Still on the Bottle..

I fed you with milk and not with solid food;

for until now you were not able to receive it,

and even now you are still not able;

for you are still carnal.

1 Corinthians 3:2

What exactly is Paul talking about?

Think back when you first became a Christian,

you were a "Baby Christian"...you had to be on a "bottle"

You had to be gently led through the word to see

the forgiveness that is in Christ. You had to be

held up and your eyes opened so that the truth

of salvation could be revealed. It was new and

it was exciting and you were learning what it means

to be a Christian. Do you remember how

judgmental you first were?

Usually new born Christians are some of the most judgmental

people you will ever meet, and that's because they are learning for

themselves "What's Right and what's Wrong" because God

is pointing out all their flaws, and the things they've done.

He is working with them to just give them up, God is

telling them "I Forgive you, and now move forward"

The problem is so many Christians are still in that "New born"

mode, they never MOVE FORWARD. Their in this constant

place of "woe is me" that they deny the power of God. They

essentially become so obsessed that they do nothing but

pick at other peoples flaws because thats all they do to

themselves. When God is first working with you, the thing

he is trying to get you to do is to DIE

DIE to yourself

DIE to selfishness

DIE to greed

DIE to everything you were

He wants all of your attention so that he becomes the priority,

So that you get to the point where all you hear is his voice.

So you will be able to discern between right and wrong

(because of the Holy spirit that is IN YOU.)

Everyone needs to get a biblical understanding, you need to seek

God with all your heart soul,mind and strength, you can't

cut corners. Building a relationship with God isn't

a one time prayer, it isn't about you, in fact the more

you come to know God the less you start caring about YOU.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers,

you need [someone] to teach you again

the first principles of the oracles of God;

and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

For everyone who partakes [only] of milk [is]

unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age,

[that is], those who by reason of use have their senses

exercised to discern both good and evil.

Hebrews 5:12-14

When as Christians are we going to grow up?

to not insinuate what is right and wrong...(good or evil)

but to KNOW..

I thought what was written for June 17th in My Utmost For

His Highest fits pretty well for Christians still on

the bottle.

"Judge not, that ye be not Judged."

Matthew 7:1

Jesus says regarding judging--Don't. The average Christian

is the most penetratingly critical individual. Criticism is a

part of the ordinary faculty of man; but in the spiritual domain

nothing is accomplished by criticism. The effect of criticism is

a dividing up of the powers of the one criticized; the Holy Ghost

is the only One in the true position to criticize, He alone

is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding.

It is impossible to enter into communion with God when you are in a

critical tempter; it makes you hard and vindictive and cruel,

and leaves you with the flattering unction that you are a

superior person. jesus says, as a disciple cultivate the uncritical

temper. It is not done once and for all. Beware of anything

that puts you in the superior person's place.

There is no getting away from the penetration of Jesus.

If I see the mote in your eye, it means I have a beam in my

own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God locates in me.

Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-20)

Stop having a measuring rod for other people. There is

always one fact more in every man's case about which

we know nothing. The first thing God does is to give us a

spiritual spring-cleaning; there is no possibility of pride

left in a man after that. I have never me the man I could

despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the

GRACE of God.

Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law,

and make your boast in God, and know [His] will,

and approve the things that are excellent,

being instructed out of the law,

and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind,

a light to those who are in darkness,

an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes,

having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.

You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?

You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?

You who say, "Do not commit adultery,"

do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

You who make your boast in the law,

do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

For "the name of God is blasphemed among

the Gentiles because of you," as it is written.

Romans 2:17-24