Proverbs 27:17

I receive a daily devotional every morning from Crosswalk, written by Pastor Bayless Conley of Cottonwood Church in LA. There are times when I read it and think "I need to share this with Angie," or "I should send this to (fill in the blank)." Well, today, I wanted to share it with everyone. I looked for a place online to link to so you could read it there, but can't find one, so I'm cross posting it here.

Prayers and Preaching Yesterday we talked about how progressing towards spiritual maturity is a process that will never end in this life. There are two things I want to focus your attention on today that will help you in that effort.

The first is found in Colossians 4:12,

Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

If you are going to be complete or mature in Christ, you need the prayers of others. In the long haul, I am convinced none of us make it across the finish line without the prayers of other Christians.

The second is found in Colossians 1:27-28,

...Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

In addition to the prayers of others, you need to be under good preaching and teaching to become complete in Christ. Preaching promotes change while teaching promotes growth, and you need both of them.

Looking back at my Christian life, I can still remember messages that literally shook my world and changed me. I remember one in particular when I had been saved less than a month.

Some new Christian friends took me to hear an evangelist preach. I was blessed so I decided to go back the next night. That night I heard a message that changed my life. It was a message on the parable of the sower, and that night I fell in love with the Word of God. It absolutely shaped me.

To become mature in your faith, make sure you are under solid biblical preaching and teaching, and develop the prayer habit as well as soliciting the prayers of others.