I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
(1 Cor. 3:2)
Paul is saying, “Listen, I wanted you guys to grow. I really wanted you to get solid food, but you guys are still acting like babies so I can only give you milk.”
God wants to give us solid food. He wants to give us the deep things, the things that no one else has ever understood.
Many people who have been in church their whole lives have just been sucking on milk, but God has been wanting to fill them with solid food from His Word.
He wants them to understand how to live, to grow, to prosper, and to change the world. He wants to show you how to make not just a little dent, but a total revolution.
He wants to show you the deep things. He wants to show you incredible, amazing things. But if we are still so immature that all we can handle is milk, then that is all we are going to get.
People who have gone to church for years may think, “Oh God, I want to change the world, I want to change my community.” If they don’t do anything with the milk God has been giving them, He is not going to give them solid food.
Babies must quit drinking milk after a while and go on to chew on solid food. So it is with Christians. After a while you should have learned that Jesus really did forgive all your sins, so why are you still living with them?
Jesus really does want you to become victorious and quit having dirty diapers, so why are you still having them?
You have to get beyond the milk and get the essentials down. Start living clean, living free, living holy so you can go on. If you really want to get the deep ways of God—if you want to get the solid food—you have to apply the spiritual milk to your life.
Begin now by spending the next five minutes meditation on 1 Corinthians 3:2. Memorize it, and think about what it means. Ask God to show you how this verse could begin today to change the rest of your life.
Excerpt permission granted by Albury Publishing
Ron Luce was the co-founder and president of Teen Mania Ministries from 1986-2015. Ron and his wife Katie dreamed to raise young people who would change the world.
Ron received his bachelor's degree in Psychology and Theology from Oral Roberts University and his master's in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tulsa, along with an honorary doctorate from Jerry Falwell of Liberty University. He is a sought-after speaker who has traveled to more than 60 countries and has made numerous media appearances, such as Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family radio broadcast, CNN, The O'Reilly Factor, ABC Nightline, The 700 Club, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and the Sean Hannity Show. Ron has also written 35 books for teens, youth pastors, and parents and continues to speak at leaders' conferences helping parents and pastors understand the plight of today's youth and showing them how all of us can be part of the solution.
Ron and Katie currently live in Garden Valley, Texas, with their son Cameron. They have two daughters, Hannah and Charity.