Sinners Who Want To See God

Jim's Sermon on Sunday is called "sinners who want to see God". His text is Isaiah 64:1-12, focusing on the first nine verses.

1 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2 as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
5You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.

8 But now, O LORD, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O LORD,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness;
Zion has become a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful house,
where our fathers praised you,
has been burned by fire,
and all our pleasant places have become ruins.
12 Will you restrain yourself at these things, O LORD?
Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?

Wow...isn't that a neat read?

People, who know they are sinners, calling upon God to act in their lives. Asking God to act for them despite the fact that they people living in their sin.

The Israelites are calling upon God to act.... to show himself for who he is against their adversaries. That the nations around them might know that God is indeed God.

They acknowledge that God has done things that they didn't look for. Amazing works that they didn't really see or expect, but God did them for his people.

I just love these words:

4 From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
5You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.

Now isn't that the God we believe in? the one that no one ever really understands, but the one that we know will answer us in our time of need? God remembers his people, he meets with those who remember him, who wait for him. He acts for us. He remembers us. I just think this is so cool.

God knows me. He remembers me. Even when I sin or I am just a stupid stupid person.... God still does amazing things in my life. He will still meet with me when I remember him, when I work righteousness in joy, and ....ahh.... I don't deserve such a God as this. Sometimes his grace acting in my life just blows me away. Doesn't it do the same for you?

22 words Contest

22 words is having a contest about why people appreciate their pastors. the winners get two tickets for their pastor to the desiring God pastor's conference, feb 2-4, 2009.

So...why do I appreciate my pastor?

1. faithful to God's word
2. expounds upon it as true to God's word as he knows/learns how
3. doesn't think he knows it all
4. doesn't try to run things like a one man show
5. works with the people that God has placed under his care
6. is patient
7. is open to change as long as it is biblically called for
8. he preaches well and in a clear manner that for the most part makes it easy to follow
9. if you have a biblical question, he tries to answer it OR to refer you to source if he doesn't know the answer
10. I'm married to him, which means I see up close his struggles, his questions, his love for God, for the people under his care, he's a preacher through and through. :)

Just who is Melchizadek?

We've had references in the past to Jesus and Melchizedek. Today in Hebrews 7 we learn a bit more about this. We won't do the whole chapter today, but we will look at a big chunk of it.

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

4See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

We learn the story of Melchizedek and Abraham in Genesis 14. Lot was captured and Abraham rescued him. Melchizedek who was king of Salem came out

18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19And he blessed him and said,

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!"

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

So we learn the Melchizedek was king and priest. He was a king of righteous (by translating his name) and King of peace (translating his position). He is a forever priest. And from this verse sounds like he was created by God.

3He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

At least I have no other explanation for it. We know that he isn't God so it's not like he's been around forever...but that he has no genealogy suggests to me that he was created by God like Adam and Eve were.

The next we hear of Melchizedek is in the Psalms were I think we find a foreshadowing of Christ. Parts of Psalm 110 seem to fit David, but parts of it seem to be more applicable to Christ. Here is verse four we read

4 The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind,
"You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek."

Christ was made to be in the order of Melchizedek. He is our high priest forever.

Looking at this passage in Hebrews is a wee bit of a challenge. The author talks about how Abraham gave a tribute - he gave him a tenth of everything. Then the author goes on to say how all priests (since they descend from Levi who descended from Abraham) gave tribute to Melchizedek as well...since they were still in the loins of Abraham (and therefore part of him). Therefore Melchizedek is greater than all other priests. His order is special.

but I don't get this section, the section in bold just causes me to be lost.

6But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.

If anyone has any insight I would be most pleased to hear it. Thanks!

I do know that the rest of this chapter is devoted to teaching us how just as Melchizedek is a special priesthood and better than other priesthoods, Christ is better/greater still. Won't that be interesting to read about tomorrow?

We have a sure and steady anchor - part two

A continuation from a couple days ago. Justin is still sleeping so I have a chance to read this further this morning.

When God makes a promise, we can be certain he will keep it. This we read in Hebrews 6.

13For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." 15And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Last time I was here I was thinking on how God swears by himself because there is no one, no thing greater than he is, and how if we must swear by something it must be by God. Somewhere in the gospels there is a passage that says..."let your yes be yes and your no be no". So if you say you are going to do something...then by the grace of God DO IT. In James 5:12 we read "

12But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation."

and in Matthew 5:33-37 "

33"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' 34But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil."

Just do what you say you are going to do.

Abraham knew that God would keep his promise. He waited for it. He received it. He became a great nation! This from one old man and one old woman...patiently waiting for God to do what he'd said he would do. :)

I find these next verses so interesting:

7So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

God can't lie.
God swore by the greatest thing he could...himself.
These two truths guaranteed that what he said would be, would definitely be.

This does indeed make God our sure and steady anchor.
We can trust that what he says is, is.
We can trust that what he says will be, will be.
We can just trust him.

It is our hope.

I just find that to be SO VERY COOL. Don't you?

The Surprising Dividing Line - Sunday's Sermon

Jim has picked out Matthew 25:1-46 Text: Matthew 25:31-46 for this weeks' message. Here's the text:

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' 45Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' 46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

First...whenever I read this passage I think...what makes goats so bad? I never quite get that. Not sure if it's a relevant question anyways. I do wonder though....

BUT God divides up the nations of the world. The sheep on the right, the goats on the left.

The sheep genuinely cared for the needy of the world. The goats provided care as they saw fit. (at least that's my interpretation of their comments... but God we cared really we did .. but God saying...but you didn't provide it for the least of the needy so therefore you didn't really provide it for me).

I suppose when I stop to think about it I have to see the differences. Goats for instance are highly individualistic. They like doing their own thing, they don't much care what's going on around them if it doesn't directly affect them. They take care of themselves thank you very much. Sheep on the other hand tend to be "let's stick together type animals". They rely on others to protect and care for them. One sheep alone will either have other sheep rush to join it OR it will rush to join them. Stick together please.

And God wants us to be like sheep. The references to sheep in the bible is riddled throughout scripture. We are referred to as sheep countless times. In Micah: I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel;I will set them togetherlike sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture,a noisy multitude of men. In Psalms: I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,for I do not forget your commandments. In Matthew: I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,for I do not forget your commandments.

We need to be sheep, gathered in by our shepherd. Safe and protected. Being herd animals, watching out for each other.

Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be Pastors

this made me laugh. :)

Don't believe it all...but it is funny. :)

Bible or Bard?

The Bible or The Bard?



Score: 60% (6 out of 10)

found this at biblical christianity.

We have a sure and steady anchor

When God makes a promise, we can be certain he will keep it. This we read in Hebrews 6.

13For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." 15And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Hmmmpf.... have to admit when God said "surely I will bless you and multiply you" I didn't think of it as him swearing by himself. I just thought he was saying he'd do something. Makes me think of how I phrase things. I often say "I will do thus and such". I've never thought of it as me swearing by myself....perhaps I've just never thought deeply enough about it. It would be more appropriate if I said "the Lord willing, thus and such will happen". Hmmm....need to consider that more often.

But God made a promise...and it happened. Abraham had to be patient and wait for it, but it happened none-the-less. :)

I do think it's interesting though..God swears by himself - as there is nothing greater than himself. He can legitimately say "I" will do thus and such. But when we make a promise we need to promise it by something greater than ourselves. NOTHING is greater than God. God is greater than us and so it only makes sense that we swear by him.

And Justin's up now and being busy so I need to keep him quiet until his dad gets up, so hopefull we'll be able to look at this more later today. :)

Looking at the start of Hebrews 6 again

The other day I started reading Hebrews 6. I felt like I really didn't get the passage so today I thought I'd look at some commentaries.

John Darby I found to be helpful.

In the infancy spoken of in verses 1, 2, the obscurity of the revelations of the Messiah, announced at most by promises and prophecies, left worshipers under the yoke of ceremonies and figures, although in possession of some fundamental truths. His exaltation made way for the power of the Holy Ghost here below: and on this the responsibility of souls which had tasted it depended.

The doctrine of the Person and the glory of Jesus forms the subject of revelation in the epistle, and was the means of deliverance for the Jews from the whole system which had been such a heavy burden on their hearts; it should prevent their forsaking the state described in verses 4 and 5, in order to return into the weakness and (Christ having come) the carnal state of verse 1 and 2.

The epistle then does not desire to establish again the true but elementary doctrines which belonged to the times when Christ was not manifested, but to go forward to the full revelation of His glory and position according to the counsels of God revealed in the word.

The Holy Ghost would not go back again to these former things, because new things had been brought in in connection with the heavenly glory of the Messiah, namely, Christianity characterised by the power of the Holy Ghost.

But if any one who had been brought under that power, who had known it, should afterwards abandon it, he could not be renewed again to repentance. The former things of Judaism must be, and were, left behind by that into which he had entered. Christians could not deal with souls by them; and, as for the new things, he had given them up. All God's means had been employed for him and had produced nothing.

Now doesn't that make it all make more sense?
The author of Hebrews is writing to Jewish folk. He's telling them that under Judaism they didn't have it all. They were only given milk. Now that Christ has come, they can have more of God. They aren't stuck to ceremonies and sacrifices. And once you've experienced that "moreness" then if you repudiate it....you can't have it back it again.

Oh and it was Matthew Henry who helped me gain some understanding to that falling away talked about in this passage.

The apostle is not speaking of the falling away of mere professors, never convinced or influenced by the gospel. Such have nothing to fall away from, but an empty name, or hypocritical profession. Neither is he speaking of partial declinings or backslidings. Nor are such sins meant, as Christians fall into through the strength of temptations, or the power of some worldly or fleshly lust. But the falling away here mentioned, is an open and avowed renouncing of Christ, from enmity of heart against him, his cause, and people, by men approving in their minds the deeds of his murderers, and all this after they have received the knowledge of the truth, and tasted some of its comforts. Of these it is said, that it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance. Not because the blood of Christ is not sufficient to obtain pardon for this sin; but this sin, in its very nature, is opposite to repentance and every thing that leads to it.

Makes more sense to me anyways. :)
I am glad that God gave us men that would intently study God's word so that they can help others of us understand it better too. :)

It's Remembrance Day

Let us not forget the battles fought for us.

Not only by soldiers defending our physical freedom, but also the battles fought by martyrs for Christ.

Starting Hebrews 6

Wow...isn't this a biteful to start off Hebrews 6. I don't know that I'll get through these two paragraphs this morning, but who knows, perhaps we shall.

1Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And this we will do if God permits. 4For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

9Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Therefores....aren't therefores interesting? With a therefore in the passage you HAVE to know what went on, what as talked about right before. When we left Hebrews 5 the author was talking with us about the importance of maturing in our faith, from moving from only having milk to eating the meat of the word of God.

THEREFORE>>>>let us leave elementary stuff behind. Let us move on to maturity.

and the rest has me lost. Sorry... but it sounds like he's saying we need to move beyond these next things. But what are these things?

• a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God
• of instruction about washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

Aren't those things part of believing in God?
Why do we have to move forward from them?
Are people getting lost in talking about them? like being little nit-pickers?
I just don't get why he's writing this....unless he's not saying to leave this stuff behind and I'm somehow misreading it.

I can somewhat understand this next section:

4For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

Once you been with God...as in part of his family and then you willingly leave it...how can you then really, truly be restored? You had it and then you walked away from the best thing around. I do know that people argue about this a bit. How once saved, always saved and so forth. But scripture does talk about those who have evidenced true faith and then left. Leaving God after you've known him.....how can you then be restored. Seems a bit difficult to me.

BUT it seems the author goes on to assure his audience that they are not like this latter group. He calls them beloved. He assures them that the work they do does mean something, and the love that they show to God by serving his saints does matter. BUT he wants them to have the same earnestness in maturing that they show in service. (at least that's my understanding of what he's saying). If I'm wrong...tell me!

9Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Tomorrow is another day, And I think I may come back to this. right now... I need to keep moving along with my day. Cheers all! If you can spread more light for me on this passage, it would be appreciated. :)

Sunday Sermon

Today is the day of prayer for the persecuted church. The one day out of the year when we as believers (as part of the visible church) have a chance to concentrate our prayers on the needs of our fellow believers suffering for their faith in our Lord God. Today we really get to pray for them.

NOT saying we can't or even shouldn't pray other days. We should, but today as a whole church we can pray. The prayers of the faithful matter much to God.

So Jim's sermon today is called "How Should Christians Respond To Persecution" And his text is Psalm 83. It reads as follows:

A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

1O God, do not keep silence;
do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate you have raised their heads.
3They lay crafty plans against your people;
they consult together against your treasured ones.
4They say, "Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
let the name of Israel be remembered no more!"
5For they conspire with one accord;
against you they make a covenant—
6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Asshur also has joined them;
they are the strong arm of the children of Lot.
Selah

9Do to them as you did to Midian,
as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10who were destroyed at En-dor,
who became dung for the ground.
11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12who said, "Let us take possession for ourselves
of the pastures of God."

13O my God, make them like whirling dust,
like chaff before the wind.
14As fire consumes the forest,
as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15so may you pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your hurricane!
16 Fill their faces with shame,
that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;
let them perish in disgrace,
18that they may know that you alone,
whose name is the LORD,
are the Most High over all the earth.

This is prayer to God. A cry that God remember his people. That God won't remain silent in the face of all that his people are going through. A cry that God will act against the people who are enemies of his children. WHY? So that "they may know that you alone ... are the Most High over all the earth." So not just for the benefit of God's children...but so that GOD might be truly seen by those who oppose him.

I have to admit, I hope Justin is quiet for church today. I would like to be able to actually hear the sermon today.

prayer that makes sense to a little boy

We searched and searched and searched some more.
Figured he was lost in the leaves outside.
Sent Justin to bed without him....
a very sad boy.

Where Justin's night prayer was....

Dear God.
Help mommy and daddy to find Tagu.
I like him.
I want him.
in Jesus' name amen.

Then after a certain nefarious beast was found hiding with crackers in a MacDonald's bag and delivered to very sad, very sleepy child....

Dear God. (said with a very big smile)
Thank you for helping mommy find Tagu.
In Jesus Name Amen.

have to admit..that made my mommy's heart smile. :)

How does one Mature?

11About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

With these words we end Hebrews 5. The author is Hebrews makes it clear that not all things in Scripture are easy to understand or to explain. AND it doesn't help if the people being taught are "dull of hearing". If you are being dull you are not trying to understand....either that or you are incapable of understanding. I don't think though that the author means the latter as he states "by this time you ought to be teachers". That implies that they should understand but they don't.

They need someone to once again teach them the basic principles of God's truth. To start them off new, like babies, having milk. Once they are fed that milk and nourished by it, then they should move on to having meat. Children are unskilled in righteousness, they need to learn what it means. And if one doesn't understand righteousness they need milk so they can learn it. ONCE they gain that understanding, then feed them meat. The mature in Christ can handle the meat of the word....they have the skills of discernment needed. And Discernment is learnt through having to practice the art of distinguishing good from evil.

Hmm.... so THAT is how a person matures in the faith. Learning that fine art of discernment.

Have to admit...I never really thought of that before. I figured that people matured just generally as they learned more about God and how to live for him. Like it was just a generalized process. But these verses imply that it's more than that. That yes...one starts off just generally learning, but maturity comes through the practice of what one is learning. Of practically learning what is good and what is evil.

Cool. Makes it all the more important to teach my buggy then, the fine of art of discernment as he matures. help him to see what is good and what is evil and having him learn to live that out.

The Things You Learn

First a child needs to decide what shapes we can use: rabbits, cats, fish, butterflies, dog bone shapes and trees NOTHING ELSE!!!! (results in screaming IF and only IF the boy child is actively helping you)...see I snuck in a star! :)
Then one builds cookies
Then one lets cookies bake and cool:
Then watches rabbitry and child enjoyment....


And then one discovers the folly of making "boy" that the boy child didn't approve of....

We had fun. It did prove to be an interesting and learning experience for all concerned. :)