Tag Archives: discipleship

March 6, 2024 · 5:45 AM

The Foundation Of Cooperation

Trust is the strength of any relationship. Think of any relationship you have. It’s only as good as your ability to trust that person. Trust in a relationship is the belief that they can be relied on to do what they say, and it’s the foundation for cooperation. Without it, you don’t have much of a relationship. Some of us go into any relationship trusting the other party and for some of us, trust must be earned. The more we trust them, the more we can accomplish together. This doesn’t just apply to people. Think about your relationship with God. It’s only as strong as your ability to trust Him to guide your life. The more you trust Him, the more input and control He has in your life. The less you trust Him, the more you make the decisions and view Him as just a consultant or advice giver.

In Genesis 22:1-19, we read the story of Abraham. He trusted God to give him a son in his old age and God did it. When Isaac became a young man, God spoke to Abraham and asked him to sacrifice his only son. Abraham didn’t question God to save Isaac or to give him another son even though he was now around 120 years old. He took Isaac on the journey carrying the wood and the fire and climbed the mountain. He built the altar and bound up his son. Abraham had learned to trust God over the years. As Isaac questioned his father, Abraham simply replied that God would provide another sacrifice. It wasn’t until the knife was raised to kill his on,y son that God intervened. God knew he could trust Abraham and Abraham knew he could trust God. Because of that trust, he became the father of many nations and the spiritual father to billions.

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding” (AMP). How deep is your trust in the Lord? How confident is your reliance on Him? If He asked you to sacrifice your most prized possession would you do it even if you didn’t understand? Don’t answer too quickly here. Take an honest evaluation. That last part is the hardest. You see God almost always asks for trust without our understanding. We will obey what He asks up to the level of our trust regardless of our understanding. If you want a deeper relationship with God, you’re going to have to learn to trust Him more. You’re going to have to do things that may not make sense to you or anyone else. Remember trust is the foundation for cooperation.

Photo by Joseph Chan  on Unsplash

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

February 22, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Leaving Survival Mode

One of the activities I love doing is camping. When I was younger I was taught bushcraft and how to do a survival camping trip. They dropped us off in unfamiliar territory, only let us carry what we could fit into a bandaid box, soaked the bandaid box in water, then left us. We had to find shelter, build a fire, hunt for food and sleep on the ground. We had no help or provisions. It was a rough weekend that I’ll never forget.

Compare that to how I like to camp. I enjoy taking my tent, a queen size air mattress, a cooler full of food, lanterns, chairs, pots and pans, cooking utensils, plates and lots of comforts. It’s still outside and in the woods, but I have everything I need for a great weekend. I even have transportation and a phone if something were to happen. This form of camping is a lot more enjoyable because of what’s available to me.

Many of us live our faith as if we were on a survival camping trip. We feel like we’ve been abandoned, we don’t have anything, we are in unfamiliar territory and we’re left to fend for ourselves. I’ve spoken to so many Christians who feel this way, and think it’s normal. Let me tell you it’s not. God has not abandoned you and left you alone on this journey. He doesn’t leave us to survive on our own. Instead, He has given you everything to have the other style camping trip.

2 Peter 1:3 says, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence” (NLT) God has already packed the car for you. It’s a matter of us unpacking it and utilizing what He’s given us. You have special giftings, the Bible, the Holy Spirit living in you, direct communication with God and so much more. We as believers need to start utilizing the things God has made available to us, and get out of survival mode. That’s the life God has called you to.

Photo by NEOM on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 9, 2024 · 5:40 AM

Giving Up Everything

If you’re like most people, you’ve imagined what success would look like to you. Have you thought about what ridiculous success would look like though? That’s the kind of success where you wouldn’t have to worry about money if you had it. I’ve heard stories all of my life of people who were ridiculously successful and then gave it all up to go into ministry or to do something Jesus called them to. I read recently where musical artist Daddy Yankee became a Christian and walked away from his music career. He’s decided to use his platform to share the Gospel instead of the lyrics to his songs.

In Luke 5 Jesus was teaching people on the shore of Galilee while fishermen cleaned their nets. He asked one fisherman, Peter, if he could use his boat to teach from. After His message, Jesus asked Peter to go out a little deeper and then to let down his recently cleaned nets. Peter pushed back at first saying they had fished all night and caught nothing. However, having heard the message Jesus just taught, he agreed. Immediately there were so many fish in the nets that they signaled another boat to come help. The Bible says there were so many fish that both boats were filled to the point they were about to sink. Verse 11 says, ”After they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example]“ (AMP).

If you had the ridiculous success they had, could you walk away from it all to follow Him? What if you had just what you had now? Jesus doesn’t call everyone away from their jobs to follow Him, but He does ask you to be willing to give up everything to be His disciple. He asked Abraham to give up his only son. He asked the widow to give up the last of her oil. He also asked the rich, young ruler to give up everything, but he wasn’t willing to. It comes down to what do you value more: your success with earthly things or your relationship with Jesus. The question really exposes our heart when answered truthfully. More of us are like the rich young ruler than the widow. Ask God to help you give more of your life to Him and to value the relationship you have with Him more than your relationship with earthly things to the point where you’re willing to give up anything if He asked.

Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 9, 2023 · 5:43 AM

Yielding To God’s Process

In high school I was on the varsity basketball team. At the beginning of each season coach would run us a lot to condition our body. He would make us do jumping exercises too so we could increase our vertical leap. It was after we were worn out that we would begin shooting practice. He wanted us in mid game condition so we could learn to shoot while our boys was tired. After that, we went through our plays and then ran some more. Finally, we had to make 100 free throws before we could leave. Coach always pushed us hard because he understood that while we had skills and talent, there was a gap from where we were to where we could be. His job was to increase our skills and our endurance which meant he had to push us.

Early in the Gospels we read where Jesus called the disciples to follow Him. Some were fishing when He asked them to give up catching fish so they could learn to fish for men. Matthew was in his tax collection booth when Jesus called and redeemed him. Each one he called was asked to give up their life, their routine and their normal life in order to learn from Him. They lived a nomadic life while they listened to each sermon, watched the compassion Jesus had and asked questions around the campfire at night. Jesus pushed these 12 men to be more than they were. He taught them, trained them and gave them opportunities to put into practice what He did. When He went to Heaven, they grew even more and turned the world upside down. It didn’t make sense to the outside observer, but because they had spent time with Jesus and submitted to being disciples, they changed the world.

Hebrews 12:11 says, “Now all discipline seems to be painful at the time, yet later it will produce a transformation of character, bringing a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who yield to it” (TPT). God sees potential in you and wants to help you reach that potential. There’s a gap between where you are right now and where you could be. In order to get there, you’re going to have to submit to His process of discipleship. You’re going to have to endure being uncomfortable, being pushed and stretched so that He can produce in you a harvest like you’ve never experienced. It starts with yielding to Him as the authority of your life. You must give Him control rather than just letting Him be a guide. Discipleship is sitting at His feet, learning from Him, giving up what you want for what He wants and accepting His plan over yours. Only then will you reach the potential He’s placed in you and bring in a harvest like never before.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

September 19, 2023 · 5:37 AM

Giving God Control

One of the books I read a couple of years ago was a study of 100,000 churches and the results. Something that caught my attention was it showed how many Christians are good with living lives that are close to Christ. However, there was a significant drop off to those who live Christ centered lives. We’re comfortable with the first one, but struggle to make the leap into giving up full control. A life that is close to Christ prays, reads their Bible and seeks Jesus for decisions in their life. It’s like a person who is driving the car of their life and asks Jesus for directions of which way to turn. By contrast, a Christ centered life is one where Jesus is in the driver’s seat making the decisions and we are in the passenger seat going where He takes us. Few fall into this category.

It reminded me of the story of the Rich, Young Ruler in Mark 10:17-27. This man approached Jesus to ask what he needed to do to receive eternal life. Jesus told him to obey the commandments. He felt good since he lived a life that did that (like most of us). Verse 21 says, “Jesus looked straight at him with love and said, ‘You need only one thing. Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me’” (GNT). Jesus didn’t tell him he wasn’t going to Heaven. He called him to a life that was Christ centered. To give up his will and possessions for Christ was more than he was willing to do. He, like us, enjoyed being in the driver’s seat and went away sad because he wasn’t willing to give up control.

Galatians 5:22-23 talks about the Fruit of the Spirit that God produces in our lives as Christians. Then in verse 25 it says, “The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives.” How much control have you given the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you find yourself in the driver’s seat or the passenger seat? Both are saved and going to Heaven, but only one offers a life that is truly Christ centered. The life that Jesus was inviting the rich, young ruler into. If we want that kind of life, we’re going to have to give Him control of our life. It’s not an easy thing to do which is why so few make that leap. Jesus is always calling us into a deeper commitment to Him, to a life more abundant. The way to get to the fullness He offers is through giving up control.

Photo by Frames For Your Heart on Unsplash

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

February 27, 2023 · 5:42 AM

Following Jesus

In Matthew 4, as Jesus was just starting His ministry, He was walking along the Sea of Galilee when he spotted a couple of fishermen. They had just thrown their nets into the water. He called out to the brothers, Simon and Andrew. In verse 19 He said to them, “Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men” (AMP). They immediately left their nets and began to follow Him. They then came upon James and John who were mending their nets. The same call went out. Verse 22 says, “Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].”

In Luke 9, Jesus was toward the end of His ministry when in verse 59 a man calls out to Him saying that he would follow Jesus. Then Jesus asks another person to follow Him, but the man said, “Lord, allow me to go and bury my father.” He wanted to wait until his father died and he got his inheritance first. Then Jesus turned to another and asked him to follow. That person said he would, but first he wanted to go say goodbye to all his friends and family. We don’t know the names of these people because they had other priorities than submitting to discipleship by following Christ. There’s a stark contrast between them and the twelve disciples when Jesus called them. The ones who changed the world left their old life immediately to follow Jesus.

His call to follow Him still goes out to us. In Luke 9:23 says, “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].” The call to follow Jesus is one where we give up our interests and way of living for His. Are we giving Him excuses or immediately obeying? It’s not a one time decision to do that. He said we must do it daily. Our desires will always be at war with His. Choose each day to immediately lay down the desires of self and express your willingness to follow Jesus no matter what. The things we lay down and left will constantly call to us too. He leaves the choice up to us whom we will follow.

Photo by Junior REIS on Unsplash

4 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 10, 2022 · 5:46 AM

Being A Disciple

My wife was flipping through some Instagram stories and reels when she came across a young couple who had just landed in Rome. They showed their travel and continued by showing themselves getting a rental. They were so excited to show off the car, but while they were recording, they noticed it was a stick shift. She asked him if he knew how to drive one. He said, “No, but I’ll Google it real quick.” That got my attention. The girl said, “Keep following us as our adventure continues while he learns to drive stick shift through Rome.” The next part of their story was just text. It said, “We couldn’t do it. We kept stalling and causing traffic in Rome. We had to return the car and get an automatic.” If you drive a stick shift, you knew that was coming because you can’t learn somethings from Google. You need to be taught by a person.

Early on in Jesus’ ministry, He sat down in the synagogues to teach. They often were amazed at His grasp of Scriptures, but it wouldn’t be long before they got mad at Him. He then called twelve men who were willing to be discipled in God’s Word. Those men then discipled others as well. In Paul’s letters to the churches, we see where he did the same thing to show us a pattern of how to grow and mature in the faith. A good part of it is studying the Scriptures yourself, but the rest is done through submitting to learning from another person. In fact, the Greek word the New Testament uses for disciple means to learn and historically is between a teacher and pupil.

2 Timothy 2:2 says, “The things [the doctrine, the precepts, the admonitions, the sum of my ministry] which you have heard me teach in the presence of many witnesses, entrust [as a treasure] to reliable and faithful men who will also be capable and qualified to teach others” (AMP). You can’t Google or study your way into a deeper relationship with God. You need to be discipled and mentored. It’s important that you find a Paul that you can talk to, ask questions of and learn from so you can better understand and apply God’s Word. You should also find yourself a timothy whom you can teach and lead. Being a disciple is what you and I are called to be and to make. If you want to experience more of what God has for you, follow this pattern of discipleship.

Photo by Meredith Spencer on Unsplash

4 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 5, 2022 · 5:43 AM

Completely Surrendered

Every one of us are somewhere in our walk with Jesus. The spectrum goes from rejecting Him to being completely surrendered to Him. On this journey, we need to be constantly moving towards being surrendered. However, all of us hit plateaus, get knocked backwards at times and go through valleys. The plateaus are dangerous. We can feel like we’re doing good enough, so we don’t keep trying to get closer to Him. We’ve known Him for a long time, learned the stories in the Bible and pray often. These plateaus can lead to complacency and keep us from knowing Him more.

In Mark 10, Jesus was headed out of Jerusalem when a young man ran up to Him and asked what He needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus recited the commandments to him. The man got excited and said he had followed those since he was young. Then Jesus added, “‘There is still one thing you haven’t done,’ He told him. ‘Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me’” (NLT). The man went away sad because what Jesus was requiring was total surrender, and he wasn’t willing to do that.

Many Christians live on this plateau. We’ve served Him a long time and live the way the Bible teaches us to, but we’re missing that something more because we’re not willing to surrender all. God is calling each of us into a greater relationship with Him. The more of our life that we’re willing to surrender to Him, the greater our relationship will be. If you’ve been on a plateau for a while, and are ready to experience more of Jesus, ask Him to show you what more you need to do. Just like this man that encountered Jesus, the choice will be yours to either surrender or to stay on your plateau. My prayer is that you will have the courage to let go of what’s holding you back and live completely surrendered.

Photo by Ali Gooya on Unsplash

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 4, 2022 · 5:32 AM

Overcoming Obstacles

Some of my favorite shows to watch are obstacle course ones. I used to watch “Wipeout” pretty regularly. My new favorite is “Floor Is Lava”. I love watching the creativity and bravery the people use to take on the obstacles. However, there are a lot of people going through these courses who never make it to the end. The obstacles prove to be too much for them to handle, and they’re knocked out of contention for the grand prize. If we’re not careful, the same thing can happen to us as we follow Jesus. There are obstacles that are constantly trying to knock us off course and to interfere with our relationship with Him.

In Mark 11, Jesus was in His final week. He was facing obstacles that were trying to throw Him off course. At one point He was hungry and approached a fig tree, but it didn’t have fruit on it, so He cursed it. The next day, as they walked by, Peter noticed it was dead and pointed it out. In verse 23, Jesus responded, “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart” (NLT). Some scholars believe he was using a Hebrew colloquialism referring to obstacles that impede progress, and that we shouldn’t let any obstacles stand between us and our faith in God.

We all face obstacles that sucker punch us and try to come between us and God though at some point in our lives. For me it was the untimely death of my mother and a divorce. For you, it will be different. The important thing is to identify the obstacles standing in your way so that you can remove them. It’s going to take some faith in order to move these obstacles. You’re going to have to trust God when you can’t see Him or feel Him because of the mountain in your way. Don’t give up, and don’t believe the lie that God doesn’t care about you or your situation. Speak to your mountain in faith. Cast it into the sea and begin growing in your faith once again. You don’t have to stay where you or or succumb to the obstacle. There is more life and growth ahead for you.

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

March 31, 2022 · 5:30 AM

Running To Win

I went to a pretty small high school where if you were athletic, you pretty much played every sport. If you ran track, you didn’t just run one race, you ran several which meant several heats for each race. We had to be in great shape. I remember my running coach teaching me to breathe a certain way so that I wouldn’t get that pain in my side. She also taught me aerodynamics so that my body would channel the wind. Then there was the conditioning to get my body in shape to survive so many races. I put a lot of miles on my shoes so that I could win the races I ran. After high school, I decided had ran enough miles for a lifetime, but in the course of it, I had won many races.

Running takes discipline and mental strength to push through when your body wants to quit. It’s a lot like living out your faith. It takes being dedicated, being mentally focused and being disciplined. Your flesh is always fighting against you and is trying to slow you down so you have to be prepared mentally to push back. It tries to play against your sympathies to get you to stumble and fall. You have to be disciplined enough to catch it early so you can stop that line of thinking. You also have to keep your eyes on what’s at stake in your life and in the lives of others. It’s not a 5k Fun Run. This is more like a marathon or an Iron Man. Every part of you must be disciplined so that you’re making determined progress and are be becoming more like Christ every day.

1 Corinthians 9:24 says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours!” (AMP) Each of us are running the race God has called us to. No one can run your race for you. It’s up to you to run your race in a manner that you’re not just providing traffic for the other runners, but that you’re running in order to win. When you’re running to win, you push yourself to stay in the front of the race. You lean on lessons you’ve learned from the past and ensure that you’re spiritually fit. You use the discipline of reading and applying God’s Word to keep you on track. You continually seek God and His presence so you can endure. You invite the Holy Spirit into your life to encourage you daily to keep going. If you’re going to live a life of faith, be 100% committed and give it your all.

Photo by Fitsum Admasu on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,