20 Dec January 6th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE  CHURCH AT PHILIPPI

TO THE MATURE IN FAITH

Philippians 3:15-16 “All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”

The holy writer under inspiration of the Holy Spirit addressed immature Christians in Hebrews 5:12-13 with these words, “. . . though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.” In today’s church these are professing Christians who are engaged in the minimum when it comes to their spiritual lives.  They attend church and receive the Lord’s Supper periodically.  They ceased studying the teachings of God’s word when they finished their confirmation/new member instruction.  They rarely, if ever, read a devotion or their Bibles.

Today’s devotional words address the opposite of the immature Christian.  In today’s words the Holy Spirit, through Paul, addresses the mature Christian.  Hebrews 5:14 says of these Christians that they desire “solid food” and they constantly “. . . train themselves to distinguish good from evil.”   They do this through regular church attendance and reception of the Lord’s Supper.  Daily they remember their baptism.  They frequently read God’s word and meditate upon it.  They attend Bible studies to dig deeper into God’s word.  They are fervent and diligent in their prayer life.

This is how a Christian, using the last sentence of today’s devotional verses says, “ . . . live up to what we have already attained” as did the members of the early Christian church who, “ . . . devoted themselves [continued steadfastly] to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

When you build a new house, if you are wise, you realize you must constantly maintain it else it will deteriorate and eventually become uninhabitable.  Likewise, The Holy Spirit, working through the Means of Grace (God’s Word and the Sacraments) keeps you in the true faith to life everlasting.  This is what Philippians 1:6 promises to you when you continue to worship, study God’s Word, and lift up your prayers to Your heavenly Father, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

Prayer:  Lord, keep me steadfast in Your word.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Your kingdom, O God, is my glorious treasure,

My pearl of incomp’rable worth.

Its value exceeds ev’ry standard of measure,

Surpassing the wealth of the earth.

Lord, give me Your grace and the pow’r of the Spirit

To value this treasure aright

That, never allured by the world, I inherit

Your kingdom of glory and light.

Your kingdom, O God, is alive with the power

Your Word and Your Spirit bestow.

Like yeast, they affect the whole measure of flour—

Enabling Your kingdom to grow.

Empower me, Lord, as I live Your commission,

Though humble my service may be,

And bring ev’ry planting to perfect fruition,

A mustard seed grown to a tree.

Your kingdom, O God, is a field for the growing

Of seeds that Your mercy has sown;

But still in our midst is the enemy sowing

The weeds that imperil Your own.

Sustain me, O Lord, till Your day of returning

And harvest me homeward at last,

To shine in the homeland that quiets all yearning,

Where sorrow and danger are past.

(LSB 654)