But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:14

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which is entitled The Key to Spiritual Maturity.  Here John Piper unpacks an essential realization all believers must have, and it is important, according to Piper, so that we might "save...years of wasted living."  He points to "[g]etting ready to feast on all God’s word" as primarily (and first) a "moral challenge" vs an intellectual one.  He then challenges believers who spend time on worldly (and sinful) pursuits vs leaning into God, exhorting believers to pursue God instead and allowing Him to work the sanctification process through renewal of the mind (Romans 12:2). Piper then lays out how we achieve spiritual maturity.  We must taste God, know that He is Truth and Light, and that He is Our Savior.  We then seek to please God in response to His grace - our desire to become obedient and to glorify Him is key.  The devotion is summed up nicely in this key statement from Piper: "[t]he pathway to maturity and to solid biblical food is not first becoming an intelligent person, but becoming an obedient person."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You are SO good for how You made me one of Your elect and You then drove sanctification in my life - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

[P]ut on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4

[P]ut on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:24

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which proclaims - via its title, that "Change is Possible."  Using Ephesians 4:24 as the basis, and the entirety of scripture ultimately, for the devotion, the devotion boldly claims that "[d]eep, fundamental change" is possible. I know from personal experience that this is a true statement and I would argue that change is not just possible, but a guarantee because this is the very nature of sanctification, the process where God molds us into more of His image as we get to know Him more intimately through Bible study, prayer, fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ and other spiritual disciplines. Today's devotion goes on to state that: "[i]t is possible to become tenderhearted when once you were callous and insensitive. It is possible to stop being dominated by bitterness and anger. It is possible to become a loving person, no matter what your background has been. The Bible assumes that God is the decisive factor in making us what we should be." This is of course a huge encouragement for anyone seeking growth and change and who might be frustrated by sin and destructive habits, inclinations or patterns of life, etc. I encourage everyone to read the Bible with "a hunger and thirst for righteousness" as the Bible says this will produce blessings and satisfaction (Matthew 5:6).  See also resources from Renovare.org - which focus on spiritual transformation.  Among the many spiritual disciplines in which we can engage, scripture memorization is seen as key - see this post from Renovare on the power of scripture memorization on driving change. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome who has produced both blessings and satisfaction in my life - Your Word is Truth! Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings and satisfaction.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.

2 John 1

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. v4-6

Both OverviewBible.com and the MacArthur Bible Study Commentary (for purchase) both indicate that this general epistle is focused on the relationship between truth, love and obedience.  We must be grounded in truth first and foremost, we must then love God and others and then this of course begets obedience. John also warns us to avoid hospitality for those who undermine truth as we "may actually aid those who are attempting to destroy those basic truths of the faith"*.

*MacArthur, John F.. The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 64297-64298). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

John's focus on truth calls to mind the debate over