Discipleship Truths

~ 4 Important Realities of Discipleship ~

The third chapter of 1 Corinthians tells us a lot about true discipleship.

Discipleship is a Lifelong Process (not an event)  ~  “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal.  For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?  For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not carnal?  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-5).  The spiritual birth has many parallels to physical birth—in this passage we see feeding begins with milk and progresses to solid food.  Discipleship is not completed in a day, and it is not accomplished without effort.

Some Things We Must Do (other things God must do)  ~  The Apostle Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

Discipleship Results in Maturity (including fruitfulness)  ~  “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:8).  Fruitfulness is a by-product of discipleship and has rewards.

Disciples Are Responsible for the Quality of Their Work  ~  “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it.  But let each one take heed how he builds on it” (1 Corinthians 3:9-10).  God also is concerned about the quality of His children’s faithfulness.

The Bottom-Line  ~  There is a time to be a child (1 Corinthians 13:11) and a time to grow up!  Believers are given the opportunity to grow into greater Christlikeness (true CHRISTians).  Are you more like Jesus Christ than you were a year ago?

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Opened Eyes

~ 3 Biblical Examples of Eyes Being Opened ~

To Their Sin And Shame (conviction)  ~  “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.  She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings” (Genesis 3:6-7). 

Depending on their reaction to their sin and shame then there is an either / or opening as seen below:

To Christ And Salvation (conversion)  ~  “And when we all had fallen to the ground, I [Saul—later the Apostle Paul] heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?  It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’  So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’  And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.  I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me’” (Acts 26:14-18). 

To Hell And Torment (Christ rejection)  ~  Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’  But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’  Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead’” (Luke 16:19-31).    

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

God’s Up & Down

~ 2 Important Historical Events ~       

The Ascent (of the Son of God to heaven)  ~  “Now when He [Jesus] had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:9-11).  

Two of the four Gospels also record this important event.  “And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.  Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.  And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen” (Luke 24:50-53). “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen” (Mark 16:19-20).

This miracle, recorded in the New Testament, is one of the most significant and important of all miracles in the Scriptures.  When Jesus was came to earth as a human infant He was wrapped in swaddling clothes [infant cloth of the day which restricted movement] and when He left this planet as the Savior He was wrapped in a cloud of His Shekinah [God’s presence, closely associated with light] glory. 

The Descent (of the Spirit of God to earth) ~  “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come [were fulfilled], they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4a). 

comment:  Jesus Christ, is seen in the Passover.  “Indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7b).  Passover is a type or foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus Christ and was fulfilled in the death of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.  The Son of God is also seen in this Day of Pentecost [50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits].  The Messiah is the first fruit, the first to be resurrected.  “Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Corinthians 15:23b). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Identity in Christ, 2

~ The World’s Answer To Finding Fulfillment! ~

As a way of introducing ALN’s new Monday Series regarding our “Identity in Christ” I thought it would be helpful to have a guest blogger, Tim Shefy, provide his following thought-provoking post.  I encourage my readers to visit his blog entitled “Even If I Walk Alone”  (It is listed in the right column under “Check These Out.”)

“The Lie of Acquired Significance”

We all want to feel significant; we want to know we are here for a purpose and are making a difference in the world.  I think the reason so many people ask the “Why am I here?” question is because they feel insignificant and are searching for something to fill the emptiness within them.  Even Christians who realize that Christ is the only one who can satisfy the deep longings in their soul often struggle with trying to figure out their purpose in life.  This is another of Satan’s favorite tricks; he has convinced you of the need to search for something to make you feel significant.

The Lie  ~  For as long as I can remember, and I suspect it is the same for you, we have been taught that we acquire significance based on the things we do or the accomplishments we achieve.  We’re taught to study hard throughout our youth and to choose careers that will allow us to acquire the finer things in life.  Advertisements bombard us daily with images of what a successful person looks like and with what sort of things they possess.  Our eyes become enamored with the slick imagery and we lose focus of who we are in Jesus Christ and of the mission we have been created to fulfill.

It Started In The Garden  ~  Satan has been at this a very long time.  All the way back in the garden of Eden he convinced Adam and Eve that they were really just pawns, and that if they wanted to be wise like God they simply needed to eat the fruit from the tree of wisdom.  In other words, they could find a higher worth, their own significance, by taking a certain action.  They were the first to discover that when we try and gain significance through our own efforts, we actually surrender that which brought us worth in the first place.  Still, you and I continue to follow in their footsteps to this day.  It’s funny how we read the Bible amazed that the Israelites or Disciples could be so foolish and hard headed, yet six thousand years later we are still mimicking the mistakes of the first man and woman.  Our pride says we would have done better than God’s people in the past.  Our reality tells a different story.

Disillusionment  ~  Disillusionment occurs when we recognize that despite our best efforts, our quest for significance is falling woefully short.  The career you imagined so vividly has turned into long hours in a small cubicle for little pay and even fewer accolades.  Our fairytale romance has turned into a mundane and predictable marriage.  The stuff you couldn’t wait to buy has resulted in credit card bills that are draining what little money you have at an alarming rate.  Significance seems like a long forgotten dream as your life spirals further and further out of control.

Brokenness  ~  This is the point where you cry out to Jesus and beg Him to stop the world and let you get off.  But this is a wonderful place, because it is here that you realize that you are nothing without God.  This is a place of brokenness in the presence of the only One who can heal you.  As you let go of all you have been seeking and rest in His mercy and grace, suddenly you realize that the significance you sought has been inside you all along.  God created you for a purpose and placed His spirit within you; He marked you with His name and called you His own.  He has never cared for the things you did in search of meaning; He has simply cared for you.

Finding significance  ~  Satan’s lie of acquired significance says you must acquire and you must achieve.  The truth is, significance is not earned but imparted mercifully upon you when you surrender your life to Jesus.  Your significance is found in your Creator.  The God of the universe loves and cherishes you.  In His eyes, you are considered priceless.  You matter to God; you are special.  You are significant.

Question  ~  What is one way you have tried to achieve significance in your own life?

 

ALN Comment  ~  The world tells us that we need to “pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.”  If you have never tried that—I suggest you do it right now!  From a standing position reach down, grab your shoelaces (or any part of your footwear) and pull.  How high did you get? 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Christ’s Love

~ The Supreme Love ~

For His Father  ~  Jesus said, “That the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do” (John 14:31).  Notice that when you love someone you seek to please that person.

For His Church  ~  “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

For His Saints  ~  One example: “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus (John 11:5).

For All Individuals  ~  Jesus said, “For God [Jesus’ Father] so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus Christ—The Messiah], that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .