Love each other deeply with all your heart. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable , and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Get them plugged into a church with good teaching.
Encourage and help them to get involved in a small group church small group, Sunday School class, bible study, etc.
Introduce them to other Christians who will sharpen them. They are going to need further teaching and guidance in addition to their individual learning that we discussed last week.
Other people can and will play roles in the discipleship process as well. Often God will use several people to contribute to the life change and growth of those who follow him. Paul mentions being to one to plant seeds while Apollos watered them. However, overall is it God who facilitates the growth. We just collaborate with God in the process.
If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.
Three are even better , for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. For where two or three gather together as my followers , I am there among them. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. Just as Jesus corrected people, you too will need to correct others when they are straying off course, committing offenses, or are misled wandering from the truth, listening to or falling prey to false teaching, etc.
Additionally, just as Jesus did, you will need to correct in the right way, speaking the truth in love and with tact, gentleness, and good intention. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. In fact, at the time it is always painful.
But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Encourage anyone who feels left out, help all who are weak, and be patient with everyone. After that, have nothing more to do with them. As stated previously, Jesus was first and foremost a servant and was an advocate of outreach.
Jesus calls all of his disciples to do the same. Therefore, in discipleship we should show hospitality, participate in outreach, and serve those we are discipling. Additionally, we should encourage them to get involved in serving and outreach as well.
Use them well to serve one another. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather , serve one another humbly in love. Be humble , thinking of others as better than yourselves. The Catholic Church is a global church, family oriented, and a home for all searching for peace, faith, forgiveness, and mercy through Jesus.
Eastern Orthodox Church. If you're interested in traditional and historical ties to Christ, the Orthodox church is conservative and serious. The Eastern Orthodox Church maintains apostolic succession, valid sacraments, and great communities for genuine devotion to Christ. Fellowship with other followers. Try attending a few different churches and talk to the members you meet.
One of the most important aspects of following Jesus and developing a personal relationship is in sharing beliefs and relationships with others. Finding a community of like-minded believers can be a comfort to followers of Jesus, giving a sense of community, family, and tradition. Don't be afraid to visit lots of churches.
Feel it out. Find out if the ministers or preachers have open office-hours during which you might visit and discuss your desire for community. Ask for assistance. Churches are generally thrilled to gather new members.
Talk to other members and church staff about the process of joining the church, once you've decided on one you like. Typically, you might need to attend a short class and complete a baptism. Get baptized. Depending on which church you end up wanting to join, your membership will likely be symbolized with a public baptism.
The process itself is relatively simple--the pastor may immerse you or in some denominations sprinkle your head. Baptism symbolizes a new life and being baptized as Jesus himself was, has significance in following Jesus, which is huge for Christians. This can be a powerful and moving commitment of your life to Jesus. If you want to follow Jesus, baptism is an important step in that journey. Be more than a member of your church.
Now you've signed up, gotten baptized, and are a card-carrying member of a church. This is an achievement, but your life in Christ has only just begun. It's good to go to church twice a week, say your bedtime prayers, and read your Bible. But, following Jesus is a full life that no amount of routine can define. Only you can develop a personal relationship and a personal following of Jesus. Spend time in deep contemplation of His teachings.
Read widely and variously. Spread the word. Live the challenge of your new life in Christ and let your mind be transformed. Part 3. Learn about the Biblical Jesus. In the Bible, the story of Jesus appears in the four gospels -- the books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John -- which all tell the story of Jesus with somewhat different ordering and content. He was baptized in the river Jordan by the Baptist St.
John, after which He became more than a prophet of God and a leader of men. He was crucified at Golgotha, laid in a tomb, and reborn after three days to ascend to Heaven. Christians believe Christ paid for the sins of humanity, that we may be saved by believing in His provision. The Baptism is important because it marks Christ's public beginnings as a prophet and a teacher.
The Transfiguration refers one of Christ's major miracles, in which His followers observe Him radiate holy light on the top of the Mountain of Transfiguration, after which Moses, Elijah, and God communicate with Him.
The Crucifixion refers to the arrest, torment, and execution of Christ. He was arrested in Gethsemane, charged with blasphemy, crowned with thorns, beaten, and nailed by the hands and feet to a wooden cross, His side pierced with a spear, and He died. Christians believe His crucifixion was voluntary or at least a willing laying down of His life on behalf of humanity, of the entire Earth, not for one nation or people. The crucifixion appears in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John The Resurrection refers to the rising of Christ from His tomb, three days after having been laid to rest.
He appeared over a period of 40 days to His followers, during which His body was no longer subject to the laws of nature.
The Ascension refers to an event in which Jesus called His disciples to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, spoke to them, and ascended into Heaven, promising to return and restore the Kingdom of Heaven. The event is recorded in Mark 16 and Luke 24, as well as in Acts 1, and the first book of Timothy chapter 3. Learn what Jesus taught. During His life, Jesus traveled and ministered to crowds of thousands and to individuals, and His teachings are found in the Biblical Gospels and in some other books of the Bible.
His teachings mostly appear in the forms of parables and stories, which are often cryptic, poetic, complex, and beautiful. The book of the Bible in which Jesus speaks and teaches the most is Matthew. Some of the most important teachings of Jesus include: The Sermon on the Mount , which appears in Matthew This contains the Lord's Prayer and the Beatitudes, which feature prominently in Christian discipleship in terms of theology and belief. If you want to know what Jesus and His followers believed, this is an important chapter to read.
Be Baptized with Holy Spirit: Acts "Gathering them together, Jesus commanded them to wait at Jerusalem, until they receive what the Father had promised, " 'Which,' He said, 'you [have] heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. This describes Christ's expectations of the behavior of His disciples, instructing them in their behavior and worship.
It's a very important chapter to read to learn how to be a good follower of Christ. The Parables , which appear periodically throughout all the Canonical Gospels, specifically in Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke , and John These are deceptively-simple stories told by Jesus, featuring complex metaphors, and dealing with a variety of a topics. These record Christ's address to His disciples the night before His death, following the Last Supper. It's one of the most moving and powerful series of passages in the Bible.
He promised to abide with you always, John "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of Truth and receive The Holy Spirit , whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you This is a prophecy told by Christ, in which he predicts the end times, times of great tribulation, and describes His return. Interpretations of the prophecy vary widely.
Learn about the historical Jesus. Jesus, a leader of men with humble beginnings, appears not only in the Christian Bible, but in other historical records and religious traditions. Roman historians Josephus and Tacitus made record of His existence in the early Christians, disciples who formed and taught shortly after His death. Josephus wrote that Jesus was a "wise man" and a "learned teacher," and both recorded His execution as a major historical event.
Christ appears in other religious traditions as well. Islam claims Jesus as another in the line of prophets to Mohammed, while practitioners of Hinduism place Jesus comfortably as one of the avatar incarnations of Vishnu, depending on the specific tradition in practice. Bring Christ into your world. One of the most difficult things about understanding the teachings of Jesus is trying to understand the ancient world described in the Bible.
Somewhere in all the "thous" and "thees," the message can get a little muddied. This makes it important to try to place Jesus in your world, imagining what he would have to say about your life and the world at large.
Jesus has a lot to say about how the world could and should be, addressing greed, charity, and--above all--love. Perhaps more than any other figure throughout history, the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth have been misquoted, misinterpreted, and misrepresented. If you want to follow Jesus and allow this devotion to reshape your life in the image of Christ, you need to learn about Him in the Bible, not on cable news specials, street tracts, or the sermons of a preacher.
Go to the source. Study His words. Struggle with them. Bring them into your life. The Christian Bible, taken by most Christians to be the "Word of God," is a document with a fascinating and a storied history worth studying. It didn't appear out of thin air in 20th Century American English. The more you read in previous translations, the closer you may be to the real messages of Christ in the Bible. Be careful whose revision interpretation you accept and believe. Interpreters [bold] word choices can change the sense, feel, and impact of crucial texts and make a text seem more casual.
Are these new, subjective interpretations, with shades of meaning, when you want trusted, objective translations? Scriptures tell us of Jesus who said "I am the truth, the life, the way.
Develop a personal relationship with Christ in prayer. If you're just starting to learn about Jesus and want to deepen your understanding and your relationship, start praying. There's no right way to do it: you don't need to do it out loud, but you can if it feels right to you. You could look into getting a Christian prayer book if you like formal prayers, but explore meditating and reaching out to Jesus to see how it feels.
Confide, communicate, and question. Part 4. Teach others about Jesus, when you're ready. When you feel more confident and learned in your beliefs, share it with others. Don't hide your belief, but wear it as a badge. If others are unwilling to listen or learn, don't thrust your belief onto them. Too many arguments occur as a result of an unwillingness to listen. You don't have to convince someone that you're right, or that they're long.
Talk about your relationship with Jesus, and what you've learned from your studies. That's the best you can do, and the most honest approach. Volunteer your time and resources to the church. Churches can only exist and flourish with small donations from the attendees.
Try to share a bit with your church, and donate some time to help it be successful. Having a personal relationship with God starts with hearing the Word of God.
If you have access to a Bible, read it and learn more about Him. Bible journaling offers a unique way to enjoy the Bible. With a Bible journal you can write down notes as you study scripture, jot down prayers, and share your thoughts in the margins. You can also record everyday things that happen, and how something you read lifted your spirits.
Make the decision to bring God into all aspects of your life. Think of God as the best Father you could ever have. One who cares about you and wants to spend time with you. To follow Jesus, you need to trust God with all your heart. In difficult circumstances, you can ask for alternatives! Jesus did Luke ! As Christians, we need to consciously surrender to his plans and expectations for us, laying aside our own desires for His.
You take the steps that God has put on your heart, but leave the outcome up to Him. Even during hard times, when many often turn on God because we lose hope, we need to trust Him. God always knows best. Maybe you recently lost your job and are struggling. Even in these incredibly difficult situations we all have a lot to be thankful for. While it can be hard to avoid temptation and sin, you need to do your best if you want to live a whole Christian life.
Relying on the Holy Spirit means trusting Him. The Holy Spirit is always powerful, present, and advocating for us. One of the best ways to build a relationship with the Holy Spirit is to become more aware of Him. Form a community that does life together.
In a world full of disappointment, hate, and anger, Christians are supposed to be the light Matthew Sometimes we do a really great job at it, but other times we need a gentle reminder. As he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly; that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. There is one giveaway for Facebook friends and one giveaway for YouTube friends.
You can enter both giveaways! Giveaway ends on May 9, As a member of our VIP list you'll receive freebies at least every month. You'll also receive the latest Bible journaling news, updates, and tutorials! Much more because of the journaling of Scriptures, deeper meanings of the Truths in context. Thank you again. I have completed Both Facebook and YouTube.
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Because, by definition, a single person cannot love themselves since love requires a giver and recipient, a lover and a beloved. In other words, an object and a subject. This is accomplished in our relationship with Him, not with our inner self.
But it is a counterfeit version of true love, of what He has in store for us when we submit to Him. This counterfeit mantra is popular in our churches today, but it is contrary to Scripture.
I am sure you will find many other blogs and websites to reinforce this notion, which is not new, but rather, is yet more infiltration by the enemy into the church, this time via Eastern mysticism. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves in the sense of treating them how we want to be treated.
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