Being Disciples

Again I was reminded of what it is to be a disciple.

• It is reading God's Word and learning about Jesus and becoming more like Him. Acting on His teachings and not just reading about them or listening to them--but acting on them. This part is very important. I am in the training process. First I need to know what I will be teaching others  before I can go on and teach them.

• Making a Disciple is sharing what is learned so the other person can share to another.

• Obedience is another important aspect of being a disciple. Again part of obedience is acting and doing as the Lord commands.

• Obedience also means that we should be good stewards of our gifts and talents.

• There are some requirements other than obedience in being a disciple.
• Leave old dependencies and loyalties behind. We must be loyal to Christ.
• Acknowledge the cost of being a disciple before you begin.
• Luke 14:28:33-But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh at you! They would say, "There's the person who started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!" Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of ten thousand is strong enough to defeat the twenty thousand soldiers who are marching against him? If he is not able, then while the enemy is still far away, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace. So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me.
• Doing What Is Good For God instead of ourselves.

Abide in Christ
Love for God and Christ
Love for others
Evangelize and reproduce by adding people to God's family. Some plant, some water, God produces the crop

So the biggest thing that must be done is to read and study God's Word as this shows what our teacher wants us to know. Then we learn it and then we pass it on and then the next person learns it and passes it on. So this way one reaches one.

May we all strife to be disciples of Christ and win others over to Him.

Taking Things Apart

Today as I was reading my art magazine American Craft I came across a statement quoted by the artist Stephen Yusko, stating in part, "I love the idea of taking things apart and putting them back together in a different context..." I could relate to that very well.

I like to find things and then used them in a complete different setting then how I found them. For instance I made a paperweight by using an old watch and a bracelet.

 

Tile-Watch-Bracelet Paperweight

 

• I was thinking about how God takes our lives, all the messed up pieces we have collected along the way of  our living and puts together something beautiful if we let Him. I am so glad He does because sometimes we get many shattered pieces and need them shaped and put into the right places.

 

A Picture

I have a habit of not seeing things right away. One time my husband shaved off his beard and it took me awhile to discover it was gone. The same thing takes place with a picture in my hallway. It has been there now for about five years. I walk by it more than once every day but I don't see it. Then for some strange reason last evening I realized it was there.

It is a wonderful picture. It is made of dark wood and is varnished over so that it is very shining. Painted on it is the most life-like picture of Jesus I have ever seen. This picture was going to be thrown out and my husband rescued it.

I think sometimes in my life I forget about Jesus just as I do about the picture. I may go days without really studying or reading His word or hearing any messages about Him then He appears to me. Through a verse, song, or message. It is such a wonderful thing to be close to Jesus and know that He is right there with me all the time even though I don't see Him.

Prayer
Thank You Jesus for being with me at all time even when I don't seem to know that You are there and not paying attention to You as I should. I do love You not as much as You love me but I am working on it.

Think As A Child Thinks

Matthew 18:1-3 (KJV)
"At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

As I stopped at verse 3 I was thinking about how a child thinks . They trust, they love, and  they are very forgiving. And as I am a child of God this is the way that He wants me to think. To trust Him always, to love Him and others, and to be forgiving to all those around me and who have hurt me.

I don't know about you, but I find it hard to trust, love and forgive the way that I should. Those I should have been able to trust in my life growing up let me down. So because of this it is hard for me to trust God. But then I think that it is way different with Him for He will never hurt me. And I can give my trust to Him. Actually He is the only one I can give my trust too. He knows what is best for me. And because of this I can also love Him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Forgiving others is not that hard as I think about all God has to forgive me for.

So even though I am an adult it is all right for me to act like a child. At least in the areas of trusting, loving, and forgiving.

How about you? Are you acting like a child?

Faith and Trust

In my Sunday School class today we were asked if there was anything in our lives that we really had to trust God for. I stopped and thought through this question. Right now I have food in my cupboards, in my freezer and refrigerator, I have a home to sleep in and have more than enough clothes to wear. Both my husband and I are still working. So I can say as far as these things go God is providing.

At one time when my husband first had to retire we were running out of money in our savings account. But the Lord opened up a door for him to go to work for a cleaning company and now he works as an janitor cleaning a church and I work at a library.

We surly had to depend on God at that time. But we have it pretty easy right now. But God could take everything away and we would really have to depend on Him for our daily needs. I am so thankful and I thank God for what He has given us. I know if it was all taken away then He would provide us what we would need. It would be hard to trust Him but as I grow in my faith and understanding of who God is I know that it would be easier now than it would have been just a few years earlier.

Prayer
Thank you Father for providing all that we have. I pray now that those reading this post will be willing and make the choice to trust in You no matter what comes their way. It is easy to trust when things are going good, but it is a lot harder when things are not going as well.

I pray this in the name of Jesus.

Being Afraid

I like to be creative and sometimes what I am working on comes out good. I become afraid though that if I continue to do my creations that I will become proud of what I make. So I just usually try something once.

This for me is the wrong thought. The Lord has given me a desire to create things and He wants me to practice and get better at what I am working on. I need to remember that it is God working through me and giving me the ideas. If I continue to think this way I will not be prideful but grateful and thankful.

So don't be afraid of success and enjoy what you are doing.

 

One of my paperweights made with stained glass, painted rocks, placed on tile.

Answered Prayer

I had been struggling with a problem with a co-worker at work. No matter what I did it wasn't right. Also I was not even suppose to be in the office even though I had a desk and other projects to do other than the one I was suppose to do for my co-worker. I struggled to get along and kept telling her that when she had work for me to put it on my desk or in the area we agreed on so that I would know that she had it ready for me to do. Then I would do it. But it didn't work out that way. She became hostile and would not give me work.

So I kept praying about it and one evening I said to my Heavenly Father, "It's in your hands. I don't know how to fix this and You know it is stressing me out as I want to do the work that I was hired to do." At first I kept taking the problem back and still trying to figure it out myself. Then I finally said enough is enough and I truly gave it over to my Father.

The next day I went in to get my pay check and was asked by another co-worker if I would like to share the business office and have my work area on the large counter top.  I would have the title of be Assistant to the Youth Services Department Supervisor. I would work with my former boss as she needed help and I needed a change. So my Father answered my prayer far better than anything I could have done.

I am so thankful and praising Him for working on my behalf.

Have you ever had God working in your life and answering your prayers? If so and you want to make a comment there is a place below to do so. Tell others how God has worked in your life so He will get the praise and others will be encouraged to put their problems in His hands and leave it there also.