Tag: disciple

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Colossians Devotionals

Hold on to Jesus

Cross

They don’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God. (Colossians 2:19)

“They don’t hold on to the head.”

Those words struck me this morning.

I want to hold on to Jesus.

I don’t hold on to Jesus by merely trying to keep a bunch of rules, as if I have somehow need to earn his acceptance. (20-23)

I am already accepted. My certificate of debt was canceled at the cross. (14)

I hold on to Jesus by reminding myself:

  • He is good
  • He already loves and accepts me.
  • He knows and desires my best.

And so with a heart filled with gratitude, I choose to live moment to moment, day to day, believing and following my Lord.

So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude. (Colossians 2:6-7)

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Acts Devotionals 2

A word to sustain the weary

Praying disciple

The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are instructed
to know how to sustain the weary with a word.

He awakens me each morning;
he awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed. (Isaiah 50:4)

I’ve been working on memorizing that verse the last few days, including just before reading today’s passage.

And as I read Acts 27 today, it struck me that Paul could have said those words.

God awakened his ears to listen as a disciple would. (Acts 27:23-24)

And he gave him the tongue of a disciple that could sustain the weary with a word. (Acts 27:25, 33-36)

That’s the kind of man I long to be.

Father, give me the ear of a disciple that hears your voice. And give me the tongue of a disciple that knows how to sustain the weary with a word.

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Matthew Devotionals

Disciple? Or just one of the crowd?

Sermon on the Mount

When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. (Matthew 5:1)

For some reason, I’ve always imagined that Jesus went up to the mountain to in order to preach to the crowd.

But actually, it seems he went to escape the crowds. Most times Jesus went up to the mountain, it was usually to pray.

If Matthew 5 and Luke 6 refer to the same event as some Bible scholars think, then that’s why he went this time too.

And after he finished praying, it wasn’t the crowd that came to him at first, though they would apparently come later (Matthew 7:28). It was his disciples.

The crowd had mostly come to Jesus for healing. (Matthew 4:24-25)

But the disciples came to learn from Jesus.

It made me think. “Why do I come to Jesus?”

Is it simply to get something from him? Help? Healing? Blessing?

Or is it to learn from him?

Am I just one of the crowd?

Or Jesus’ disciple?

I want to be a disciple, learning from my Lord.

I want to be like him. Pure in heart. Hungry and thirsty for righteousness. Gentle. A peacemaker. Light and salt to this world.

Not just having superficial righteousness, but true righteousness that comes from the heart.

Loving others as he does. Being perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect.

It made me think of a song I learned long ago, and it’s my prayer today.

Lord, I want to be your disciple,
an example, the way you were to me.

And as I see your humble perfection,
let me be a mirror of your heart.

I want to walk in the image of you,
like a child imitating what his Father would do.

A mirror of your heart. — Chris Christian

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John Devotionals

The mark of a disciple

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. (John 8:31)

Jesus’ words really spoke to me this morning.

One of the marks of a disciple is of course love (John 13:34-35).

But Jesus says here that another mark of a disciple is that we not only believe him, but continue in his word. That is, we continually open ourselves up to his word, receive it, and obey it.

Jesus said to the Jews in verse 37.

I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. (37)

The translation in the NET Bible is very interesting:

But you want to kill me, because my teaching makes no progress among you. (37, NET)

As I read that, I sensed God asking me, “Are you truly making room for my word in your life? Is my word making progress in your life?”

If we truly make a place for God’s word in our lives, it will transform us. It will change the way we think and the way we live. We will think and act like Jesus did. We will think and act like children of God.

And Jesus says that as we remain in his word, opening ourselves up to it, believing it, receiving it, and obeying it, his truth will set us free. (32)

How about you? Are you making room for God’s word in your life? Is it making progress in your life?

Father, how much is your word making progress in my life? Sometimes I wonder.

Help me to have a heart that is always receptive to you.

When I hear your word at church, when I read it at home, when people share your word with me, help me to hear it, receive it, and obey it, even when it’s hard. Even when it’s something I don’t want to hear.

Because I believe you are good. And I believe that in your word, I will find freedom and joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Acts Devotionals

The heart of a disciple

Usually when I read the story about Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, I focus mostly on Philip and how I want to be led by God’s Spirit the way Philip was.

But the Ethiopian’s heart really struck me today. He had the heart of a true disciple.

For one thing, he was teachable. He really wanted to learn. In today’s story, he was reading God’s word, but didn’t understand it. When Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you’re reading,” the Ethiopian could have tried to protect his pride and said, “Of course I do.”

But instead, he admitted his ignorance and asked for help.

In that way, he was very much like Jesus’ disciples. Many times, Jesus spoke in parables they didn’t understand, so they would come up to him later and say, “What did you mean? We don’t understand.”

How often do you do that? When you read something in the Bible you don’t understand, do you just shrug your shoulders and move on? Or do you ask for help? “What does this mean? I don’t understand.”

But a disciple doesn’t stop at just understanding. When he understands, he acts. And that’s what this Ethiopian did. When he understood the gospel and happened to see some water, he immediately asked, “Hey, why can’t I get baptized now?”

There was no hesitation in him. Instead, he quickly moved to obey.

Humility, teachablity, and a desire to obey. That’s the heart of a disciple.

How about you? Do you have the heart of a disciple?

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Acts Devotionals

Filled with joy

Acts

And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:52)

No matter how many times I remind myself, I often forget that the word “disciples” in the book of Acts is primarily referring to the “ordinary” Christian.

So when Luke talks about the disciples being filled with joy, Luke’s not talking about Paul and Barnabas. He’s talking about the brand new Christians that they had just shared the gospel with.

Why were they filled with joy? After all, their leaders had just been persecuted and kicked out of the city.

I think they were filled with joy for two reasons. 

First, they were rejoicing in their salvation.

For years, the Gentiles had been told they were outsiders. That they had to become Jews in order to be accepted by God.

But now they were told that they too were accepted by God through faith in Christ.

Not only that, they found out that before time began, they were loved and chosen by God. (Acts 13:48, Ephesians 1:4-6)

But I do think there was a second reason.

They saw how their leaders were treated and the trials they faced. And they saw their leaders still filled with God’s joy. 

How we respond to trials in our life will affect other people. 

If in the midst of our trials, we are rooted in the truth that God loves us and has chosen us, we will keep our joy. And people will notice. 

Our children will notice. Our friends will notice. Our coworkers will notice. 

For those who are Christians, they will take heart by looking at us. And for those who don’t know Jesus, it will start making them wonder what we have that gives us the ability to rejoice.

There are a lot of people in this world who are struggling to find joy. If they can’t see it in us, where will they find it? 

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Acts Devotionals

Christians? Disciples?

Acts

For a lot of Christians, when they hear the word “disciple”, they get the image of a “special Christian.”

Someone who is not a mere believer in Christ, but a Christian who is at a higher level.

It struck me today, though, as I read this chapter that the word “disciple” in Acts is not referring to the 12 disciples of Jesus.

The author Luke uses the word “apostles” to describe them. (See verse 2. Also see chapter 9 verses 26-27). 

On the other hand, he uses the word “disciple” to refer to all the Christians. Every single time you see that word, it’s referring to Christians both men and women (Acts 9:10, 36). 

In fact, when the word “Christian” was first invented, it was applied to…disciples. (Acts 11:26)

So every time you see “disciple” in Acts, don’t think, “12 disciples” or “special Christian.” 

Think, “Christian.”

But more importantly, start thinking of yourself as a disciple.

You don’t have to reach a certain level of Christian maturity to be considered a disciple. The moment you put your faith in Christ, you start your life as a disciple. 

And as his disciples, let us learn to remain in Jesus.

To live each day receiving of his love and his power.

To live each day in trusting, dependent, loving obedience.

To live each day following his leading.

And in doing these things, we will bear fruit for God, touching this world for him. (John 15:1-8)

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Psalms Devotionals

A disciple’s prayer

Psalms

Taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)

Lord, I have tasted your goodness. I want to taste more.

As I read your word, let me taste your goodness.

As I pray and I hear you speak to me, let me taste your goodness.

As I see you answer my prayers, let me taste your goodness.

When I’m depressed because I have fallen into sin yet again, let me taste your goodness, knowing the sweetness of your forgiveness.

When I go through struggles and trials in my life, when I am so totally aware of how weak and inadequate I am, let me taste your goodness. Especially as I come to understand that your grace is sufficient for me and that your power is made perfect in my weakness.

As I go out into this world and touch others, let others taste your goodness.

Let my family taste your goodness through me.

Let my friends, coworkers, and neighbors taste your goodness through me.

Let the people at church taste your goodness through me.

And as that happens, let me taste your goodness as I see you work in me, imperfect child of yours though I may be.

Each day, Lord, let me taste your goodness in some way.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Luke Luke 6 Mark Mark 3 Matthew Matthew 10

Called to be with him, called to go out

The gospels

In these passages, we see the increasing popularity of Jesus, and perhaps it was because of these increasingly great crowds and their needs that Jesus decided to choose 12 people as his trained disciples.

As a man, Jesus was limited to one place at one time. As a result, to minister more effectively, he needed people around him to share in his work.

It truly was a motley crew he chose.

You had fishermen, a former tax collector and collaborator of the Roman government, and a former zealot who was highly nationalistic.

You also had a variety of personalities. You had the brash and bold (Peter), the skeptical (Thomas and Nathanael), and the short-tempered (James and John).

They were all quite different people. But there were three things that Jesus wanted of them. It says in Mark 3:14-15,

He appointed twelve–designating them apostles–that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

First and foremost, Jesus wanted people that would be with him. People who would spend time with him, and to learn from him.

Jesus still desires that today. He desires that we share in his life. That we might know him. And that we might grow to be more like him.

Second, Jesus wanted people that would go out and share the message he had given them.

So often, people read their Bibles, and they grow in their relationship with God. But it’s not enough to just know the Word. God wants us to share that message with others so that they can share in what you have.

Third, Jesus wanted people who would fight spiritual warfare. You may or may not drive out demons from people as the disciples did, but you will have to fight the spiritual forces that are out there.

As Paul wrote,

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)

Jesus calls us to fight. Not against people, but against Satan and his spiritual forces that would blind people and doom them to eternal hell. He calls us to fight for the souls of men and women everywhere.

Every day, people are dying and going to hell. But God doesn’t want that. He wants us to go and fight that they may be saved.

That’s what it means to be a disciple of Christ. To be with Jesus. To go out and share the good news with others. And to engage in spiritual warfare.

How about you? As Christ’s disciple, are you doing these things?