FAITHFULWORD.ORG | TEACHINGS

Luke 14:26; I Corinthians 15:31; [I Corinthians 9:22]; Luke 14:27, 28, 33-35; [Matthew 5:14]; II Timothy 1:1-7; Acts 15:22-27

In Luke 14, we read Jesus Christ ’s teaching to his disciples about commitment. He says “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.” Hate is a rather emphatic word and is used as the figure of speech hyperbole. It refers to the priority of the heart. What Jesus was saying that if any man comes to him and does not change his priorities of what he loves the most, he cannot be his disciple. Being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ requires death to self. In I Corinthians 15:31, Paul writes of himself, “I die daily.” He did not physically die, but he put the things of God, serving at the Master’s good pleasure, ahead of his own wants. He was a disciplined one. Being a disciple requires a priority of heart, acknowledging that God’s plan and the things of God are of utmost importance.

A disciple is one by choice. No one can talk us into being a disciple. It is generated from a person’s heart. Each person must choose to see God’s business, the harvest and the need of others. Especially in times when people are concerned with self-preservation, they can lose sight of this great truth. When problems arise, we must, of course, take care of our personal business so we can get on with the Lord’s business, but we must make sure the Father’s goals are our own goals.

There is a cost to being a disciple. Jesus speaks of a king going to war and counting the cost of what it will take the defeat the enemy. Being a true follower of the Lord Jesus takes a commitment of heart and is a life-long process. But the benefits are phenomenal.

The work of the Lord is ever before us and is there to do daily. Paul gave great encouragement to Timothy during some negative circumstances. The people had turned from the Word unto fables, they had rejected the Word, which meant they rejected God, Paul was getting ready to die and Timothy was about to take upon himself the care of all the churches. Paul reminded Timothy that God had not given him the spirit of fear (cowardice), but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. Sound minds are the result of sound thoughts, which in turn are the result of sound doctrine, which is God’s Word. Cowardice is the opposite of courage and leads to fear and indecision. It is apathy, whereas Godly courage leads to unshakeable faith and believing action. In Acts 15 we read of men who hazarded their lives, whose faith was unshakeable and who literally staked their lives on what they believed. Jesus Christ is our greatest example, who literally gave his life for all mankind. Among the Cheyenne Indians, there were those called “dog soldiers” or “The Society of the Bear” whose example teaches us what it means to stake our lives. We can stake our lives upon God’s Word and promises without fear.