apprentice of Jesus

We Are More Than His Student

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , , , , , , , , , ,

Disciple 101

We have been purchased by the blood of Christ.  When we heard our Father’s calling and acknowledged Jesus as our Savior, we became one with Him.  We are now adopted children of God and brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus.  Jesus is our King and we are His royal citizens.  Jesus is our Teacher and we are His students.  Jesus is our Savior and we are His saints.  Jesus is our High Priest and we are His priesthood.  Jesus is our Friend and we are His.

Scripture reveals that it’s the Father who calls us to Jesus, after which, Jesus accepts us into the Family and promises to complete the task at hand.  That task is to prepare us for eternity.  It is Jesus who sent us the Holy Spirit into our lives.  It is Jesus who has made every eternal gift possible for us.  It is Jesus who sacrificed His life for us.

Jesus is our good shepherd.  He is not in the business for profit.  Instead, He is leading us because He cares.  Like the parable of the lost sheep, if one of us strays from the fold, He will go looking for its return.  In our current culture, we would do the opposite.  We would sacrifice the one for the sake of the majority, but not Jesus.

Jesus stated that His own hear His Word and respond to Him.  For those of us that slide into complacency, or lukewarmness as described in the Book of Revelation, He is knocking at our door.  He promised not to leave us but always be with us until the end of the age.  He cares for each and every single one of us.

We, like Paul, are bondservants of Jesus: a very high calling in the kingdom of God.  As a bondservant, we acknowledge Jesus is our Master.  We acknowledge His rulership and authority in our life.

We likewise accept His involvement in our life.  In exchange, we realize that our life is in very good hands.  We have a Boss that rules the universe.  Our Boss owns everything.  Our Boss is Boss of All.  What better opportunity or position could a person seek?  As His servant, we gladly follow His instructions and commands with the work that He gives us to do.  We may not be faithful all the time, but He is always faithful.  We may require discipline at times, so He is faithful and will discipline us for our good.  He cares for us.  We gladly accept Jesus as our Lord, Savior, Teacher, and Friend.  We are overjoyed that He accepts us as one of His own.  We can’t think of a better family we would rather belong with than the children of God.

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 4

Almighty Dad, thank you for leading us to Jesus.  Thank you for bringing Him into our life.  Thank you for opening our mind to hear and understand your calling and purpose in life.  Thank you for reconciling us to you through Jesus.

Help us always to walk with you.  Help us to have a close relationship with you.  Help us to know you, to learn from you, and to become like you.

Thank you for the opportunity to live life with you each and every day.  Help us always to be true to you and to our self.  Cleanse us from our sinful thoughts and actions.  Make our heart pure.  Let your Holiness abide in us forever.  Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

 

The Answer Always Comes Back to Jesus

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , , , , , , , , ,

jesus answer 3

The last command Jesus gave to His disciples prior to His ascension was to go and make disciples of all nations. How?  By baptizing them into the God Family and teaching them to obey His commandments. As a disciple of His in the twenty-first century, we have the same mission.  (You would think that after all these years we would have it figured out) Likewise, He assured us that He is always with us even until His physical return at the end of this age. Therefore, our instructions and mission is simple to go and do the same.

The question of course is how do we best perform this task? We may feel that a full time minister called to pastor a local congregation has an easier job of fulfilling this function than us who have to work a “real job” to support our livelihood. Or the full time missionary in Africa or India has a better opportunity than ourselves. The truth is we have our own small world where we make a influential difference for the kingdom of God. And it is in our personal world that we best fulfill our mission. We do not necessary have to switch careers or neighborhoods. We only have to open our eyes and ask our Lord to lead us to where the harvest is ready for labors.

We believe that the United States of America is in great need of missionary work. Though many people state a belief in God, how many lives truly have produced a transformed life that walking with God generates? As Americans, we may say we trust in God on our dollar bills, but our actions put more trust in our capitalistic and democratic system than a living God. Even the simple Truths of the Bible are misunderstood or disagreed among the majority of Christians. We have become a nation providing lip service to our Lord and a love service to our desires. We of all people on the planet earth should be most humbled and thankful for the blessing we receive for living in this great country. But are we?

Many of us grew up thinking that is was not our responsibility to make disciples of others. It was the “church” responsibility, not ours. Since then, many of us have repented and are awkwardly learning to express the love, life, and teachings of Jesus to anyone who has a moment to listen in need. Sooner or later, we all come to realize our need for a Savior, a Lord, a Teacher, and a Friend. Sooner or later, we all come to the place where we understand that the Answer is the living Jesus Christ. It’s only a question of time.

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 4

Our Gracious Dad, thank you for giving us Jesus, your Son. Thank you for giving us Jesus, the Word. Thank you for giving us Jesus, our Savior. Thank you for giving us Jesus, our Lord. Thank you for giving us Jesus, our Teacher. Thank you for giving us Jesus, our Friend.

It is in Jesus that you have come alive in our life. Through His life on earth, we have come to know more of what you are like. You have revealed yourself through Him. You have answered all of life’s important questions through Him. Help us always be ready with an answer when others ask. Help us always be a faithful ambassador of your Kingdom with others. Help us always point people to Christ so they may come to know you. You have given everything to Jesus. We thank you.

Help us to share all that we have come to know and learn with others. Help us to share you with others.  Let others also share you with us.  Thank you Jesus as we pray in your name. Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

 

How Does Preaching Effect Us?

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , , , , , , , , , , ,

preaching 1

Faith comes by hearing the Word. That is how God made it.  Preaching is a gift God bestows on certain people to expound the Word with more power than just plain teaching of the Word. Teaching explains the Word, but preaching personifies the Word.

To be preached up means that we have taken the Word to a personal level today. Personal means as it applies to us and not our neighbor, nor what we write in preparing a sermon or chapter in a book. Today means today. Not yesterday nor tomorrow, but today. Today, we have been filled with the Word till it is brimming over in our actions, thoughts, and deeds. Yesterday, we learned from life, and tomorrow we shall plan for life, but today we live life.

There are days when we only preach to our self. There are days when we listen to Christian music preaching His word in song. There are days when we walk with nature and just  listen to His creation. There are days when we are corrected by non-believers. There are days ministers of different denominations expound His word via the airwaves hammering home a specific truth that applies to us at that moment. And of course, there are days when just reading the Word in prayer that enlightens our mind and heart. But of all the ways, there is nothing like a good, old-fashion, Bible-believing, faith-building, spirit-filled sermon by a brother of the cross. There is something good about hearing God’s word from the mouth and heart of another believer. Maybe it just reassures that what is happening in us is not strange but happening in the lives of others. Or maybe, it just restores our faith in the universal church.  Either way, there are many ways to be preached up.

As a student of His we always want to be ready with an answer to those who ask. Sometimes we are not. There are moments when the words come out of our mouth that is proper for the time. Then there are times when nothing comes out. Even when we pray for a quick answer, nothing comes out. We hope and pray that the silence at that time is the answer. Like all His disciples, we want to be faithful stewards of His word. And in today’s highly, informational driven society, we need to be more effective than ever to expound His Word in a more personal and effective manner. It’s easier to preach the Word when we are preached up ourselves. When we are preached up, our cups are overflowing and we can’t help but preach the Word in season.  Lord, keep your Word coming!

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 21

Our Faithful Dad, thank you for your wonderful plan of salvation and allowing us to be a part of it. We also thank you for your Word, the Bible. We thank you for allowing us to come to understand its applications and Truths in our life. We thank you for Jesus, His life, His sacrifice, and His intervention in our life each and every moment. We also thank you Holy Spirit for being involved in our life each and every moment. You are one fascinating, heavenly Being.

Help us each day to focus on your teachings, principles, and Truths as it relates in our life. Let them be real to us. Let them be effective in our life. Let them come alive in everything we see, think, and do. Let your Word be a living example in our life.

Thank you Jesus as we pray in your name. Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God