Bless the LORD my GOD through CHRIST JESUS for another year.
Today I will like to write briefly on the subject of being a disciple, who is and how do we know that we are. Understand this that everyone is a disciple of someone or something in the beginning we learn and follow the teachings of our parents and or guardians. Then as we grow and branch out further we begin to follow others some to the point of crossing over completely that who or what we follow has become our god. What do I mean by this? We believe in what others tell us or show us in their actions and take on what we believe to be true. We take on the written words of books that are attractive to us and begin to live by those words of the author. Then there are the addictions that we believe that we cannot live without because we forgot that there was a time that we survived without the use of those crutches that we daily rely on. So what exactly is a disciple? A learner, a scholar, one who receives or professes to receive instruction from another or thing. A follower who is adherent to the doctrines of another. Simply put, one who is converted by what he/she has learned.
As a disciple, it is proof positive that we will never become higher than the person who we have decided to follow and imitate. A teacher is not a student of his teaching nor can he/she be the master of self-knowledge. A disciple will always be a student and follower of the person or thing that is doing the teaching. Not only that we will become the servant to the knowledge that we are obtaining from the teacher or a servant to the crutch that is teaching that it is impossible to be without it. The good news of being a disciple is to be a disciple of CHRIST JESUS who is the greatest teacher to mankind period. When we sit at HIS feet and learn from HIM we gain life. We have no problem with HIM being our Master because as we mature in HIM we acknowledge that we are HIS slaves. And being a slave who is free in CHRIST is far better than being a slave to sin which keeps us bound in chains. As a servant to whom or what we have adopted for our beliefs, we will speak and live according to what we know. We will obey whom or what has complete control of us. There is a television commercial that is aired about smoking, notice how when the smoker prefers to do something else the habit of nicotine smoking causes him/her to walk away from their desire to obey the call of smoking. Whoever or whatever we have given control of our life to expects us to obey and if we try to ignore the call it will drag and pull us to do what we have given our life to. It’s not much different being a disciple of CHRIST as servants of the Most High GOD we are not greater than our Master. But here is the difference the Holy Spirit will not drag and pull us He will call and speak to us as He did before we listened and came to JESUS with a bowed heart.
As disciples, we are often tested and we are often tested by the love we have for friends and relatives then we are tested by things. When it comes to people, places and things we must become indifferent to them have a disregard when it comes to our attitude for JESUS. If we care more about what people think of us if we care more about being somewhere and if we care more about the things we can obtain or have over CHRIST JESUS, this will be the proof that we are not HIS disciple. We must not put anyone or anything in the place of JESUS, HE must be first and foremost in our life. This is the correct order when we are disciples: JESUS, spouse (if we have one), child or children (if we have), school/employment, and things. We are overcomers and we are this way because of CHRIST which means that we can overcome what others think or say about us and we don’t love our life to death but we love our life in CHRIST JESUS so that it is possible for us to renounce anyone or anything that tries to come before HIM.
Know that the truth will make us free in CHRIST. Let us continually obey the Word of GOD by living in JESUS through HIS teachings and living in accordance with HIS Word of grace. Then we will truly be HIS disciples. Let us bring glory and honor to our heavenly FATHER by bringing delicious fruit forward with proof that we are HIS disciples. We are in the world but we are not of this world and we must as true disciples show forth to the world the light that is within us let the world see our goodness continually this is done by doing and not by just speaking. People pay attention to what it is that we do and not by what we speak. As the saying goes “talk is cheap”. Show the world the moral excellence that we possess always with recognition and honor toward the FATHER for this will bring HIM glory in heaven from those who have not received by taking the gift of forgiveness although JESUS forgave the world, and who have not received the gift of HIS salvation by not taking.
So, take a good look at your life and be true to yourself as to who or what you are a disciple of, is it your Pastor, what you own, where you work, who you are dating or married to, your children, where you go, or the habits you have. And if none of these are above JESUS you are not HIS disciple.
Matthew 10:24, Jhn. 15:20, Luke 14:26, Rev. 12:11, John 8:31, 15:8, Matt. 5:16
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