GROW UP - WEEK ONE - DAY FIVE
Hello and welcome to your Daily Devos, following our Grow Up series at 29:11!
Take some time today to read through the provided scriptures, meditate on the lessons we’ve learned this week, and journal your prayers. Have an amazing week, 29:11 Church!
THEME SCRIPTURE:
Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? 4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?
- 1 Corinthians 3: 1-4 NLT
TODAY’S PASSAGE:
…by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the very first principles of God’s Word all over again! You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who has to drink milk is still a baby, without experience in applying the Word about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by continuous exercise to distinguish good from evil.
- Hebrews 5:12 -14 NIV
REFLECTION:
The writer of Hebrews addresses a community of Christians struggling with discouragement due to persecution, reminding them of the importance of staying connected to their spiritual community. Much like those early believers, many Christians today face challenges that cause them to pull away from church, when in reality, community is essential for growth and encouragement. Attending church regularly provides spiritual nourishment and helps believers mature in their faith. Just as a gym membership is useless if it’s not utilized, being part of a church without active participation robs us of the spiritual strength and maturity God desires for us.
Church is not just about personal growth but about building each other up as a family. The Bible contains over 100 verses that command us to support and care for one another, illustrating that the Christian life is a shared journey. As members of the "household of God," we are called to live in unity, pray for one another, and be a source of encouragement in times of difficulty. Spiritual maturity comes through this connection and accountability within the body of Christ. The enemy may try to weaken our ties to the church, but staying rooted in community helps us grow and stand strong in our faith, fulfilling God's purpose for our lives.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER:
Are you actively engaging in your church community, or are you simply a passive member? Just as a gym membership won’t benefit you without effort, spiritual growth requires participation and connection within the body of Christ. Consider how your presence can not only strengthen your faith but also encourage others. Are you allowing God to use you to build up His church? Stay connected, stay growing, and don’t let the enemy weaken your relationship with the household of God.
