Prayer is essential for the growth of your relationship with God. As in any healthy relationship, communication must go both ways. Not only must you listen to God speak to you through His word, you must also talk to Him, knowing that He hears you. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. – Psalm 145:18-19 I would rather train twenty men to pray, than a thousand to preach; – A minister’s highest mission ought to be to teach his people to pray. – H. MacGregor Prayer was something that Jesus …Continue reading →
Fasting tends to be a neglected area of discipleship today, yet fasting was common in the early church. When the Bible speaks of fasting, it assumes that it is something believers will do. Jesus began His instructions on fasting in Matthew 6:16 with “when you fast”, not “if you fast”. What is fasting? Fasting in the Bible almost always refers to going without food (and sometimes water) for a length of time. The greek word for fasting, nesteia , means “not to eat”. Types of fasts mentioned in the Bible: Normal fast: Abstain from food but not water. Much of the time the fast would be only during the daylight hours. Partial fast: Abstain from certain foods (Passover – no …Continue reading →
The topic of faith isn’t usually covered in a course on discipleship. It is assumed that once you believe in Jesus, you’ve already learned enough about faith… you just need to put it more and more into practice. However, many believers have different ideas about what faith is, so I think this topic needs to be understood better. Without faith in God, no spiritual growth is possible. You must have faith in God in order to please Him: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. – Hebrews 11:6 (MKJV) “Saving faith” is only the beginning …Continue reading →
You can rest secure in your salvation. Jesus’ death paid the penalty for all of your sin, therefore you will not be condemned if you sin: “He who believes in Him is not condemned; … – John 3:18 (ACV) However, sin will affect your relationship with God, therefore you need to understand it and know how to deal with it. What is sin? Each believer has different ideas about what things are sin. What some think is sin, others do not. J. Vernon McGee gave this illustration. My wife was reared in Texas in a Southern Baptist church. She was brought up by a mother and father and pastor who believed that mixed bathing {swimming} was sinful. Then when she …Continue reading →
The Flesh vs. The Spirit Many, if not most, believers struggle to live the Christian life. Salvation was easy – just believe in Jesus and you’re saved. But living the life for some reason is hard. In Romans, Paul wrote about our freedom from the penalty of sin, and instructed us not to let sin reign in us (“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” Romans 6:12). But after that he spoke of His own incapacity to live a righteous life: For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will …Continue reading →
The Bible says you were created for God, for the purpose of glorifying Him: For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. – Colossians 1:16 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” – Revelation 4:11 Man was created in God’s image which gave man a unique capacity to glorify God. However, when Adam sinned, humanity’s ability to glorify God was marred. God’s purpose in saving you was that you might fulfill your original …Continue reading →
What is worship? What do you think of when you hear the word worship? Meeting together at church? Singing hymns or praise songs? While the church meeting is called a worship service, true worship is not primarily a corporate act, but an individual lifestyle and mindset. Yes, we all meet together to worship, but this is primarily to edify the body, to build up the church, which is only one way to worship God. The hebrew word for worship, “shachah”, means to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to reverence, to do homage. The greek word, “proskuneo”, means to kiss the hand in token of reverence, as someone would do when bowing before a ruler. “Proskeneo” also means to kneel or …Continue reading →
I’m sure there have been times when you have come across a situation where you must make a decision, and you’ve wondered which way God would have you choose. Sometimes these are major decisions: Should I take this job? Should I marry this person? It would be nice if God would give an audible answer every time you asked for His direction, but God does not work that way. Much of God’s will remains hidden even when you ask. How can you know what God’s will is for you in various situations? The truth is, sometimes you can’t, and in those situations you have to trust to God’s ability to guide you without your knowledge (Proverbs 16:9). But many times …Continue reading →
How does the Bible describe the church? Mention the word “church” today and the first thing that pops into most people’s minds is a building with a steeple and stained-glass windows. Church is a place to sit in uncomfortable pews for a couple of hours once a week, sing traditional songs and hear a preacher speak for a half hour or forty-five minutes against the evils of sin. Or, another view of church is a non-profit charity organization that helps those in need. But neither of these concepts describes the early church depicted in the New Testament. Yes, the early church helped the needy. Yes, there was preaching (although probably not in the style we are familiar with today). Maybe …Continue reading →
Witnessing Just before Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection, He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. They would be witnesses to Him beginning there and going out into the whole world. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 These disciples were called “apostles”, ones Jesus sent out into the world with the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. It was these men who were used to build the church. Their job was not to save the lost, but to point the lost …Continue reading →
