“Our Daily Bread”      http://odb.org

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

     Written by bruce r. mills for “God’s group” @ www.Godsmanforever.com

“Disciple VS. Christian”

Luke 14:26-27…  “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”   (NKJV)

Jesus had much to say about who He would call His disciple…  The word disciple in the Bible means a devoted follower of Jesus Christ…  In this opening scripture, Jesus is not saying we have to hate our family members to be His disciple…  What Jesus means is that our love for Him must be so much stronger than our love for any family member, or we can’t be His disciple…  This goes along with God’s Word in…Exodus 20:3…

Exodus 20:3…  “You shall have no other gods before Me.”   (NKJV)

This means if there is anything or anyone in your life that is more important to you than God, then this is idolatry…  Nothing should be more important to you than God…not your spouse, your children, your job, or anything else…

Jesus goes on to tell us this in the opening scripture…²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”   Jesus wants us to forget about our own self-interests…and to desire what Jesus wants us to do instead…  We must remain humble under the mighty hand of God, in submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit that God has given to every one of His redeemed, “born again” children…  “Not My will but Your will be done.”   These were Jesus’ words for His Father in heaven, that we find in Matthew 26:39…Mark 14:36…&…Luke 22:42…  We should do our best as well to put God’s will ahead of our own will…

Luke 22:41-42…  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, ⁴² saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”  (NKJV)

We see Jesus tell us this, in…Luke 14:33…  “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”  (NKJV)

This does not mean we have to give up everything we own and give it to Jesus…  It means that we need to let go of what we want, to do what Jesus wills us to do…  There is a sacrifice we must make, in order to live a life pleasing to the Lord…  But once you have experienced the many blessings God wants for His obedient children, living a “Spirit-filled”, “Christ-centered” life becomes easier and easier as you live to please Christ with everything you say and do…

The Apostle John pens these words of Jesus in…John 8:31-32…  Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  (NKJV)

I believe the word abide here means that we are to read, study, digest, and apply God’s Word to the way we live our lives… We know we should be in the Word, hopefully, every day…  We know this because Jesus tells us this in…Matthew 4:4…&…Luke 4:4…

Luke 4:4… But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”  (NKJV)

Just like our bodies must be physically fed by eating food and drinking water…our spirit must be fed in order for us to grow in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord…

It’s one thing to read and study God’s Word…but are we doing what Jesus instructs us to do in God’s inerrant Word, the Bible ??  The Apostle James pens this, in…James 1:22, 25…    But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.  (NKJV)

The Word Christian is not found in the 4 gospels of Christ…  We don’t see it until Acts11:26, and then only in…Acts 26:26…&…1 Peter 4:16…

Acts 11:26…  And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.  (NKJV)

The question I have for you is this; have you been “born again” by God Himself, by God’s grace alone through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ ??  If you have, then you have been indwelt with the Holy Spirit that God gives every one of His redeemed children…  Don’t have the Holy Spirit living within you ??  Not sure you are saved by God Himself ??   The Apostle Paul tells us, that if you are filled with the Holy Spirit by God…His Spirit will tell your spirit that you ARE a child of God…

Romans 8:16…   The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  (NKJV)

There are many people calling themselves a Christian when sadly they have never been graced with salvation by God Himself…  They are a Christian in name only, not in the eyes of God… [See P.S. below for how to become a “born again” Christian]   And there are far more “born again” Christians, going to heaven when they breathe their last breath on earth…who are NOT disciples of Christ…

If God is not absolutely first and most important in your life, and you are a redeemed child of God…you are living your life without the Holy Spirit guiding and directing you…   If you are “born again” but not Spirit-filled, you are living in the sin of omission…James 4:17…  Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.  (NKJV)

My friend if this is you, you are missing out on all the development of the 9 fruit of the Spirit that the Apostle Paul pens, in…

Galatians 5:22-23…   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  (ESV)

Love, Joy, and peace, along with the other 6 fruit of the Spirit, have to be experienced to be believed…  What better time than now to either seek the Lord while He may still be found (if you are not yet saved by God’s grace)…  Or if you are not Spirit-filled (Ephesians 5:18-20), confess, repent and turn from your sins (1 John 1:9), and submit your life to the Lord…doing your best to live as one of His disciples…  God promises to bless His obedient children abundantly…

2 Corinthians 9:8…  And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  (NIV)

Blessings in Christ,  bruce

P.S.   When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

You say you are a “born again” believer…  “ BUT ”  is your soul “ON FIRE ” for the Lord ??  If not, open this link – https://godsmanforever.com/2020/08/01/are-you-a-christian-in-gods-eyes-and-on-fire-for-the-lord-or-not/

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