Only Believe!
A Teaching in Discipleship
07/15/2018
We begin todays teaching with;
Matthew 10:1
AND JESUS summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity.
There is a question that came to mind as I read this Scripture and it pertains to us as followers (disciples) of Christ.
How do you see yourself as a disciple of Christ?
First of of all, do you even consider yourself to be a disciple of Christ, much less a disciple equal to the original twelve?
Do you see yourself as a disciple that walks with the same power and authority that Jesus gave to the original twelve?
Do you tend to see a difference between you and the original twelve?
To help you answer these questions allow me to give you the definition of disciple.
A disciple is one who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.
Here are some Synonyms to help you understand: Teacher, believer, convert, apostle, and student.
Are grasping on to who a disciple is?
Allow me to put it into a different perspective, in context to what the Bible says, a disciple one of the personal followers of Christ during His earthly life. (including his 12 apostles)
Becoming a disciple of Christ was one of the prerequisites in spreading the Good News.
And it still is. Aren’t you a believer, a follower, a student, an ambassador, a teacher? If you answered yes to anyone of these, then you must be a disciple?
Why can I say this, because God is not a respecter of persons. What he gave the original twelve, He has given us.
Acts 10:34 Good News Translation
Peter began to speak: "I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.
We are all equal in the eyes of God, even when He sees us as the disciples He has mandated us to be.
Romans 1:7 KJV
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Called to be saints. We are called to be disciples of Christ.
Hers another question for you!
If we are called to be saints as the apostles were.
Why are so many of us so moved to think of the original twelve as someone more special than ourselves or any other child of God.
Didn’t we just say that God treats everyone on the same basis?
Let me ask you this.
If you lived in that time with Jesus, would you not have been in the same situation that the original disciples were placed?
Are we all not saints whom God has called by His grace, and sanctified by His Spirit;
Yet, knowing this we are still inclined to look upon the disciples as extraordinary beings, not subject to the same weaknesses and temptations as ourselves.
And in doing so, we are forgetful of this truth, that the nearer a man lives to God the more intensely does he have to watch over his own heart.
The more his Master honors him in his service, the more the evil of ones flesh provokes and teases one day by day.
The very fact is, if we had seen the apostle Paul, we should have thought of him to be so remarkably like the rest of the chosen family.
If we had talked with him face to face, we would have found that his experience and ours are so much the same.
He may have been more faithful, more holy, and more deeply taught than we are, but he himself had the same trials to endure.
In some respects he was more painfully tried than ourselves.
So we must not look upon the ancient saints as being exempt either from infirmities or sins;
Let us not regard them with that mystic reverence which will almost make us idolaters.
For I tell you this, the holiness they attained is attainable even by you.
Are we not called to be saints by that same voice which constrained them to their high vocation?
It is a Christian's duty to force his way into the inner circle of discipleship; and if these 12 original apostles were superior to us in what they achieved, then let us follow them; let us model ourselves with their passion and holiness.
For we have the same light that they had, the same grace they had is accessible to us, and why should we rest satisfied until we have equaled them in heavenly character?
They lived with Jesus, they lived for Jesus, therefore they grew like Jesus.
Let us do the same!
Let us live by the same Spirit as they did, "looking unto Jesus," and our saint-ship and our discipleship will soon be apparent.
But really my friends, before we go on, and after all that you’ve heard so far,
I must yet ask another question of you, what else is there that is needed for one in becoming a disciple of Christ?
As we said before, a disciple is someone who follows the teachings of another person and then usually ends up leading others in the way they were taught.
Here's a tip for you, there must be some spiritual growth through MEDITATING Gods Scriptures in achieving discipleship!!
So in meditating God's Word and according to this definition, you as a disciple of Jesus Christ will follow the teachings of Christ and then in turn you will end up leading others in the way that you were taught.
Seems easy enough, so why do many of us find it so hard to do?
Just how hard can it be?
Well, in searching for the truth, I came to find out that there are certain prerequisites that must be attained before you can call yourself a true disciple of Christ.
In other words there is a time for qualification. A time which may not be easy for some, especially for those who have very little knowledge of Gods Word.
In qualifying one usually comes into battle against ones flesh and the worldly attitudes that one has developed during the years of not pursuing God.
The adversary does not want you to know your God, much less become a disciple of God.
So where does the qualification begin.
First, you have to accept the gift of salvation. OK, that’s easy for someone desiring to receive it.
But how many of you have run into people that don't want to be saved?
There are many out there in the world that have no desire of being saved.
Hosea 4:6
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.....................
They are lacking the knowledge of salvation, thus to them there is no reason for salvation, to them it’s just a religious figure of speech.
There are even some out there that are what I call hell-bent. And they will be the hardest ones to bring to agree wih this divine blessings.
They have no idea that Salvation must be seen as a gift that God has offered us through the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Salvation comes according to Romans 10:9-10, which declares that to obtain the new birth of salvation, you have to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.
Because with your heart you believe unto righteousness and with your mouth you make a confession of salvation.
If there are so many that will not believe you will have that many that will not confess, they will not take hold of this divine blessing and perish.
But to those that are saved and become disciples of Christ, you must as a disciple give rise and produce other disciples.
And to do that you must impart the Word of God unto other born again Christians thus training them as disciples.
The Gospel to a true disciple of Chris is not meant to be kept to ones self, there must be a constant impartation of God Word unto others.
And as I look back to this teaching my question wasn't merely, "What must I do to be saved?"
My Question was about discipleship. The act of following the teachings of Christ.
But how can you follow someone unless you allow them to lead you?
Now we go to the second qualifier. The Spirit of God!
This is precisely why God sent Holy Spirit to dwell inside of those of us who receive Him.
Romans 8:14
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
We must get out of control, for once you start being led by the Spirit of God, you must give the Spirit of God complete control.
This will result in you being divinely led! A must for a disciple of Christ.
In this process of being divinely led, your relationship with Holy Spirit will begin to prosper as you begin to set up and open up the communication lines that are vital for you to distinctly hear His voice and thus His leading.
The small still voice must be heard and obeyed by a disciple of Christ. It is a mandate given of God.
Deuteronomy 27:10 (AMPC)
10 So you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God and do His commandments and statutes which I command you today.
In being able to hear His voice you allow yourself to enter into a walk of obedience, when you do, it will open the door to the arena of excellence that Jesus walked in.
That's where your goal lies, in the arena of excellence that Jesus walked in.
In doing so you will live with Jesus, you will live for Jesus, therefore you will walk like Jesus.
And if we are to call ourselves His disciples, it's mandatory for us to walk in that same excellence that Jesus did.
Lets not settle for second best. Why? Because there is a God given decree to be met.
He has given us a divine command. We must be obedient, for it is preferable not to sin. For sin is a failure to obey a divine command.
We as disciples prefer and do not want to fall into sin.
Matthew 28:16-20
“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We have been given as disciples of Christ an extraordinarily powerful and supernatural commission.
A commission which empowers us and gives us the office as Ambassadors of Jesus Christ.
We know now that salvation is a big part but discipleship is just as big.
For example teaching someone to swim. You just can’t throw someone into the water and expect them to swim properly without showing them the basics and the fundamentals on how to swim without drowning.
How many new born believers are drowning out there in the world, because they have never be discipled in the Word of God?
So the question is how do we prep ourselves as ambassadors or disciples of Christ so that we can move towards accomplishing this profound assignment?
As we learn, we teach but learning also comes easier when we become teachable.
Lets move on. How many of you can say that you have the faith of God?
You were born in His image so you must have some faith in you. He apportioned a measure of faith on all of us.
Romans 12:3 (AMPC)
3 For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.
Faith: it is synonymous with being a disciple.
And to I believe in order to expedite your duties you must go to the Scriptures. And you must truly have faith in this one scripture, before moving on.
1.
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Inspired with the very breath of God.
As a disciple you need to come to the point in your spiritual senses where you see the Scriptures as perfect, so that you also realize that the revelation they bring is perfect.
Why do I say this, because everything is so divinely adjusted by God Almighty.
So well balanced so that every person who comes into an infinite revelation touched by God, begins to see that the whole principle of Scripture is perfect from the beginning to the end.
Not a single thing in the Scriptures clashes with or contradicts Holy Spirit.
And if there is to be any contradiction, it is usually the flesh, our carnal nemesis that does its best at deceiving us and keeping us from hearing the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
The Word of God gives a disciple comprehensive knowledge of holy living that is in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action.
A disciple must gain knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.
2.
2 Timothy 2:15 (AMPC)
15 Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved tested by trial, a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing the Word of Truth.
This is where a disciple rightly comes to handling and skillfully teaching the Word of God. By definitely knowing the Word of God.
You come to a position in life when you definitely know what you are talking about.
A disciple must seek God on a daily basis, thus acquiring the discernment of the revelation knowledge that he will receive from God.
This must happen on a daily basis.
3.
Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.
What is the everything you need.
In seeking God what did Solomon ask for above all else. He asked for Gods Wisdom!
Having Gods Wisdom has its advantages in succeeding as an Ambassador of Jesus Christ.
In seeking God in prayer and in His Word you must be diligent in doing it day and night as the Scriptures advise us to do; because the more you get into His teachings, the more truth you will come to know.
A disciple will be set free, thus being able to set others free.
John 8:31-32
31 “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The more your faith grows in truth, the more it sets you and others free!
A disciples faith is constantly growing.
Romans 10:17 (AMPC)
17 So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself). (King James translation)
The more that you move in these Scriptures the more you will do in the Name of Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:2 NLT
2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
And that's what disciples are about. They learn and do.
Remember this, that on the other side of every act of obedience, there is a blessing awaiting you.
For in your relationship with Him, God honestly desires the best for you. That's where His blessings come in.
But there's no way you could accomplish all He has for you to do without you being in right standing with Him first.
A disciple must learn to teach as the Master taught.
Luke 6:40
A pupil is not superior to his teacher, but everyone [when he is] completely trained (readjusted, restored, set to rights, and perfected) will be like his teacher.
The teaching of disciples begins at the home. Discipleship begins with the Father and mother teaching their children.
"Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation."
Joel 1:3
In this simple way, by God's grace, a living testimony for the Gospel truth is always to be kept alive in the land.
We who are the beloved of the Lord are to hand down our witness for the gospel, and the covenant to our next in line, and they in turn must hand it down again to their descendants.
This is our first duty as disciples, we are to begin in our family home: he or she who does not commence his ministry at home is a bad preacher.
Those lost are to be sought by all means, and the highways and hedges are to be searched, but the ministry of teaching those in the home has a prior claim, and those who reverse the order of the Lord's arrangements will meet with nothing but adversity tribulation.
To teach our children is a personal duty; we cannot and must not delegate it to Sunday school teachers, yes they may assist us, but they cannot deliver us from this sacred obligation.
There is no room for substitutes in this case: mothers and fathers must, like Abraham, direct their households with an authority the teaches the family in honoring, worshiping and giving glory to God.
Furthermore they must speak with their children concerning the wondrous works of the Jehovah.
Parental teaching is to be seen as a natural duty—who are more better fit to look after their child's well-being as those who are the authors of their actual being?
To neglect the instruction of our offspring is worse then failing to sustain their physical being by not feeding them the proper foods that sustain life.
A Family well informed in the revelation knowledge of the Gospel is necessary for the nation, it is vital for the family itself, and especially for the church of God.
False teaching by the thousand are secretly advancing in our land, and one of the most effectual means for resisting its attack is left almost neglected, namely, the instruction of children in the faith.
It is time for parents to awaken to a sense of the importance of this matter.
For it is a pleasant duty to talk of Jesus to our sons and daughters, and the more so because it has often proved to be pleasing to God, for God has saved may the children through the parents' prayers and counsel.
May every house into which this teaching enters honor the Lord and receive His smile.
There are warnings from Jesus given to the disciples, one comes in
Matthew 10:16 (AMPC)
16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves.
And to do this we mus take on the culture of Heaven!
We begin todays teaching with;
Matthew 10:1
AND JESUS summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity.
There is a question that came to mind as I read this Scripture and it pertains to us as followers (disciples) of Christ.
How do you see yourself as a disciple of Christ?
First of of all, do you even consider yourself to be a disciple of Christ, much less a disciple equal to the original twelve?
Do you see yourself as a disciple that walks with the same power and authority that Jesus gave to the original twelve?
Do you tend to see a difference between you and the original twelve?
To help you answer these questions allow me to give you the definition of disciple.
A disciple is one who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.
Here are some Synonyms to help you understand: Teacher, believer, convert, apostle, and student.
Are grasping on to who a disciple is?
Allow me to put it into a different perspective, in context to what the Bible says, a disciple one of the personal followers of Christ during His earthly life. (including his 12 apostles)
Becoming a disciple of Christ was one of the prerequisites in spreading the Good News.
And it still is. Aren’t you a believer, a follower, a student, an ambassador, a teacher? If you answered yes to anyone of these, then you must be a disciple?
Why can I say this, because God is not a respecter of persons. What he gave the original twelve, He has given us.
Acts 10:34 Good News Translation
Peter began to speak: "I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.
We are all equal in the eyes of God, even when He sees us as the disciples He has mandated us to be.
Romans 1:7 KJV
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Called to be saints. We are called to be disciples of Christ.
Hers another question for you!
If we are called to be saints as the apostles were.
Why are so many of us so moved to think of the original twelve as someone more special than ourselves or any other child of God.
Didn’t we just say that God treats everyone on the same basis?
Let me ask you this.
If you lived in that time with Jesus, would you not have been in the same situation that the original disciples were placed?
Are we all not saints whom God has called by His grace, and sanctified by His Spirit;
Yet, knowing this we are still inclined to look upon the disciples as extraordinary beings, not subject to the same weaknesses and temptations as ourselves.
And in doing so, we are forgetful of this truth, that the nearer a man lives to God the more intensely does he have to watch over his own heart.
The more his Master honors him in his service, the more the evil of ones flesh provokes and teases one day by day.
The very fact is, if we had seen the apostle Paul, we should have thought of him to be so remarkably like the rest of the chosen family.
If we had talked with him face to face, we would have found that his experience and ours are so much the same.
He may have been more faithful, more holy, and more deeply taught than we are, but he himself had the same trials to endure.
In some respects he was more painfully tried than ourselves.
So we must not look upon the ancient saints as being exempt either from infirmities or sins;
Let us not regard them with that mystic reverence which will almost make us idolaters.
For I tell you this, the holiness they attained is attainable even by you.
Are we not called to be saints by that same voice which constrained them to their high vocation?
It is a Christian's duty to force his way into the inner circle of discipleship; and if these 12 original apostles were superior to us in what they achieved, then let us follow them; let us model ourselves with their passion and holiness.
For we have the same light that they had, the same grace they had is accessible to us, and why should we rest satisfied until we have equaled them in heavenly character?
They lived with Jesus, they lived for Jesus, therefore they grew like Jesus.
Let us do the same!
Let us live by the same Spirit as they did, "looking unto Jesus," and our saint-ship and our discipleship will soon be apparent.
But really my friends, before we go on, and after all that you’ve heard so far,
I must yet ask another question of you, what else is there that is needed for one in becoming a disciple of Christ?
As we said before, a disciple is someone who follows the teachings of another person and then usually ends up leading others in the way they were taught.
Here's a tip for you, there must be some spiritual growth through MEDITATING Gods Scriptures in achieving discipleship!!
So in meditating God's Word and according to this definition, you as a disciple of Jesus Christ will follow the teachings of Christ and then in turn you will end up leading others in the way that you were taught.
Seems easy enough, so why do many of us find it so hard to do?
Just how hard can it be?
Well, in searching for the truth, I came to find out that there are certain prerequisites that must be attained before you can call yourself a true disciple of Christ.
In other words there is a time for qualification. A time which may not be easy for some, especially for those who have very little knowledge of Gods Word.
In qualifying one usually comes into battle against ones flesh and the worldly attitudes that one has developed during the years of not pursuing God.
The adversary does not want you to know your God, much less become a disciple of God.
So where does the qualification begin.
First, you have to accept the gift of salvation. OK, that’s easy for someone desiring to receive it.
But how many of you have run into people that don't want to be saved?
There are many out there in the world that have no desire of being saved.
Hosea 4:6
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.....................
They are lacking the knowledge of salvation, thus to them there is no reason for salvation, to them it’s just a religious figure of speech.
There are even some out there that are what I call hell-bent. And they will be the hardest ones to bring to agree wih this divine blessings.
They have no idea that Salvation must be seen as a gift that God has offered us through the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Salvation comes according to Romans 10:9-10, which declares that to obtain the new birth of salvation, you have to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.
Because with your heart you believe unto righteousness and with your mouth you make a confession of salvation.
If there are so many that will not believe you will have that many that will not confess, they will not take hold of this divine blessing and perish.
But to those that are saved and become disciples of Christ, you must as a disciple give rise and produce other disciples.
And to do that you must impart the Word of God unto other born again Christians thus training them as disciples.
The Gospel to a true disciple of Chris is not meant to be kept to ones self, there must be a constant impartation of God Word unto others.
And as I look back to this teaching my question wasn't merely, "What must I do to be saved?"
My Question was about discipleship. The act of following the teachings of Christ.
But how can you follow someone unless you allow them to lead you?
Now we go to the second qualifier. The Spirit of God!
This is precisely why God sent Holy Spirit to dwell inside of those of us who receive Him.
Romans 8:14
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
We must get out of control, for once you start being led by the Spirit of God, you must give the Spirit of God complete control.
This will result in you being divinely led! A must for a disciple of Christ.
In this process of being divinely led, your relationship with Holy Spirit will begin to prosper as you begin to set up and open up the communication lines that are vital for you to distinctly hear His voice and thus His leading.
The small still voice must be heard and obeyed by a disciple of Christ. It is a mandate given of God.
Deuteronomy 27:10 (AMPC)
10 So you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God and do His commandments and statutes which I command you today.
In being able to hear His voice you allow yourself to enter into a walk of obedience, when you do, it will open the door to the arena of excellence that Jesus walked in.
That's where your goal lies, in the arena of excellence that Jesus walked in.
In doing so you will live with Jesus, you will live for Jesus, therefore you will walk like Jesus.
And if we are to call ourselves His disciples, it's mandatory for us to walk in that same excellence that Jesus did.
Lets not settle for second best. Why? Because there is a God given decree to be met.
He has given us a divine command. We must be obedient, for it is preferable not to sin. For sin is a failure to obey a divine command.
We as disciples prefer and do not want to fall into sin.
Matthew 28:16-20
“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We have been given as disciples of Christ an extraordinarily powerful and supernatural commission.
A commission which empowers us and gives us the office as Ambassadors of Jesus Christ.
We know now that salvation is a big part but discipleship is just as big.
For example teaching someone to swim. You just can’t throw someone into the water and expect them to swim properly without showing them the basics and the fundamentals on how to swim without drowning.
How many new born believers are drowning out there in the world, because they have never be discipled in the Word of God?
So the question is how do we prep ourselves as ambassadors or disciples of Christ so that we can move towards accomplishing this profound assignment?
As we learn, we teach but learning also comes easier when we become teachable.
Lets move on. How many of you can say that you have the faith of God?
You were born in His image so you must have some faith in you. He apportioned a measure of faith on all of us.
Romans 12:3 (AMPC)
3 For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.
Faith: it is synonymous with being a disciple.
And to I believe in order to expedite your duties you must go to the Scriptures. And you must truly have faith in this one scripture, before moving on.
1.
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Inspired with the very breath of God.
As a disciple you need to come to the point in your spiritual senses where you see the Scriptures as perfect, so that you also realize that the revelation they bring is perfect.
Why do I say this, because everything is so divinely adjusted by God Almighty.
So well balanced so that every person who comes into an infinite revelation touched by God, begins to see that the whole principle of Scripture is perfect from the beginning to the end.
Not a single thing in the Scriptures clashes with or contradicts Holy Spirit.
And if there is to be any contradiction, it is usually the flesh, our carnal nemesis that does its best at deceiving us and keeping us from hearing the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
The Word of God gives a disciple comprehensive knowledge of holy living that is in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action.
A disciple must gain knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.
2.
2 Timothy 2:15 (AMPC)
15 Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved tested by trial, a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing the Word of Truth.
This is where a disciple rightly comes to handling and skillfully teaching the Word of God. By definitely knowing the Word of God.
You come to a position in life when you definitely know what you are talking about.
A disciple must seek God on a daily basis, thus acquiring the discernment of the revelation knowledge that he will receive from God.
This must happen on a daily basis.
3.
Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.
What is the everything you need.
In seeking God what did Solomon ask for above all else. He asked for Gods Wisdom!
Having Gods Wisdom has its advantages in succeeding as an Ambassador of Jesus Christ.
In seeking God in prayer and in His Word you must be diligent in doing it day and night as the Scriptures advise us to do; because the more you get into His teachings, the more truth you will come to know.
A disciple will be set free, thus being able to set others free.
John 8:31-32
31 “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The more your faith grows in truth, the more it sets you and others free!
A disciples faith is constantly growing.
Romans 10:17 (AMPC)
17 So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself). (King James translation)
The more that you move in these Scriptures the more you will do in the Name of Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:2 NLT
2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
And that's what disciples are about. They learn and do.
Remember this, that on the other side of every act of obedience, there is a blessing awaiting you.
For in your relationship with Him, God honestly desires the best for you. That's where His blessings come in.
But there's no way you could accomplish all He has for you to do without you being in right standing with Him first.
A disciple must learn to teach as the Master taught.
Luke 6:40
A pupil is not superior to his teacher, but everyone [when he is] completely trained (readjusted, restored, set to rights, and perfected) will be like his teacher.
The teaching of disciples begins at the home. Discipleship begins with the Father and mother teaching their children.
"Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation."
Joel 1:3
In this simple way, by God's grace, a living testimony for the Gospel truth is always to be kept alive in the land.
We who are the beloved of the Lord are to hand down our witness for the gospel, and the covenant to our next in line, and they in turn must hand it down again to their descendants.
This is our first duty as disciples, we are to begin in our family home: he or she who does not commence his ministry at home is a bad preacher.
Those lost are to be sought by all means, and the highways and hedges are to be searched, but the ministry of teaching those in the home has a prior claim, and those who reverse the order of the Lord's arrangements will meet with nothing but adversity tribulation.
To teach our children is a personal duty; we cannot and must not delegate it to Sunday school teachers, yes they may assist us, but they cannot deliver us from this sacred obligation.
There is no room for substitutes in this case: mothers and fathers must, like Abraham, direct their households with an authority the teaches the family in honoring, worshiping and giving glory to God.
Furthermore they must speak with their children concerning the wondrous works of the Jehovah.
Parental teaching is to be seen as a natural duty—who are more better fit to look after their child's well-being as those who are the authors of their actual being?
To neglect the instruction of our offspring is worse then failing to sustain their physical being by not feeding them the proper foods that sustain life.
A Family well informed in the revelation knowledge of the Gospel is necessary for the nation, it is vital for the family itself, and especially for the church of God.
False teaching by the thousand are secretly advancing in our land, and one of the most effectual means for resisting its attack is left almost neglected, namely, the instruction of children in the faith.
It is time for parents to awaken to a sense of the importance of this matter.
For it is a pleasant duty to talk of Jesus to our sons and daughters, and the more so because it has often proved to be pleasing to God, for God has saved may the children through the parents' prayers and counsel.
May every house into which this teaching enters honor the Lord and receive His smile.
There are warnings from Jesus given to the disciples, one comes in
Matthew 10:16 (AMPC)
16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves.
And to do this we mus take on the culture of Heaven!