Above Only Daily Devotional http://cgmglobal.org/aboveonly Sunday, FEBRUARY 4 Growing into Christ's Fullness 2 Ephesians 4:14-16 (NIV)

Above Only Daily Devotional
http://cgmglobal.org/aboveonly

Sunday, FEBRUARY 4

Growing into Christ's Fullness 2

Ephesians 4:14-16 (NIV)
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. 

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One thing that will keep us, as believers, from being easily deceived, manipulated and exploited is our continual desire to grow, mature and become more like Christ. Too many believers are simply satisfied with having their needs met, when God wants to build them up and use them to meet the needs of others (just like Christ as we studied yesterday). Too many believers are also satisfied with where they are spiritually, when they have not yet become like Christ in all things, as referenced in our text above. Until we can do everything exactly the way Christ would do them if He were in our shoes, we have not yet arrived and we still need to grow and mature in Christ.

Until we walk in the level of truth and love that Jesus Himself walks in, our growth and maturity is incomplete. Do you recall that Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray Him? Yet, Jesus still chose Judas and worked with him because God wanted Him to do so. Until the end, it was never Jesus' will for Judas to perish. That is an example of the level of maturity that God is raising us into.

We need to live and walk in the truth and love of Christ to be able to be and do all that God wants us to do on this earth. As we let everything that we do flow from the life of Christ who is our Head and who is in us, we will find ourselves growing more and more into Christ's fullness and helping others do the same. His grace to do this is sufficient for us. He is at work in us, enabling us to do this, Phil.2:13.

PRAYER FOCUS: Ask God to help you by His Spirit to grow into more of Christ's fullness and to walk in the level of truth and love that Christ walked in while He was here on the earth.

BIBLE IN A YEAR READING PLAN: EXODUS 34-35; MATTHEW 22:23-46

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