Decide to be a Disciple

You can decide to be a disciple of Jesus:

Your Heavenly Father's goal is for you to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ.

Sadly, millions of Christians grow older but never grow up spiritually.

They are stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy, remaining in diapers and booties. The reason is that they never had the intention to grow.

Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes an intentional commitment. You must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow, and persist in growing. Discipleship- the process of becoming like Christ-always begins with a decision.

Jesus calls us, and we respond:

"'Come, be my disciple,' Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him." (Matthew 9:9)

When the first disciples chose to follow Jesus, they didn't understand all the implications of their decisions. They simply responded to Jesus' invitation. That's all you need to get started:

Decide to become a disciple.

Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose to make. Your commitments can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will define you.

It is at this point of commitment that most people miss God's purpose for their lives. Many are afraid to commit to anything and just drift through life. Others make halfhearted commitments to competing values, which leads to frustration and mediocrity. Others make a full commitment two worldly goals, such as becoming wealthy or famous, and end up disappointed and bitter. Every choice has eternal consequences, so you had better choose wisely.

Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living!  (2 Peter 3:11)

Being Christlike is the result of making Christlike choices and depending on his spirit to help you fulfill those choices. Once you decide to get serious about becoming like Christ, you must begin to act in new ways. You will need to let go of some old routines, develop some new habits, and intentionally change the way you think. You can be certain that the Holy Spirit will help you with these changes. The Bible says,

Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13)

This verse shows the two parts of spiritual growth "workout" and "work in" is God's role Spiritual growth is a collaborative effort between you and the Holy Spirit. God's Spirit works with us, not just in us.

This verse, written to believers, is not about how to be saved, but how to grow. It does not say "work for" your salvation, because you can't add anything to what Jesus already did. During a physical workout you exercise to develop your body, not to get a body. When you workout a puzzle, you already have all the pieces- your task is to put them all together. Farmers work the land, not to get land, but to develop what they already have. God has given you a new life, now you are responsible to develop it "with fear and trembling" and that means to take your spiritual growth seriously! 

Christianity is not religion or philosophy, but a relationship and a life style.

The core I love that lifestyle is thinking of others, as Jesus did, instead of ourselves. The Bible says,

Thinking of others is the heart of being Christlike and the best evidence of spiritual growth. This kind of thinking is unnatural, counter-cultural, rare and difficult. Fortunately we have help:

God has given us His Spirit. That's why we don't think the same way the people of this world think. (1 Corinthians 2:12)

What about you, have you decided to be a disciple yet?

Have you decided to be a disciple of Jesus? Have you decided to grow? Are you making an effort to grow, or persisting in your growth? Are you beginning to act differently?  

Please feel free to join my devotional blog. I would love to hear your story about how you are growing in your faith.