by Belinda Jabore
“Are you ready to be My disciple?” I hear the Lord say.
“Are you ready to be My disciple?”
“Are you truly ready to be My disciple?”
The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and as we come into this revelation more this year, we will be able to be disciplined and follow the Lords directions more precisely. As we are faithful in doing what He has asked us to do, it will bring a greater thrust and empowerment to ourselves personally and the body of Jesus Christ.
Many people fall away at this point as it all seems too hard. Jesus had this happen to Him a lot, it was a constant occurrence to Him. A lot of Christians these days think they are following Jesus, or are they?
Luke 14:26 clearly states, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple, And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple.
These my friends are fighting words, but we either have to believe these words or not believe. It’s that simple, yet so very complex.
I felt to look up the meaning of the word hate as it really does seem a hard word to take, especially when it’s your own loved family. This I believe is only when family sons and daughters come against our faith in Jesus Christ, and then the problems begin, and we will have to choose between them or Jesus. We can still love them but we hate the anti-Christ behaviour, and that’s when we must walk away, and when we love them that’s a very hard thing to do- heart wrenching for us.
Hate in the Australian Oxford dictionary means - Dislike intensely; be reluctant (to do something).
Hate from Strong’s Dictionary in Hebrew is satam- saw-tam - a prime root to lurk for, i.e. persecute- Hate, oppose self against.
Sane- saw-nay prime root; to hate (personally) enemy, foe.
In the Greek- miseo-mis-eh-‘o; from the primary miss (hatred); to detest (especially to persecute); to love less.
I believe to be a disciple it’s to do with our whole lifestyle, and how people influence us and how we respond. How are we treating people? Are our attitudes respecting towards each other? We need to ask ourselves, “Are we drinking too much? Are we spending more time with others instead of Jesus? Are there things in our life that are taking the place of Jesus? Are we enjoying and loving/lusting after people and other things more than going to Him and to be with Him?”
If we truly want to be free indeed, we need to feel comfortable in being discipled by Jesus, as those He loves He disciplines. I know if we, as His disciples, can keep on moving towards the disciplines of Christ, changing into His image more and more each day, we certainly will be free indeed. This also brings a protection around us.
In John 8:31 Jesus was talking to the Jews who believed Him (who believed they knew it all), Jesus said to them, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed, and you shall know the Truth and the truth shall make you free”.
. So how can we be free? I ask ?
. By the Truth.
. And who is going to bring this Truth?
. By being discipled.
I love that Jack Nicholson movie “A Few Good Men”, when Tom Cruise said, “I want the truth” and then when Jack Nicholson said to Tom Cruise “You can’t handle the Truth”. Can we handle the truth about ourselves and what needs to change? Or will we be one of those ones that Jesus was constantly surrounded by? They then had to walk away because they didn’t feel they could give up their old ways and thoughts and continue to follow and be His disciple.
You see most of us think we are not in bondage with our sin, we think we are in control of it but we are really not. It takes guts, courage and humility to hear the truth about us.
Can we hear the truth about us?
Jesus then goes on to answer them in verse 34, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Wow Jesus was so onto it wasn’t He. He really has just spelt it out, so if we continue in our sin, He has said ahead of time we cannot stay/ abide in His house forever, but a son who loves Him and is His disciple abides forever. Now that’s being free indeed.
So you see He knew it was going to be hard for us to choose. It is no surprise to Him. Of course He will never go against our will. He doesn’t jump up and down and say you can’t do this or that or else, He doesn’t get angry with us and throws His authority around, He just let’s us choose for ourselves, and wait’s for us .
Wow, what a loving, kind, forgiving God we think we serve and say ‘No’ to.
Are you going to be My disciple?
