HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 214
page A212
Maturity See also Character; Holiness
Spiritual growth is like physical growth—you start small and grow one day at a time. As
you grow, however, you need more nourishment. Spiritually you get this by challenging your mind to study God’s Word, ask questions about it, and seek answers through
prayer, the counsel of other believers, and life’s experiences. Look at each day as a
building block, and before you know it, you will be on your way to spiritual maturity.
What does it mean to be a spiritually mature person, a godly person?
• PSA L M 4 2 :1 -2 | As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for
God, the living God.
A godly person longs to walk with God daily.
• PSA L M 1 1 9 :4 7 | How I delight in your commands! How I love them!
A godly person is one who loves to study God’s Word.
• E PH E S I A NS 6 :1 8 | Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be
persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
A godly person is a person of prayer.
• E Z R A 8 :2 1 | I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God.
A godly person humbles himself or herself before God, realizing who they are in relation to
who God is.
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• 2 T I MOT H Y 4 :2 | Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct,
rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
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A godly person is one who loves to talk about and teach about God’s Word and what it is
like to live for him.
• E Z R A 7 :6 | The king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the
Lord his God was on him.
A godly person is one who God is pleased with and shows his gracious favor.
• E Z R A 7 :9 -1 0 | For the gracious hand of his God was on him . . . because Ezra had
determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord.
A godly person is one who loves to live the way God prescribes in his Word.
How do I practice godliness?
• 1 T I MOT H Y 6 :3 | These are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These
teachings promote a godly life.
• 2 P E T E R 1 :5 -6 | Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and
moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with
patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness. (See note on page 1135.)
When we build on the foundation of God’s Word and yield our ways to God’s ways,
we allow God to produce in us his good fruits of godliness.
How do I reach the maturity I desire in life? Who can mentor me along the way?
• J O S H U A 1 :1 -2 | After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua
son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has
come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am
giving them.”
A good spiritual mentor can help you grow and mature in your faith as well as in everyday
life. Look for a person who is several stages ahead of you in life, has weathered many
experiences, and exemplifies godliness. Ask that person to help you learn how to become
a mature Christian and person.
• 1 C O R I NT H I A NS 3 :1 -2 | I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. . . . I had to
feed you with milk, not with solid food.
• 1 C O R I NT H I A NS 1 3 :1 1 | When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child.
But when I grew up, I put away childish things.