Becoming a Disciple

To develop a deep relationship with Jesus you must learn how to get to know Him better. Following Jesus makes you a disciple. A disciple spends time learning about Jesus and from Him, as a result, willingly follows Him. A disciple teaches others, passes on what he or she learns from and about Jesus. Study the Gospel of John chapters 2:11, 6:65-69, 8:31-32, 13:34-35, 14:15, 15:1-8, 17:20-21, 20:19-22, 21:15-19 and learn the characteristics of a disciple.

If you follow Jesus down the road of discipleship, He WILL make a mature disciple of you!

To mature as a disciple, you need to demonstrate simple faith and total trust in Jesus. You must be willing to become a 100 percent-sold-out disciple, letting Christ fully live in and through you. Do not fear what anyone else thinks because you choose to live as a follower of Jesus. He is with you. You will bring honor and glory to Him.  If you choose to follow Jesus it will cost you things like:

• Your selfish pleasures
• Ownership of your life
• Your goals and plans
• Your reputation and status in life

In exchange, Jesus gives you a life full of His benefits that you can't find anywhere else. His life will blossom in and through you. You will impact the world around you for Him. You will be His light in a dark place. You will make a difference because you ARE different.

Christ living His life in and through you makes you a disciple.

Ask God to continue to give you the desire to be His 100 percent-sold-out-follower. Ask Him to put to death in you, anything that keeps you from following Jesus. Ask Him to make you like Christ. Ask God to use you to help others become a disciple. Be patient. Persevere. Trust Him. if you mess up, get up, look up to Him and keep going.

Talking With God

Do you have any real close friends? I mean, someone you can tell anything to, someone who loves you no matter what, who isn't judgmental or critical of you, sticks by you in the good, bad and ugly times? Even one? If you can't name one and you are born again, you have one true friend.

GOD

Do you have a relationship with God? Is it a close, intimate one? It should be. That’s what He desires with you. God doesn't want to be some distant friend you rarely hang out with. He wants to be your very best friend, the kind of friend you want to cling to and always want in your life. However... you can't have a close relationship with God unless you spend time with Him talking with Him. Notice I said with Him not to Him. That's real communication.

Relationships develop through communication

To know him, to become His friend, for Him to become your close friend, it means you must communicate with each other. How can you develop that communication with God? I have learned a few simple things that work for me.

God reveals Himself through the Word of God, God's Book ... The Bible. Really, The Bible is all about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The more you read your Bible, the more you will know and understand God. 

You must spend time in God's Book.

I have found when I ask God a question, if I wait a bit, He will answer me. How? Most often He brings to remembrance a scripture I read in His Word that was hidden in my heart. Other times, I hear this real small voice speaking to me, I get a strong impression to do or don't do something or God simply answers one of my prayer requests.

Early in the day is best.

 Because I spend time with God at the beginning of my day, my mind is fresh and not yet consumed with everything I have to do. That's the best time to be with God. If that doesn't work for you, just make sure you spend time with God every day.

Have a definite place to be alone with God.

Whatever place you choose, whenever you pass that place, it will remind you that both physical and spiritual refreshment wait for you there because that's the place you are all alone with God. While you are alone, you have quiet time to also listen for His voice. Be patient. god is always speaking. We simply don't always listen or hear Him.

Anticipate meeting the One who loves you in a personal, intimate way.

It's your special time to be alone with God. He knows all about you. He doesn't care what you've done. You may have messed up some things. God knows and He still loves you. The reason you can come to Him when after you may have messed up and sinned is because of the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross for you.  "So, let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. there we will receive mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it." (Heb. 4:16 NLT)

Because of Jesus IN you... you can come before God, admit you messed up and sinned, find mercy, grace and forgiveness. God won't turn you away. Be open and honest with Him. He knows you anyway.

Speak, even sing out loud.

Hearing your own voice will help you keep your thoughts centered on Him. Praise Him. Thank Him. Tell Him how awesome He is. Thank Him in advance for answering your prayer. But... sometimes, God's answer may be NO, because He knows what's best for you. It's okay to be upset, too. Read the prayers of David in the Psalms. He got pretty emotional at times. I sing melodies to God I make up, praising Him, telling Him I love Him, need Him, thanking Him and more. It's just me and God together. Whatever you do, don't worry about making it complicated. Keep it simple.

Use a devotional prayer book to help you.

It's okay to pray prayers others have prayed. When I do, I simply say, "Lord... I pray this prayer for myself to you."  Devotional prayer books also help you to learn to pray, suggest way to pray, what to pray for. You can also pray God's Word back to Him. "Lord, may this Word be true for me" and then pray the Bible verses. I love using devotional by Andrew Murray, a great man of God now in heaven.

What I have suggested is very simple and certainly not an in-depth study on prayer or talking with God. Grab a few books on prayer. Read them. You can learn how to pray, talk to God, hear His voice, sense His presence, deepen your faith, have prayers answered and grow in your intimate love relationship with God when... you spend regular, daily time alone with Him! He is always excited to meet with you!