Relying on God's Word to Talk Ourselves Out of Shallowness | Soul Talk | Pastor Randy Goldenberg

Devotional

Day 1: Move from spiritual milk to solid food.

The call is clear: believers should move beyond basic Christian trivia into a practiced, discerning faith. Spiritual maturity comes by constant use — putting Scripture into practice until the senses of the soul are trained to distinguish good from evil. This is not about intellectual pride but about the discipline of obedience and the habit of doing what God's word says in daily life. [11:33]

Hebrews 5:12–14 (ESV)
For 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, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Reflection: What one basic truth have you only learned intellectually (milk) but not practiced, and what specific step will you take this week to begin training your discernment through action?

Day 2: Trials mature faith into steadfast perseverance.

Trials are not accidental detours but God’s way of sharpening faith toward maturity. When suffering comes, the mature believer looks for how testing can develop perseverance and completeness of character rather than only seeking escape. Perseverance is a process; letting it finish its work moves a soul from babyhood into spiritual adulthood. [30:28]

James 1:2–4 (ESV)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Reflection: Name a current struggle; what is one small, faithful practice you will keep this week so perseverance can do its refining work in you?

Day 3: Repent from lukewarmness; pursue wholehearted devotion.

Lukewarm faith is a comfortable blindness that deceives people into thinking they are prosperous while they are spiritually impoverished. The mature soul is aware of its condition, welcomes loving correction, and chooses wholeheartedness over playing the fence. God’s invitation is tender: wake up, repent, and trade complacency for passionate devotion that blesses others. [22:20]

Revelation 3:15–16 (ESV)
“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Reflection: In what area of life are you choosing comfort over commitment, and what one concrete action will you take this week to move from lukewarmness toward wholehearted devotion?

Day 4: Leave childish instability; pursue mature faith and unity.

Maturity resists being blown about by every new teaching or trend; it seeks the unity of faith grounded in the knowledge of Christ. A mature person anchors conviction in Scripture, develops internal stability, and refuses to be swayed by cunning or passing ideologies. The goal is communal growth into the full stature of Christ so that personal impulses no longer dictate the course of life. [20:30]

Ephesians 4:13–14 (ESV)
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Reflection: Which recent teaching or cultural idea easily swayed you, and which Scripture passage will you study this month to build a firmer, mature foundation?

Day 5: Give up childish ways; embrace Christlike maturity.

There must be a decisive break with childish dependence, impulsivity, and desire-driven living to become the kind of mature person God intends. Maturity is a lifelong pressing toward Christlikeness — giving up former ways and choosing disciplines that shape thought, affection, and conduct. The mature aim is not merely to gain experiences but to become more like Jesus in every dimension of life. [27:02]

1 Corinthians 13:11 (ESV)
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

Reflection: What specific childish habit or pattern are you still holding onto, and what disciplined replacement will you begin this week to pursue becoming more like Christ?

Sermon Summary

We live with a running inner dialogue that shapes how we see God, ourselves, and others. I invited us to let God into that “soul talk,” because some of our inner scripts are lies we picked up along the way—lies that keep us shallow. I contrasted the blissfully ignorant simplicity of childhood with the call to grow up in Christ. Physical maturity happens almost on autopilot; spiritual maturity does not. It requires choosing to see more of reality—especially eternal reality—and to act on what God has shown us.

Hebrews calls us from milk to solid food: not just knowing the Bible, but training our senses by doing it again and again until we can discern good from evil. That’s why I warned about immaturity’s symptoms: desire-driven living, jealousy and factions, gullibility before every new teaching, and the lukewarm self-confidence that says, “I’m fine,” while Christ says, “You don’t see your true condition.” The voice of shallowness always whispers, “Don’t go too far. Don’t change that habit. Don’t let this touch your money, your relationships, your career.” In contrast, the voice of maturity asks, “How can I grow? How can I love, serve, give, and reach more?”

Maturity has a clear aim: become like Christ. Not merely to get more from God, but to become more like God in character. That reinterprets life’s hardships: trials become workshops where God forms perseverance and a deeper likeness to Jesus. The spiritually mature learn to see with God’s wisdom, keeping eternity in view while living faithfully today. That takes intentionality, intensity, and tenacity. You raise the sails; God sends the wind.

I closed with a “tenfold magnifying mirror” to assess our souls—contrasting shallow and mature postures across perspective, motivation, resilience, discipline, and capacity for joy and love. I honored the quiet, sturdy faithfulness of mature believers—people who build and sustain the church by giving without needing applause. And I invited each of us—whether exploring faith, new in Christ, growing, or mature—to take the next step today: trust Christ, put away childish ways, and press on until the last breath. The Father isn’t scolding; He’s inviting us into a bigger, richer life with Him.

Key Takeaways

1. Train by constant obedient practice Maturity is not information-richness but habit-deepness. When truth is repeatedly obeyed, our inner senses are trained to recognize what is truly good and reject what is subtly destructive. Discernment is formed in the furnace of doing, not in the echo chamber of talking. [15:24]
2. Unmask the voice of shallowness Immaturity loves comfort and control, so it whispers, “Don’t go too far—don’t let this touch real life.” It keeps faith in a safe, privatized corner, away from money, relationships, and habits. Naming that “don’t” voice breaks its spell and frees us to respond to God in the concrete places that actually form us. [24:22]
3. Reframe trials as formation labs We don’t have to like hardship to profit from it. Trials expose hidden rough edges and, if we stay faithful, grow perseverance into tested character. Mature believers let suffering drive roots deeper into Christ, not drive wedges between them and Christ. [31:04]
4. Press on with holy tenacity Even after decades, Paul said he hadn’t “arrived,” yet he refused to coast. Maturity keeps desire sharp and pursuit focused: intentionality to aim, intensity to engage, and tenacity to endure. We raise the sails daily; God provides the wind that carries us further into Christlikeness. [34:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:08] - Soul Talk: self-conversations shape life
[01:27] - Eyebrow moment: naming shallowness
[02:35] - Children and blissful ignorance
[05:37] - From physical to spiritual maturity
[10:02] - Hebrews: milk to solid food
[16:08] - Practice over knowledge: the gym test
[17:02] - Immaturity: jealousy, factions, and winds
[22:20] - Lukewarm and unaware in Laodicea
[24:22] - The voice of shallowness: “Don’t”
[26:51] - Put away childish ways; become like Christ
[30:28] - Trials reframed for formation
[31:47] - Seeing with God’s wisdom
[33:56] - Press on with tenacity
[39:43] - Magnifying mirror, gratitude, and prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Hebrews 5:11–14
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For 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, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Observation questions

Read Hebrews 5:11–14. What two marks does the author give for someone who remains on "milk" rather than moving to "solid food"? (Which phrases in the passage point to both inability and the needed remedy?)
The passage says mature people are those whose "powers of discernment" are trained by "constant practice." How does the picture of training by repeated practice change the way a person thinks about spiritual growth?
The phrase "who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" appears in the text and was explained with a gym example: "If I just walked into a gym ... am I going to get in shape?" [16:08] What difference does putting truth into practice (not just hearing it) make for spiritual maturity?
The warning to Laodicea about being "lukewarm" included the self‑assessment, "I am rich; I have produced wealth; I need nothing," contrasted with Jesus' view: "you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." [22:37] How can confidence in present comforts hide a person’s true spiritual condition?

Interpretation questions

Hebrews links maturity to "constant use" and trained discernment. What does this suggest about the relationship between knowing biblical truth and forming spiritual habits? Consider practical differences between knowledge-only and practice-driven maturity. (Refer to the gym illustration.) [16:08]
The voice of shallowness repeatedly whispers a "don't"—e.g., "Don't let this affect your money, your relationships, your career." [24:22] How does that "don't" voice shape a person's spiritual boundaries and commitments? Which biblical motives oppose that whisper?
Trials are called "formation labs": "the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. Let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." [31:04] What theological reason is given for welcoming trials, and how should that change the way a believer faces suffering?
Paul says he has not "already obtained" but presses on toward the goal. [34:36] What does pressing on look like over years and decades (not just weekends)? How would a church identify members who are pressing on vs. coasting?

Application questions

The inner "voice of shallowness" says, "Don't let it change your money, your relationships, your career." [24:22] Where do you hear that voice in your life right now? Be specific: which habit, relationship, or expense is it asking you to protect from change?
Spiritual senses are trained by repeated practice. [16:08] What one concrete spiritual exercise (scripture habit, prayer rhythm, serving role, accountability habit) could you commit to for the next 60 days to begin training your discernment? How will you make it regular?
Trials test and produce perseverance. [31:04] Think of a current or recent difficulty. What would "letting perseverance finish its work" look like for you in that situation—two concrete choices (attitudes or actions) you can take this week?
"When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." [27:02] Identify one "childish" pattern (impulsivity, desire‑driven choices, frequent complaining, quick factionalizing) you recognize in yourself. What is one small, measurable step to put that pattern away this month?
The voice of maturity asks, "How can I love more? How can I serve more? How can I give more? How can I reach more people?" [35:37] Pick one of those four questions. What is one simple way you can live into that question in the next 14 days (name a person, a place, or a concrete action)?
Mature believers often serve quietly and faithfully—"they give their all, they want nothing back." [44:56] Where could you practice serving without seeking notice or immediate reward in your home, workplace, or church in the coming month? What will be your first practical step?

Notes for the group leader
- Begin by reading Hebrews 5:11–14 together out loud.
- Use the observation questions to make sure everyone understands the passage and the concrete images (milk/solid food; training by practice; the warning of lukewarmness).
- Let interpretation questions move the group from understanding to wrestling with application: insist on specific examples and avoid abstract answers.
- In application time, encourage one or two people to share commitments and arrange a simple follow‑up (pairings for accountability or a check-in next meeting).

Sermon Clips

It is conceivable that a person can know the Word of God. Maybe even argue doctrinal truths about the Word of God. But they have not actually put any of it into practice. Therefore, their senses haven't developed. They are not actually spiritually mature. They can pop off things and sound impressive to some who don't know any better. But if they've not had time to actually put it into practice, constant use, they're not actually growing and developing. [00:15:33] (28 seconds) #LiveWhatYouKnow

If I just walked into a gym and I walked around and I did it four days a week. I walked into the gym and I spent an hour there just walking around, looking at people, looking at the equipment. And I did this for a week, a month, a year, two years, five years. Am I going to get in shape? Somebody said, please say no. Right? No. Some people in churches are like that. They can talk the talk, but they never walk the walk. And they are not mature. [00:16:03] (26 seconds) #NotJustTalkWalkTheWalk

Children tend to be unaware of their condition. Mature people tend to be increasingly aware of reality and the reality of our own condition. Now, of course, Jesus tells this congregation they need to correct their behavior, repent. And he says, I'm saying this to you because I love you. It's not meant to make them feel beaten down with guilt or anything like that. But this is one of the manifestations of immaturity. You're lukewarm and you're unaware. You feel like, I've got it going on. I'm right where I want to be. And that's problematic. [00:23:51] (31 seconds) #FromLukewarmToAwake

There is a break that has to occur where we go from being childishly dependent and needy and impulsive and desire-controlled and feeling-controlled to the point where we say, You know what, I want to grow up. I want to be a real man, a real woman of God. I want to be like Christ. There has to be a break with childhood. [00:27:10] (22 seconds) #GrowUpInChrist

Maturity is marked by a pursuit not to get something, not to achieve something, not to necessarily experience something, but to become something. So let's ask ourselves, is that resonate with me? Is that a mirror of the interior of me that man above everything else, no matter what I do, no matter where I go, no matter what I experience, I want to become more like Christ every day of my life. I have caught a vision of the beauty of God and his kingdom in Christ, and I want to become that. [00:29:11] (31 seconds) #BecomeLikeChrist

Spiritual maturity, it won't happen accidentally. It requires intentionality. If I, you, we don't want to grow, we won't grow. It takes intensity. If we don't put in the effort, if we don't put in the pursuit. Now, God works with us, you know, it's kind of like a sailboat. I've got to put up the sails, God will provide the wind. But if I don't put up the sails, I'm not going to grow. Intentionality, intensity, and then it takes this, tenacity. I have to keep at it today, next week, next month, next decade. It is a lifelong pursuit of development. [00:34:56] (32 seconds) #IntentionalSpiritualGrowth

There's nothing that's stopping any of us from either for the first time putting our trust in Christ and becoming His follower, or if we're a baby Christian, to get on a path of growth and development, or a young adult, to get on a path of heightened growth and development. And if we're mature, just to keep ourselves fervent and keep ourselves completely, utterly devoted until that last heartbeat or that last breath. I know that's the will of God. I know it's possible for everybody in this room. [00:46:57] (29 seconds) #EveryoneCanGrowInChrist

I don't want this thing to end with some of us, like we read last week, going at the judgment seat of Christ with everything we've touched burning up and just barely making it into the kingdom of God. I don't want that for any of you. I want us to do great things for God now and be disproportionately rewarded later on and for all eternity. That's my heart's desire, and I know it's the Father's desire. [00:47:29] (26 seconds) #InvestInEternity

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