| Your First Step of Discipleship |
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| By Rick Warren — Jun 29, 2015 |
“God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love — like Christ in everything. (Ephesians 4:15 MSG)
God wants you to grow up: “We are not meant to remain as children” (Ephesians 4:14a Phillips).
Your heavenly Father’s goal is for you is to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ, living a life of love and humble service. Sadly, millions of Christians grow older but never grow up.
They’re stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy, remaining in diapers and booties. The reason is because they never intended to grow. Spiritual growth is not automatic; it takes an intentional commitment. You must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow, and persist in growing.
Discipleship is the process of becoming like Christ, and it always begins with a decision: “‘Follow me and be my disciple,’ Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him” (Matthew 9:9b NLT, second edition).
When the first disciples chose to follow Jesus, they didn’t understand all the implications of their decision. They simply responded to Jesus’ invitation.
That’s all you need to get started: Decide to become a disciple.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
- Think of the moment when you chose to follow Jesus. What did you understand about what it meant to be a believer?
- What are some of the characteristics of Jesus that God has been developing in you?
- How do you want God to work in your life? Take some time to pray, and ask him to grow you in these areas and for trust and patience as he does it in his time.
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And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
1 John 1:4
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When the Apostle John wrote this letter so long ago, he was very concerned that we experience the reality of Jesus Christ in our lives and the joy that He gives.
He was concerned because he knew from experience the many tricks and lies the devil uses to steal our joy. As he wrote in John 10:10, “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you might have life, and have it to the full.”
One of the lies the devil tells us that joy equals happiness. And our culture tells us that “being happy” is one of the loftiest achievements in life. But really, happiness is dependent on our circumstances…and circumstances change so much that it’s impossible to depend on them to ever make us happy!
True joy, inner happiness…only comes from knowing Jesus Christ.
So today I want to ask you, are you experiencing the joy that comes from an intimate relationship with the Lord? Or are you letting the circumstances of life steal that joy?
I’m confident that the more you focus on Jesus—and not all the negative stuff going on around you—the deeper and more real your joy in Christ will be!
True joy only comes from knowing Jesus Christ.
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