for not sharing those talents of what the Lord has given us as some will not share even that one talent of what the Lord has done for that person.. like how Jesus saved him. For such a person, I leave God to judge but His words does seem to indicate being left behind at the pre trib rapture event, even though He still abides in that saved believer. That believer will be sorry for being silent about his faith in Jesus Christ, especially when people are asking him what he believes about the afterlife.
1 Peter 3:[SUP]14 [/SUP]But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;[SUP]15 [/SUP]But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:[SUP]16 [/SUP]Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.