The words “disciple”/“disciples” are found 273 times in the Bible, all in the New Testament canon with the exception of 1 appearance in the Old Testament (Isaiah 8:16). “Disciple” is married to the word discipline. An un-disciplined life reveals a gross lack of respect and rooting in the Person, the Word, and the cause of Christ and is an un-fruitful life.
“And have NO ROOT in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.” Mark 4:17
“They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these HAVE NO ROOT, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” Luke 8:13
G3101
μαθητής
mathētēs
math-ay-tes’
From G3129; a learner, that is, pupil: – disciple.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
WHEN you seek God in prayer and His Word FIRST thing upon awaking, you declare that the LORD alone is “FIRST” place in your life (Matthew 6:33). Jesus says put Him “first” and those who don’t declare that He’s not “first”. Memorize Matthew 6:33 now.
“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. … When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” Psalms 27:4, 8
Anyone not in God’s Word daily is not in a relationship with the Savior. They consider the Son of God a second class citizen at best. He’s not their “first love” – first and highest priority (Revelation 2:4-5).
“When Jesus is your first love, you begin to desire Him and all His attributes! You are done with self and plead with Jesus to take all of you and crucify it. Your whole desire is to be comformed into the image of Christ. Romans 8:29. The cry of your heart is ‘more of Jesus, less of me.’ John 3:30.” Karen Cochran
IF God isn’t important enough to you to seek Him first daily in His Word and prayer, He’s not your “first love” and you are in need of repentance before it’s too late (Revelation 2:4-5).
“You’ll want nothing more when you want to follow the LORD.” Liza Young
ANY person who is not beginning his/her day seeking the face of Christ, is not putting God first. They still have the god of self first. Repentance needed – a re-turning to the LORD afresh! Then, watch His beautiful blessings flow into your life – so that no matter happens or comes your way, He’s LORD and Master over it all!
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?” Ezekiel 14:3
If you have just one idol in your life, that will damn your unrepentant wicked soul to hell irrevocably just exactly as a million idols will. Either you’ve truly repented and Jesus Christ is the MASTER of your life or you are as sure for hell as if you were already there. Any wolf posing as a pastor who isn’t preaching this to you is an agent of Satan. Repent, make Jesus your “FIRST love” for yourself and when you do, you will cease promoting and supporting Satan’s “ministers” and begin exposing them! (Revelation 2:4-5; 2 Corinthians 11:12-15; 2 John 7-11)
Those who pretend to serve God, those who read His Word and fellowship in prayer with Him only when they feel like it, when it’s convenient to their own self-serving, self-worshiping, self-idolatrous life, are backslidden and hell bound. Repent now, lay down your life and obey God. The fires of eternal damnation are going to forever feed upon your helpless, conscious soul if you don’t repent and return to Jesus as the “first love” of your life (Revelation 2:4-5).
God expects our obedience to Him (John 14:15). Obeying God proves we love Him (John 15:14).
“If ye love me, keep my commandments … He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” John 14:15, 21
Idols are not innocent. Any idolatry is soul-damning sin (Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8). There are demons behind idols (1 Corinthians 10:19-21).
“LORD, right this moment, I release everything and everyone that I might be holding onto tighter than You….I will have no other god before You dear LORD…You Jesus Alone Are My LORD And Savior”…” Marlene Austin
What do you speak about more than Jesus? Matthew 12:34
The Ephesian church had good works and discernment for which Jesus complimented them. Yet, they’d left their “first love” or waned in their love for Christ!
“I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:2-5
OUR words reveal what’s in our hearts.
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matthew 12:34
The subject of our words reveals the affection of our hearts.
Any person who is overly proud of or who is trusting their church, pastor, favorite minister, or religious curiculum is not following Christ.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24
Those who trust their church or pastor or religious experience instead of Christ, such a person has denied Christ.
This means that such a person is an antichrist – which means they’ve put something else, anything else before Christ, “in place of” Christ.
ANYTHING, ANYONE that one puts before God is an idol. Anything a person refuses to give up for Christ, is an idol. And all idolaters are going to hell according the Holy Scriptures.
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;” Exodus 20:3-5
To say you know and love God and yet, you still feel the need to cling to your church, your religion, reveals that you are not yet born again, which Jesus says is a must to enter His kingdom.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. … Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3:3, 7 | Born Again? What Does That Mean
In eternity, do you want to be glad you sought the LORD during your days on earth or regret in remorse that you refused to?
Jesus told us that if we put our own parents, spouse, or anyone else before Him, we are not worthy of Him, of His eternal kingdom.
SO many today will talk about their “church,” their pastor, or favorite minister – but not JESUS! Their wolf handlers are indoctrinating and using them as their sales agents! Spiritual adultery. Idolatry.
Who are you confessing?
“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8-9
Will those who cling to mere men, leaders, traditions, or religion be saved? Whatever one refuses to give up for Christ is an idol. Damnation draws nigh.
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26
In the eyes of a holy God, an idol is an idol. It matters not what that idol is – the idol being something someone loves more than the Savior. Christ requires that He alone be the “first love” of all who are His (Revelation 2:4-5).
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33
God will not share the spotlight with anything or anyone.
“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” Isaiah 42:8
His name is Jealous.
“For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” Exodus 34:14
Beloved, we must revel in, rejoice in, and magnify the LORD Jesus Christ. His apostle Paul said:
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14
A lot of people are caught up with their “church” but not with Christ! (Revelation 2:4-5)
Of the religionists of His day, Jesus cited them as loving their religion, their traditions, more than Him.
“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment (Word) of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” Mark 7:6-9
To attempt to share Jesus and religion, clinging to religion, is to commit spiritual adultery, to be an idolater, having other gods before the LORD. This is no different than a married person having another lover on the side. Absolutely adultery, worthy of eternal damnation (1 Corinthians 6:9; Revelation 21:8, etc.).
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14
To refuse to relinquish, to give up your religion for Christ is to deny Christ and be outside of His kingdom.
In comparison to loving God, our love for others must be like hate. Jesus must be the very “first love” of our lives, above all others (Revelation 2:4-5; Matthew 22:37-39).
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4-5
Jesus Christ plus nothing equals eternal life – and to refuse to give up your religion for Christ means you simply have not repented and been saved. You are not washed in His blood and in need of repentance and believing upon Him fully. It’s all or nothing with Christ.
“He that is not with me is against me;” Matthew 12:30
Loving God first, then all others ….
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40
If your life is all about yourself, that’s exactly why you’re so unfulfilled, empty, and miserable. Doing things God’s way is always the way, the only way to have His blessing on our lives.
The LORD saved us and left us here to love, worship, and obey Him… and to serve others – not ourselves. Today is your day to repent afresh, to do business with the Lord, to get out of your own world and into the lives of others, spending your energy and resources to fortify them in god’s love and truth. Read Philippians 2 each morning this week and follow Jesus.
LOVE is the governing factor:
“And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, FOR THE LOVE HE HAD TO HER.” Genesis 29:20
Jacob didn’t mind serving a whole 7 years for Rachel, because he loved her so much. The true disciple doesn’t view serving God as drudgery – because he loves God supremely!
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3
If your view of serving God is drudgery, you are deceived and in need of getting into His Word.
If we love Jesus, obeying Him is joy, just as it was for Jacob as he served a whole 7 years to obtain a lifelong marital relationship with his beloved Rachel (Genesis 29:20).
Disciple of Jesus, read this brief passage of Holy Scripture below and see if God doesn’t recalibrate you toward the mind of Christ ….
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5
Personally, I don’t like leaving home without pouring over and even praying aloud this passage. Something refreshing, something of God, something bless-ed occurs without fail when I do.
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“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18
The Down and Up Principle of God’s Kingdom
“And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root DOWNWARD, and bear fruit UPWARD.” Isaiah 37:31
The Scriptures follow a pattern of death and resurrection, a downward death and upward life. See if you can observe such a truth in the following verses:
“The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth UP all those that be bowed DOWN.” Psalms 145:14
Do you possess the blessed desire to be raised up by the Almighty? According to His divine wisdom given us in His precious Precepts, in order to be “raised up” we must first be “bowed down.” The LORD will not raise up any person who is still alive in his own power – He only raises up “those that be bowed down” in sincere humility before His majesty (Ps. 145:14; Jn. 12:23-25; Rom. 8:11).
“Those that be bowed down” will “take root downward” and be raised up in blessed fruitfulness (Isa. 37:31).
In order to “bear fruit upward,” one must first be planted in the house (kingdom) of the LORD and “take root downward” in the rich soil of His truth. The resurrection life of Jesus and ample fruitfulness will be the result.
Going deeper in God necessitates going down deeper into death and burial with Christ! Read Romans 6. There are no shortcuts (Galatians 5:24). Christ’s kingdom is a cross economy – one of utter humility and death to self that He might reign (John 12:23-25; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.).
“And whosoever shall exalt himself (upward) shall be abased (humbled); and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Matthew 23:12
“He must INCREASE, but I must DECREASE.” John 3:30
“And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat FALL INTO THE GROUND (downward) and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (upward). He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life (downward) in this world shall keep it unto life eternal (upward).” John 12:23-25
“Humble yourselves (downward heart posture) in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:10
The life of Christ will raise a man upward and this is after that man bows down his life or humbles himself under the mighty hand of God – first at initial salvation then in the consecrated life that brings God glory. Blessed resurrection life is the upward result of the life planted downward and this is the place from which ministry springs. Look at what the apostle Paul wrote in this regard:
“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12
Jesus declared to us that He came to make captives free from sin and Satan – “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (Lk. 4:18; Jn. 8:31-32, 36).There is chain-shattering, freeing power (liberty) in the redeeming blood of Christ and by the power of the Holy Ghost (Lk. 4:18; Jn. 8:36; Acts 26:18; Col. 1:12-14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 12:11). The divine promise is that when one bows down before the LORD, every yoke shall be broken by Him who is above all (Isa. 58). No stronghold or bond of Satan has power when Christ’s blood is applied in sincere repentance and by the power of the Holy Ghost! The saint who is raised up after being bowed down, will glorify God in rich fruitfulness being “changed into the same image (Christ’s) from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
It is the divine Person of the Holy Ghost who raised up the LORD who was bowed down before His Father in death in order to purchase His Church with His own sinless blood (Acts 20:28). In like manner, it is the Holy Spirit with His resurrection power who raises up those who be bowed down before His throne of grace.
“And he (Jesus) was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God… And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.” Luke 13:10-13, 16-17
There can be no resurrection until there is first a death. A seed is dead or dormant then is planted and then germinates and brings forth bud, then a stalk and ultimately fruit – but first it must be buried downward in order to bear life-giving fruit upward. The life buried with Christ will be lifted up by divine power and bear much fruit to God’s glory (Jn. 15:8).
“But if the Spirit of him that raised UP Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised UP Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make alive upward) your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:11
Our LORD had to first die and be buried “downward” in order to be raised “upward” by the Father in resurrection life to raise up and justify all those who would call upon Him in repentance (Rom. 1:4; 8:11; 10:13). In order for fruit to be borne “upward,” the disciple must first be planted “downward” in “the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Isa. 37:31; Phil. 3:10).
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Romans 6:3-5
“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12
He created man with a choice (Josh. 24:15). In the end there will be “the resurrection of life” and also “the resurrection of damnation” (Jn. 5:28-29). Each of us will be in one of these resurrections – either everlasting life or eternal death (conscience separation from God in hell). The entrance into Heaven or termination into hell will hinge upon whom we served – God or self (Rom. 6:16).
Real promotion comes only from the Giver and Sustainer of all life – from the north (Heaven).
“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Psalms 75:6-7
That person who freely chooses to believe God, taking Christ at His Word, bowing under His infinite Majestic glory, will be raised up both now and forever and eternally glorified with the Alpha and Omega (Phil. 2:5-11; 2 Thess. 2:13-14).
“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” Psalms 92:12-14
PRAYER: Please draw me deeper into You LORD Jesus. Father in Heaven, You sent Your only begotten Son to die for me in order that I might be raised up in new life in this brief life and eternally. I love You Jesus and ask You to lead me to that crucified life that you lived when here on earth and as You gave Your life blood on the cross to save Your people. Please quicken me by Your Holy Spirit and fill me afresh O LORD, that this life You gave might be fully one with You and fruitful and pleasing to Thee. Lord, I am watching and praying in light of Your soon return. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
If you truly desire to know more about how to really know the LORD, go here okay: Born Again: What is It?
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