6 Marks of Discipleship – #4 Abide

If you missed the Intro post in this series, be sure to read it.  It will provide more context around this series.

Jesus gives 6 very clear statements about being one of His followers or disciples.  These are not requirements for salvation or forgiveness; rather they are conditions or evidences of being His disciple.

  • Mark of Discipleship #1 Hate
  • Mark of Discipleship #2  Suffer
  • Mark of Discipleship #3 Forsake

The first 3 Marks of Discipleship are seemingly negative – on the surface.  They are designed to help us shed the old self (Colossians 3:9) The last 3 have a much more positive bent and are meant to develop the new self (Colossians 3:10).  But the goal remains the same – to make us better Followers of Christ; to make us Disciples! Continue reading

6 Marks of Discipleship – #3 Forsake

If you missed the Intro post in this series, be sure to read it.  It will provide more context around this series.

Jesus gives 6 very clear statements about being one of His followers or disciples.  These are not requirements for salvation or forgiveness; rather they are conditions or evidences of being His disciple.

Mark of Discipleship #1 Hate
Mark of Discipleship #2  Suffer

Mark of Discipleship #3:

“So then, none of you can be My disciples who does not give up all his possessions.”  Luke 14:33

The Call from Christ is to first, Hate; then Suffer; and now Forsake!  Where do I sign up?  There has got to be monastery someplace with my name on it! Continue reading

Are You Listening?

Music Lessons

As I was jogging along the path, content to listen to my iPod, a biker suddenly passed me from behind and nearly scared me into the ditch.  I was listening but I was not hearing. I quickly pulled out my ear bud and I think I heard a slight giggle fading into the distance.  Life is so filled with noise that when we need to hear something, we often miss it.

How many times has this been true of us as Christians as well.  We petition and cry out to our Father and ask Him for help, encouragement, answers…we then walk away from our ‘closet time’ and only listen to the sounds of life: Continue reading

6 Marks of Discipleship – #2 Suffer

If you missed the first post in this series, be sure to read it.  It will provide more context around this series.

Jesus gives 6 very clear statements about being one of His followers or disciples.  These are not requirements for salvation or forgiveness; rather they are conditions or evidences of being His disciple.  The 1st Mark of Discipleship is Hate. Here is the second:

“And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”  Luke 14:27

Are you kidding me?  First I have to Hate and then I have to carry a cross – Suffer? This ‘following Jesus’ thing sounds more like torture! Before we jump to conclusions about what we presume Jesus is requiring of us, we need to go back in time.

When Jesus said these words, it was BEFORE His own crucifixion.  This was not understood by His audience as a foreshadow of His own death (even though it was).  It was understood to be a reference to the Continue reading

It Hurts When I Do This

This week’s discussion is Shaking off feelings of guilt. Bonnie Gray is hosting a blog-and-comment discussion on “keeping faith fresh.” When you have finished reading here, hop over to Faith Barista and join in on the jam session!

A man goes to see a doctor about a nagging pain in his shoulder.  As the doctor examines him, the man turns his arm in a certain way and says, “Doc, it hurts when I do this.”
The doctor says, “Then don’t do that!”

Pain is the body’s way of telling us that something is not right.  When pain is doing its job, it acts as a warning bell of something that needs our attention.  When pain is out of control, it serves only to distract and incapacitate.  That’s the thing about pain:  we all hate having it but we would be in a world of ‘hurt’ without it! Continue reading

Anniversary of Pain

Anniversary of Pain

The withered dreams of a lost tomorrow
Still haunt the dark of the night
Threads of memory replay each sorrow
Breathing life into squandered spite

If Time’s a Healer and mends the heart
Why do the winds still send rain?
Sights and sounds send a fiery dart
And make this an Anniversary of Pain

A new kind of normal describes every thought Continue reading

6 Marks of Discipleship – #1 Hate

If you missed the first post in this series, be sure to read it.  It will provide more context around this series.

Jesus gives 6 very clear statements about being one of His followers or disciples.  These are not requirements for salvation or forgiveness; rather they are conditions or evidences of being His disciple.  Here is the first:

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”  Luke 14:26

Is Jesus really asking us to hate as a condition for following Him?  This statement comes from the Man who said the greatest commandment is to love God and love our neighbor as our self. Matthew 22: 37-40 Contradiction?  Confusion? or Comparison?

Perhaps you have read this story…its worth reading again:

Pearl-Necklace

 

The Pearl Necklace

The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Continue reading

6 Marks of Discipleship – Intro

I understand Student or Protégé; Apprentice or Scholar; but Disciple? This is not a term we use very often outside of our comfortable religious circles.  But it is a common reference in our churches and we talk and write a lot about discipleship.  So what does it mean to be a disciple or for that matter, what does it mean to be a Christian?  Is it enough to say that you follow the teachings of Christ?  And if that is enough, what does it mean to “follow” Christ?

Following” neither describes activity or involvement!  One might say, “I am a Christian because I go to church.” Then when you go into the garage are you a car?  Continue reading

Playing in the Mud

This week’s discussion is How Does Faith Connect to your Happiness. Bonnie Gray is hosting a blog-and-comment discussion on “keeping faith fresh.” When you have finished reading here, hop over to Faith Barista and join in on the jam session!

It’s a childhood past time:  After a good down pour, go out and find a pile of mud; make slimy piles of gooey goodness; slippery castles of sloppy ooze – fun and happiness is had by all!  But as we grow older, the innocence of ‘mudplay’ gives way to another pursuit.

As adults, our search for happiness drives us to jump at the chance for self-indulgence and gratification.  We become satisfied with mere happiness when God has promised so much more – Joy! Continue reading

Rubber Band Man

RubberBand Ball

A rubber band is worthless until it is stretched.  As it turns out, so are we!

 

If life was always sunshine and roses, we’d already be in heaven – or Hawaii!  But the truth is, we all face the challenges of disappointment, regret and frustration.  It is because of these experiences that we develop an ability to be used by our Creator.  We’ve all heard the Potter and the clay analogy – and it is good!  But the truth is, I get tired of always being the clay!  I want simple problems and easy decisions.  Continue reading

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