True Discipleship

Living Stones For God's House 1st Peter 2:5 And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple.  What's more, you are God's holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ.

We Are Told That We Are Living Stones And Holy Priests
 
As in the scripture above we are told that we are living stones and holy priests all because of Christ.  As I thought about this the Holy Spirit reminded me that when Jesus walked the earth he hung out with twelve guys and showed them how it was to walk with the Lord.  If Jesus Christ is our prototype for who and what we are in Him, then I think we need to make sure to follow his example very closely.

If A Mature Christian Is Put In Their Path And Spends Time Walking With Them, This Will Result In Spiritual Growth And Spiritual Maturity
 
I have found in my personal walk with the Lord that as a living stone and a holy priest, when I pray and I yield to the Holy Spirit, he will always put me in the path of someone who is ready to learn how to be a living stone and a holy priest. These people are hungry and like sponges they desire to "Soak up! To know more!"  If a mature Christian is put in their path and spends time walking with them this will result in spiritual growth and spiritual maturity. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding will be transferred; they will be a sponge soaking up the living water that is inside of the Spirit filled Christian.  Isn't that what it's all about, true discipleship?  I believe as the church body trying to build his Kingdom we need to concentrate more on this truth.  This starts with us first focusing on becoming a mature true disciple of Jesus Christ ourselves, so we can disciple others.

True discipleing is not just getting one "saved" into eternal salvation; however, that is a good starting point.  It is about teaching and helping the person to learn "everything" after they accept Jesus as Lord.  It is actually showing, teaching and training them by example how to walk under the Lordship of Jesus by the Holy Spirit.  It is helping them find and walk in their gifts, calling and destiny in the body of Christ. It is bringing them to the place where they are able teach and disciple others.  True discipleing is done by the direct supervision of the Holy Spirit any other way is not true discipleship.  We don't need anymore man made religious training


Becoming A "True Disciple" Is Giving Up Your Life, It Is Giving Up Your Rights! 

Luke 14:33 So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me.  This is a fulltime commitment and a fulltime dedication, it has to be your "first" desire, or you will not succeed in being a true disciple.  This is a hard message!  I don't remember reading in the scriptures the "watered down messages" that I have heard in churches about what it means to be a true disciple.  We can only be on the "milk" for so long before we have to start to grow up into maturity in Christ. (true discipleship)
 
As a young Christian, I remember praying that God would send me someone to teach me to walk in this natural world as a Christian.  Yes it's fine to hear sermons, go to conferences and the such, I would even encourage it. Jesus himself spoke to the multitudes and they learned much; however, they did not learn as much as the twelve disciples did.  This is why I believe having a mature Christian who knows their identity in Christ, and they are operating in their spiritual gifts and calling, when they take the time to disciple others as they are led by the Holy Spirit, their is nothing better.

When The Holy Spirit Tells Us To Spend Our Time With Someone Who Is Ready And Willing To Grow In Christ, Do It! 
 The point is we as Christians are trying to become what the scriptures call "growing to the full stature of Christ."  I believe the best way to do that is by following the example of Jesus and taking the time to pray, hear and obey.  When the Holy Spirit tells us to spend our time with someone who is ready and willing to grow in Christ, do it!  Let's not make excuses or let other things in life get in the way, lets take the challenge and do it.  God will use us to help build his spiritual temple, by helping those who are hungry, but less mature in their faith.  If each one of us can help a Christian brother or sister grow into the man or women of God they are meant to be, then we will be following the example of Jesus.  This can be started in person, on the internet or however the Lord leads.  The scriptures say in Mat 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.