Tag Archive | disciples

Belief or Faith?

Jul7

But someone (will) may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
James 2:18 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.2.18.NASB1995

Are you content being a believer? You said the prayer. You got baptized. Then . . . No fruit. No obedience. No spiritual growth.

Jesus said, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Luke 6:46 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.6.46.NASB1995

Faith is more than believing. Faith is living. Living for Jesus . . .

In obedience to His word.

What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
Matthew 10:27 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.10.27.NASB1995

Growing, nourishing your spirit.

but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3:18a NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/2pe.3.18.NASB1995

Bearing fruit.

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
John 15:8 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.15.8.NASB1995

Faith is being all in, sold out to the Lord.

“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 10:32, 38-39 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.10.32-39.NASB1995

No act of worthiness means anything, but only faith through the Spirit in us working through love.
Galatians 5:5-6 NASB1995

Belief is not enough.

🌹You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
James 2:19 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.2.19.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

1. Journey to The Cross

Apr1

The Lord’s Supper with His Disciples

Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end (to the uttermost or eternally) .
John 13:1 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.13.1.NASB1995

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, *got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
John 13:3-4 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.13.3-4.NASB1995

Jesus graciously picks up a towel and washes His disciples feet. What a demonstration of love, compassion and a wonderful act of service. He knows what He is about to face yet takes time to draw the disciples to unify together for each others good. Wash each others feet. (John 13:14) Look out for one another. Be humble before one another. They were going to need one another because…

🌹And Jesus *answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
John 12:23 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.12.23.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

True Freedom

Oct24

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
John 8:31 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.8.31.NASB1995

Jesus said, “If you continue in My word” . . .
Jesus is the Word . . .
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.1.14.NASB1995

Jesus said, “then you are truly disciples of mine” . . .
the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
2 John 1:9b NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/2jn.1.9.NASB1995

and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
John 8:32 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.8.32.NASB1995

Jesus is the Truth . . .
Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
John 14:6 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.14.6.NASB1995

🌹So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:36 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.8.36.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

The Harvest

Jan31

Then He (Jesus) *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Matthew‬ ‭9:37‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.9.37.NASB1995

This just breaks my heart. 💔
Does it yours?

🌹Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Disciples

Oct11

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;
that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
John 17:20‭-‬21 NASB

Jesus praying for His disciples then and now. Jesus was also praying for every new disciple who comes by our sharing the gospel, that we all may be one. One as the body of Christ, even as Jesus and the Father are one. And the glorious privilege of being in them for the purpose of the world believing the Father sent Jesus for the salvation of humanity.

🌹What a wonderful privilege to be a part of God’s redemptive plan. Who is hearing from your spoken words God’s salvation?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Disciple

Jan25

When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
Acts 1:13 NASB

After the ascension of Jesus into heaven the disciples gathered together, not unlike gathering after a celebration of life (funeral). Do you wonder what they spoke of? I bet it was Jesus. All that they had experienced, seen and known of Jesus, the Son of God over the past 3 years.

🌹 Are you or have you experienced God in your life? If you have, do you speak of Him? Do others know Him because of you?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Will You Go?

Nov16

Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'” John 20:17 NASB

Jesus sent Mary Magdalene to tell His disciples that He was ascending to His Father, His God who is also their Father and their God. Mary was sent for a purpose. Could it be that God wanted to prepare the disciples so that they would be ready to believe and respond when Jesus appeared before them?

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:21-22 NASB

What a wonderful encounter the disciples had with Jesus. Not only did they get to see His resurrected body but received the promised Holy Spirit. Remember that the Holy Spirit came because Jesus went to the Father. Jesus sent these disciples in different directions under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had to return to the Father so the Spirit of God could go and work through many disciples in many places at the same time.

If you are a born again disciple of Christ than you possess the power of the Holy Spirit in you just as the disciples had. What is God’s purpose for His disciples?

As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. John 17:18 NASB

Jesus has sent us into the world just as the Father sent Him. Jesus came to bring reconciliation between man and God. Jesus now sends us to reconcile man to God.

🌹 Will you go?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Read And Listen

Nov5

“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.                   John 14:25‭-‬26 NASB

Here is Jesus speaking to His disciples while abiding with them, teaching, assuring, leading. But Jesus was about to be crucified so He would no longer be abiding with them. But out of His great love and purpose the Father would not desert them. He sent the Holy Spirit to abide in them.

Jesus spoke the word to the disciples. Disciples today have those words in the Bible. As the disciples had to walk and listen to Jesus, we have to walk with God and listen when we read the Bible. Ever wonder why you don’t hear God? Are you reading His word?

And the greatest part of reading and listening to God’s word is that when we need discernment, or to share the gospel the Holy Spirit will bring it to mind what to say because He abides in us. Hallelujah!!!

🌹 Read and listen. Trust and obey. God will use you.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Fruitful or Dried Up

Nov4

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.            John 15:1‭-‬2 NASB

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:4‭-‬5 NASB

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.            John 15:6 NASB

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:8 NASB

🌹 Are you abiding in Christ, the vine, being nourished by the vinedresser, the Father’s word, being transformed by His pruning, producing fruit in the power of the Holy Spirit

OR

Are you a dried up branch, void of the movement of God because you do not abide in Jesus, the vine, only to be gathered and used for the fire?

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.           John 15:11 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Disciple

Sep14

And they spent a long time with the disciples. Acts 14:28 NASB

From the moment we are born we begin to learn. Learn to eat, walk, talk, etc.

Disciple: A student, learner.

Within 2 years of a child’s life, he learns all the basics that over time are fine tuned. Christians are the same way. For years we have prayed, hoped, and got excited about people coming to know the Lord Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Many have come to that decision and yet our churches are dwindling in numbers. Why?

Could it be that we have left these Christian babies to fend for themselves? We introduce them to the Savior and then expect them to survive in a hostile world with satan who seeks to devour them. They need instruction. They need to be mentored by a mature Christian who can show them the ropes.

Discipling someone is taking the time (long time) to mentor them in how to seek the Lord, teaching them the spiritual disciplines, encouraging them in their walk, listening, answering their questions, being their friend. It costs to disciple. It cost Jesus His life so that we may be discipled by the Holy Spirit. He discipled 12 who could carry on.

🌹Can we disciple one? Is there someone in your life you could disciple? Would you pray for someone that you could disciple? The answer may not come right away, but God has someone for you to disciple or He would not have commanded us to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon