Discipleship

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To know the Word and to live by it, you will need to take daily time to read the Bible. To develop a habit of Bible reading, it is best to have a consistent time and place.

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Asking me to write about Fasting is like asking a dog to walk on two legs. The dog can do it, but he cannot do it very long nor can he do it very well. I am a person who does not like to skip a meal, who thinks a good buffet is a good way to worship God because He bestows us with blessings. At the same time, I value the importance of Fasting. Having practiced Fasting off and on for many years-sometimes even dreading to start it and thankful when it was over-I learned a few things I wish to impart to you...

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Developing your Walk with God

Being a disciple encompasses more than just asking Christ in our life and heart, and goes far beyond baptism or our church membership. Being a disciple goes further than our conversion, our acceptance of Christ as Savior, our election, or any initiation we could conceive of into the Christian life. Our initiation is by what Christ gave us and is only the beginning. The first step we take, that we receive by faith through His grace, is the entrance into the faith and Christian life. Accepting our election in Christ is not the only act of being a Christian! Yet,

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In the theme of 'taking up the cross', we see the call for radical discipleship, to fully engage and trust our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in all aspects of life and relationship, in all circumstances and endeavors. This involves and influences all that we are and all that we do. Thus, we must engage Christ as Lord without reservation or condition, further aligned by our gratitude...

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Apathy, in my opinion as a pastor and researcher, is becoming more and more rampant in the American church. At the same time, fewer and fewer people are discussing or admitting that this is a real problem. So, is apathy really a problem? Consider that Christians, as a whole, do not participate in regular Bible studies or small groups. They do not have mentors or people in their lives to encourage and spur them on. Fewer and fewer Christians are...

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Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.

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What are the actions that we think we can hide from God?

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What is Assurance? First, there is the assurance of salvation, which feeds into the assurance of hope that gives us trust, which in turn gives us our confidence, purpose, and motive for Christian living. This assurance is our certainty that we are saved because "God calls us;" we do not call on Him for our salvation. We receive it only as an act of undeserving grace that we cannot get on our own by merit or birthright. The Holy Spirit gives us testimony and empowers us; we are then to receive our faith and persevere in it.

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1. I'm OK because I am a good person.
2. I'm too big a sinner to be a Christian
3. Not now! I'm just not ready yet.
4. There is too much to give up.

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Remember we do not deserve His love and grace, yet it is given to us anyway.

Hypocrisy and judgmental attitudes cause some of the biggest problems in the Church, and spill over to others outside her walls whose concept of a Church is what they observe. These attitudes also cause severe danger to the growth and comfort of the Church. Comfort is in a place to call home, to feel safe, and be willing to be taught and led, and to serve. This is one of the main reasons, if not the main reason, that keeps people away! Effective spiritual growth, maturity, and outreach cannot happen when...