We have so much to learn about prayer, fasting, and Intercession (Philippians 4:6-7; Isaiah 58:6-8)

In Matthew 6:9-15, Jesus Christ teaches his disciples to pray:

Our Father, who is in heaven
Hallowed by your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Prayer is a two-way communication process that allows us to talk with God. He wants us to communicate with Him, like two people talking face to face.

It is a personal experience and intimate connection with our loving heavenly Father. Jesus set an example for us on how and what to pray. He prayed for His disciples, for every generation to come that would follow Him. And for God’s will to be done (John 17:11-26; Luke 22:42; Hebrews 5:7; Luke 6:12-13).   

Prayer is not something we do to impress others or to show how spiritual we are. It is private time to talk with God. We need to recognize that God is our Father, He is our source of everything, and He knows our needs. He is the Father who cares, loves, and provides. He knows all of our needs even before we ask.

We need to pray for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. These should be our priorities in prayer. We also need to ask Him for our daily bread and for all of the practical needs of our lives.    

When we begin to live and pray as Jesus did, we will see God’s power at work in every aspect of our lives and ministries. We need to continually call upon and depend on Him. And we know that He hears and answers prayers (Jeremiah 33:3; Matthew 7:7-11; Acts 1:14; 1 John 3:21-23).  

Prayer is not a life jacket we use only when we face problems (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It must be part of our lifestyle.   

God’s Word is full of prayers that are after God’s own heart and are in accordance with His will. (Exodus 33:17-19; Isaiah 43:5-9; 1 John 5:14-15; Philippians 1:9-11; Psalm 19:12; Psalm 27:11;) 

If we want to pray what is in God’s heart, we need to pray according to His word.

There is a direct connection between prayer and submission to the will of God. (John 15:7; Luke 22:42; Acts 1:14; Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:23-33, James 4:3).

The more we pray according to His word, the more He works in and through us. Before He left, Jesus told the disciples to wait for the promise (Acts 1:4). They prayed for 10 days for the promise He had given them to be fulfilled and that they would be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Then Peter preached for 10 minutes and 3,000 people were saved.   

Praying the Word of God first changes us and then the situation for which we are praying.

In prayer, we have an encounter with God—no one can encounter God and go away unchanged (Genesis 32:24-30). Seeking God is the most important part of our prayer and fellowship time with Him. (Jeremiah 29:13; Jeremiah 32:40-41; Luke 11:9-11). It’s the only way to know Him, His will and calling for our life. (Psalm 46:10; Ecclesiastes 5:1; Isaiah 30:21). When we pray and ask God, we are exercising our faith in Him which enables us to grow in knowing Him. (James 1:17). Prayer is not only asking and receiving from God, it is the way we are drawn near God. (James 4:8).  

Sometimes prayer and fasting need to go together. We should fast and pray whenever we are truly seeking Him and His will. (Luke 18:1-8). 

Fasting is abstaining in some significant way from our routine activities and food to focus on God. Usually, it is food and drink but it can also be ministry, cell phone, computer, e-mail, etc. Fasting breaks the habit of always satisfying our own needs. It makes us depend on God to satisfy our needs for us. It must be taken seriously and prayerfully. But, it must never be a ritual. But rather a heartfelt seeking of God’s will and glory in one’s life and the life of the church. (Isaiah 58:3-9; Matthew 6:16-18).  

Moses fasted during the 40 days and 40 nights to receive the law from God (Exodus 34:28). King Jehoshaphat called for a fast in all Israel when they were about to be attacked by the Moabites and Ammonites. (2 Chronicles 20:3). In response to Jonah’s preaching, the people of Nineveh fasted and put on sackcloth (Jonah 3:5). David fasted when he knew that Saul and Jonathan had been killed (2 Samuel 1:12). Nehemiah had a time of prayer and fasting when he heard that Jerusalem was in ruins (Nehemiah 1:4).  

Anna “worshipped night and day, fasting and praying” at the Temple (Luke 2:37). Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights before His temptation by Satan (Matthew 4:2). The Antioch church fasted (Acts 13:2) and sent out Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:3). Paul and Barnabas spent time in prayer and fasting for the appointment of elders in the churches (Acts 14:23). Prayer and fasting have to be part of our life. In Global Disciples, we believe that everything we do has to be conceived in prayer, birthed in prayer, and carried on in prayer.  

The main purpose of fasting is to strive for a deeper fellowship with God. Through prayer and fasting, we are able to take our eyes off the things of this world and focus on Christ (Matthew 6:16-18).  

However, spending time in prayer and fasting does not automatically accomplish our desires. For example, in the prophet Isaiah’s time, the people fasted yet God did not answer in the way they wanted (Isaiah 58:3-4). Isaiah responded by saying that the external show of fasting and prayer without the proper heart attitude was in vain (Isaiah 58:5-9). Whether we fast or not, God will not give us what we ask for if it is not according to His will.

In general, the primary reason for fasting is to express our devotion and service to God, not to twist the hand of God for our gain. The length of time for fasting can vary. The most common is to skip two meals, to fast for 24 hours from lunch or dinner one day to that meal the next day. Some people fast for three days. On some special occasions, people can be led by the Holy Spirit to fast for 21 days or 40 days (Daniel 9; Matthew 4:1-10). Fasting is a matter of the heart; the length of time does not increase the spirituality of the act.   

Intercessory prayer (Job 42:8; Isaiah 62:6-7; Jeremiah 29:7; Ezekiel 22:30) is a prayer made on behalf of others as Job prayed for his friends.  Intercession is a time of prayer when we remove all of our own agendas and cry out for the Holy Spirit to invade every situation for which we are interceding, whether it be for people, churches, cities, or nations (Ephesians 6:18-20; 1 Timothy 2:1-4).  

It is standing in the gap between God and any situation, as is mentioned in Ezekiel 22:30. God is the initiator of intercessory prayer—He is always looking for intercessors. Intercession is recognizing that His ways are greater than our own while simultaneously requesting either His interference or His altering of a situation. Intercession focuses upon the beauty of the Lord while powerfully changing the circumstances of the world (Ezekiel 22:30-31). God reveals what He is going to do for those who intercede to be co-laborers in His Kingdom (Genesis 19:16-21). 

Jesus is our great model for intercession (1 Timothy 2:5). He prayed for those in need, for His disciples, and even for us (John 17:20; Luke 22:31). When Satan wanted to sift Peter as wheat, the prayer of Jesus shielded him from losing his faith. He also continued His ministry of intercession after His death and resurrection and is serving us now as our intercessor in heaven (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:23-25; 1 John 2:1-2). He also gave us the Holy Spirit to intercede for us and through us (Romans 8:26). As Jesus is interceding for us, we also need to intercede for those whom we are discipling and for those who are without Him. If we are not interceding for people, how do they come to know Him (Matthew 9:38; 1 Timothy 2:1-4)?   

Abraham interceded for Sodom (Genesis 18:23-32) and Moses for the people of Israel (Exodus 32:7-14; Psalm 106:23). Jeremiah wept for his people (Lamentations 3:48-50). The early Church also interceded for Peter (Acts 12:5-12). God is looking for persistent intercessors who regularly intercede for a third of the world who have yet to have heard the Good News of Jesus. 

How often do we intercede for our unbelieving family members?  

Intercession fills our hearts with hope, thanksgiving, worship, praise, conviction, holy anger, and, most importantly, love for all lives, circumstances, and the world. Intercession ministry is not a place to be recognized but a place where the deep love, sorrow, hope, and joy of the Lord is revealed. When we intercede, we are collaborating with God, and He responds to us.  

What motivates you to pray, fast, and intercede?

What might be one activity, one priority, and one attitude that you need to change in your perspective on prayer, fasting, and intercession? 

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Embrace the transformative power of solitude with God and discover the joy of a fulfilling relationship with the Almighty God.

Intimacy with God requires time alone with God (Mark 1:35; Mark 6:31, Mark 6:45-46). Close friendships aren’t instantaneous; they must be cultivated over time. In the same way, walking in an intimate relationship with the Almighty must be diligently pursued. We will never achieve closeness with the Lord unless we invest time alone with Him to get to know Him.

A neglected relationship simply won’t grow in richness or depth. Are you too busy to spend time each day with Him? If that is the case, the immediate demands of your schedule are robbing you of an awesome, eternal treasure. A deep, satisfying communion with God (Luke 10:38-42). 

We can pray while others are around but we need solitude to be able to feel truly connected to God as Jesus did. We need quality time alone with God without distraction. It’s hard to hear the whisper of the Spirit with all the noises around us. So it is important to take some small part of each day and set it aside for solitude and closing the door (Matthew 6:6). It simply means walking to a quiet place as Jesus Himself did and not doing anything but leaving ourselves open to the Lord. 

Time alone with God is more than just a daily appointment with God. It’s more like a visit with our closest friend. It is very important if we want God to speak to us. Good relationships need the investment of quality time. In solitude, we withdraw from people, noise, cell phones, family, and the demands of work to be with God. We get away from all of the ministry activities and all of our roles in order to be with God alone. There is great joy in getting away from everything just to be alone with Him.   

Our time with God should be in a solitary place where there is no distraction, just us and God. This is the time when we lay down every struggle and every pain, and wait on Him in silence. It is also the time that we praise and thank Him for everything He has been doing and will do in our lives. This is the best time for us to present all that is in our hearts to God. It is also His time to talk to us and reveal to us His wonderful and perfect will for our lives.  

If we are struggling with a major decision, let’s spend time alone with God and He will answer us. If we need advice on some issues, let’s talk to Him and He will answer us.  

Let’s make a commitment to set aside “Time Alone with God” and make this time just for Him. He’s waiting for us. 

When was the last time you spent quality time with God alone?

How often do you take time alone with God to pour out everything on your heart to him?

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Have you ever thought about discipleship and what it means? What it means for you, defines how you live. 

Discipleship can improve every aspect of your life when you practice it well.

The Greek word for discipleship is mathēteuō (pronounced math-ayt-yoo’-o) and literally means to make disciples. It means to make a disciple, to teach, to instruct.

Jesus described discipleship this way. “By this, My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have, I loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” – John 15:8-10

In this first part of the article, your trusted Christian mission organization is going to take a closer look at discipleship and its true meaning.

You don’t need to look further than Jesus Himself, the greatest example of what true discipleship looks like. Our call as followers of Christ is to become more like the one we are following, Jesus Christ. He is our benchmark, our standard, the one we hope to model our lives after.

One of the first things Jesus does at the outset of His ministry is gather a bunch of men who he does life with for the next three years of His ministry. All of the men from different backgrounds, all of them imperfect, all of them sharing the same desire to follow Jesus wherever he would take them. A healthy reminder that Jesus takes us just as we are but calls us to live differently.

We must follo Gods commands, as Jesus did. A beautiful picture of this is on the Mount of Olives where Jesus prays, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) The cross is a reminder that Jesus exemplified complete obedience.

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. – John 14:15

The Apostle Paul gives a final charge to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:10-17 and reminds him of the importance of God’s Word.

All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Paul’s reminder to Timothy is that scripture is divine inspiration and is useful for;

There are multiple scriptures throughout the bible calling us to be like Christ,

As disciples of Jesus, we are called to share the Gospel. The truth of the Gospel is found in the richness of His teachings. Jesus’ final command – the Great Commission, is a call to every follower of Christ to share the Good News both locally and globally. It is important to remember that God has placed us each in the families, the neighborhoods, the communities, and the workplaces we are in on purpose and for a purpose. God has positioned each of us exactly in the right position for us to share the Gospel of Grace with those who are in our circles of influence.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”
– Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus has designed his church to function like a healthy body (1 Corinthians 12:12-29). Each of us has a part to play and like a healthy body, we function best when we are working together and in unity.

Who are you discipling?

Who are you actively helping in their walk with God?

As disciples, we are called to be intentional about helping others so that they in turn can disciple others too.

The greatest joy of discipleship is to be reminded once again of the undeserved favor and mercy of God that we have been made spiritually alive in Him.

“But God, being [so very] rich in mercy, because of His great and wonderful love with which He loved us, even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment). And He raised us up together with Him [when we believed], and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, [because we are] in Christ Jesus, [and He did this] so that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [by providing for our redemption]. 

The joy of our Christian faith is that we don’t have a list of do’s and don’ts but instead we have an open invitation from Christ to follow him in this work of art where we are the canvas and He is the artist.

“For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” – Ephesians 2:10

Here are some of Jesus’ instructions when it comes to discipleship:

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus calls us to join Him in discipleship. The passage says, “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Can this be any clearer?

Jesus wants to teach us what true discipleship is. He is with us every step of the journey and is the best teacher we could have ever asked for.

Hopefully, the first part of this two-part post gives you an idea of what true discipleship means and that it encourages you to become one, too. To know more about what discipleship is as Jesus had shown us, read our “What is Discipleship? (Part 2)” follow-up article.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Our God is a personal God who created us for Himself and is longing for an intimate relationship with us.

He wants us to live in a sincere love relationship with Him (Matthew 22:37-38).

We need to spend time alone with Him, enjoy fellowship with Him, communicate with Him, trust, and follow Him daily.

Walking in a close relationship with God gives meaning and purpose to our lives. We often allow the busyness of ministry and life to replace a real, personal walk with God. But, our primary calling is for an intimate walk with Him.  

What is our top priority in life and ministry?

Do we desire a deeper and closer relationship with God (Psalm 63:1-8)?

Do you know that prayer, fasting and meditating on His Word are very important parts of our walk with Him?  

Our souls will never experience satisfaction until we discover the joy of devotion (Psalm 63:5).

David’s passion even had a physical element to it: “My flesh yearns for you” (Psalm 63:1).

When intimacy with God becomes the best thing in our lives and takes priority over everything else. In fact, we begin to experience the fullness of knowing God in our lives (Psalm 63:3-4). Then all the possessions, power, pleasures, and prestige that this world offers become empty, and our lives are transformed completely. No one can have an intimate relationship with God and remain unchanged! 

There are many similarities between having a good marriage and having a good personal relationship with God. In the Bible, there is a lot of language that refers to marriage in describing our relationship with God. In Jeremiah 2:2, God says, “I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert.” And in Jeremiah 3:20, “But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me.” We are the bride of the lamb (2 Corinthians 11:2). 

Any genuine, intimate relationship requires full devotion and commitment to one another. The marriage relationship will not be very good if only one of the two is totally committed to the other. Therefore, as God is fully devoted & committed to us, we also need to be fully devoted and committed to Him. Our relationship with Him will not be very good if we are not as committed and devoted to Him as He is to us.  

What is hindering you from experiencing true intimacy with God?

Intimacy with God is a lifelong process that requires a disciplined walk with God. We can explore our relationship with God through;

Intimacy with God is a privilege freely given to us by Christ in His sacrifice on the cross. In order to multiply Christ-like disciples, it is very important to understand the meaning and the process of intimacy with God. The image of the vine and the branch in John 15 is a very good picture of intimacy. Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Intimacy is not head knowledge but a heart experience of understanding, of sharing, and belonging.

Our fruitfulness as disciples depends on our familiarity with God. Without intimacy, we might work hard like the disciples trying to catch fish the whole night in vain (John 21:1-6). But as we follow in His footsteps, fruit is produced in our lives.  

We must immerse ourselves in the word of God and keep our spiritual ears attuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit by living a life of worship. As we worship God in our whole being, we experience intimacy with Him because worship brings us into the presence of God. Only those who learn to hear God and are attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit are ready to represent God in this world.   

As we stand at the edge of the horizon of God’s glory being revealed upon the earth, the greatest need continues to be for workers in the harvest. It is through hearing and obeying the voice of God that we gather the harvest and expand the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit is speaking to His people (Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, and Revelation 2:29). For those who listen and obey, they are about to move forward into the greatest outpouring of God’s Spirit that the world has ever known.  

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

While you don’t have to be a Christian, read your bible, or attend church to be a generous person. There are many biblical examples that provide a great framework for anyone wanting to live a life of generosity.

Gods Kingdom is opposite to ours. For example,

One of those seemingly “upside down” kingdom principles that we see Paul addressing with the church is in Acts 20:35 is when he quotes Jesus’ words saying “It is more blessed to give than to receive”.

Jesus teaches us that there is something significant that happens in our souls when we give.

At first, this may be very difficult to understand or even accept but it is much easier to be experienced. It is impossible to out-give God.

Giving is in the very fabric of God’s Character. God is a giver.

One of the greatest hallmarks of the life of a follower of Christ should be one of generosity. We give because God gave.

Jesus’ life modeled and was characterized by one of generosity. Here are just a few examples:

In Luke 10:25-37, we see how two religionists passed by a man lying half-dead on the road. After being ignored for hours, the man was finally rescued by a Samaritan.

This story is undoubtedly a great example of generosity. And, the extra-mile attitude and approach we are called to have in modeling the extravagant love of Christ.

Jesus’ compassion for one of the less fortunate people was very evident in this particular story in which he raised a widow’s son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17). Her gratitude was so great that when Jesus came out of town, she followed him on her son’s newly-restored cart.

This act of generosity is one that we can all learn from. Not only is it a good example of generosity, but it shows us that generosity starts internally before it ever is externalized. Jesus was moved by compassion (Luke 7:13) and out of that place of compassion was generous.

Jesus was often criticized for not following the religious norms of the day but instead showing generosity and care for those others overlooked. In both Matthew 9-10-12 and Mark 2:15-22, Jesus invites sinners to eat with him and his friends.

Jesus’ priority was not about keeping up appearances or being overly concerned about what onlookers thought of him but more so with his ability to be generous with his love, his attention, and his time with whosoever.

In the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), the tax collector, we see people’s distaste of Jesus for his willingness to befriend and enter the world of a notorious thief and sinner. Jesus shows, again and again, his ability to be generous with his ability to notice those others had overlooked. Jesus’ generosity is so outrageous that Zacchaeus is immediately changed and begins modeling the generosity he has seen modeled by Jesus. Zaccheus gives half of his possesssions to the poor and four times what he has stolen to those he has stolen from.

“Listen carefully to what I am saying and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells us you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets Generosity.” – Mark 4:24-25

Jesus death on the cross was the ultimate sacrificial act of generosity. As followers of Christ, let us not complicate what it means to live generously. Generosity will often go unnoticed and unapplaud but will always do more for you than it will ever do for others.

Would you make the commitment today to live a more generous life living a life of generosity with your time, money, attention, compassion, and efforts?

How would our communities look if our focus was on what we could give rather than what we could get?

It truely is better to give than receive.

Global Disciples Canada trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and make disciples, connect with us today!

We are all called to be disciples of Jesus Christ who live our lives fully for His glory, ordering our priorities around the global mission of Christ no matter where we are called to live or what our vocation might be.  

As disciples, we have joined a new order of life—a life of discipline and accountability that can transform us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 12:2). But before we start making disciples, we must be sure that we are disciples of Jesus who are growing in our relationship with God (Colossians 2:6-7). All disciples are meant to live the life that Jesus displayed for them.

So how can we grow as disciples?  

Knowing Jesus Christ and making Him known is the responsibility of every disciple, and it must be the top priority in life. Nothing compares to knowing Him as our Savior, Redeemer, and Lord of our life. For the sake of knowing Christ, Paul not only considered everything to be lost—he actually lost all things. Because of his allegiance to Christ, he lost everything he had. He considered any possessions or worldly pleasures as “rubbish” or garbage so that he could gain Christ. Even if Paul knew Christ personally and intimately, it is clear that he wanted to know Him more. (Philippians 3:12-14; John 14)  

Mary of Bethany possessed a pint of expensive perfume, but she thought nothing of pouring it on Jesus’ feet as an expression of her love for him (John 12:2-3). She not only released a valuable possession, but she also did so eagerly in order to embrace something much more valuable—the love of Christ. This great love caused her to express her lavish love in return.  

It is the same for those of us who experience the love of Jesus. Even after Jesus died, Mary was the only one at the tomb looking for Him while others were hiding (John 20:11-18). The problem of many of the early New Testament churches and the churches of today is the tendency to pursue principles of living rather than intimacy with Him (Galatians 1:6-10; 3:1-6; Revelation 2:2-5).  

Do we know why many people start well and fail to finish well in their faith journey as disciples? The reason is that they started their life by enjoying intimacy with Christ, but later they began to learn principles of morality and they began to rely more on that than on their intimacy with Christ. That is the reason why many people are not finishing well even if they started well.  Nothing satisfies the heart like intimacy with Christ.  

For I am convinced that neither money nor possessions nor marriage nor health nor success nor recognition nor affirmation nor anything else one might consider valuable is able to be compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39) 

The more we get to know Him, the greater the opportunity for His to influence us. As we grow in knowing Him, we begin to see as God sees. 

We grow in our relationship with God when we are able to see as He sees.  Occasionally, it is good to reflect on how God might be looking at people, things, or situations.  How does God see this thing I’m so proud of?  How does God see my relationship with Him and others? And how does God see the way I am doing things? What does God see when He looks at us and others?   

One of the most vivid examples of seeing as God sees is found in Isaiah 6:5. When we start to see as He sees, we will not be the same. Whatever is evil before Him will be evil to us as well. It is clear that the more we see ourselves and the world around us the way God sees, the more we see God at work in our lives and in the lives of those around us.  

It is very important to learn to see as God sees (1 Samuel 16:7). His view is complete and perfect (Hebrews 4:13; 1 Corinthians 12:15-16; 12:21). When Samuel saw Jesse’s eldest son Eliab, he assumed he would be the one God would anoint as king. But the Lord told Samuel he was not the one. He said, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (Numbers 13:28-33; 2 Kings 6:15-17). 

Love first 

In John 15:12, Jesus says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (emphasis added). What does He mean when He says, “As I have loved you?” Simply, it is God’s self-sacrificing love He gives to us. Our love for Christ flows from His love for us because He first loved us and gave His life for us (John 15:13). Jesus told us that we can abide in God’s love if we keep His commandments. We are to live just as Jesus lived.  

Obedience next 

There is always joy in doing the right thing. Knowing Christ will increase our love for Him. We obey simply because we love Him (John 14:15, 23-24; John 15: 9-10). When God asks us to do something, then we must obey Him; and the more we love Him, the more we want to obey Him; and the more we obey Him, the more we abide in Him and bear more fruit. A servant does what his master orders, but a friend does the will of his friend. We know the will of the Father, and we obey because it is His will. 

In order to be a good friend of Jesus, we need to learn to know Him and know what He likes and dislikes. Webster defines “friend” as “A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts; one with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade.” Webster’s definition also says that a friend is one who holds another in high esteem, respect, and affection. A friend is one whose happiness and prosperity you desire to promote.   

The disciples of Jesus were hard to befriend. But Jesus considered them to be friends, and He opened up His life and shared everything He knew with them. The same is true with us. No matter who we are, what we have done or not done, Jesus still calls us “friend.” It is our choice to be the friend of Jesus Christ or the friend of this world (James 4:4). Being a friend of Jesus involves fellowship with Him. Friends like to spend time together; if we want to be a true friend, we must spend time with our friends. Because good friendship requires spending time together and sharing thoughts and ideas, hopes and dreams, we must spend time with God through prayer and the study of His Word.   

Jesus is the best friend that anyone could ever have. He wants to have a personal relationship with all people around the world. He sent us into the world to let others know that they can be His friends. We were sent, not to compete with one another, but to love one another so the world will know Him through our love (John 13:34-35). If we truly have a love for each other, and have one heart and one attitude, then it is easy for us to bring others to friendship with Jesus.  

As disciples, we should realize that we have been sent by Christ as He Himself was sent by His Father to preach the Gospel and make disciples. If we do this in our lives and through our deeds, at the end of our earthly ministries we will say, “We glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave us to do.” 

As we get to know Him more, our love for Him increases; as our love for Him increases, our obedience to Him grows; when we obey Him, we are abiding in Him and that will bring forth fruit; when we are bringing forth fruit, we are fulfilling life’s purpose and glorifying God. 

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

What’s in your hands? This question has been the title of our Small Business Development (SBD) curriculum for more than 15 years. SBD training has helped disciple-makers and church planters launch several thousand small businesses in the last five years.

These small businesses give disciple-makers an identity that makes sense in a Muslim village or a Hindu neighborhood and provide support for their family. Through their businesses, at least 43,667 people have come to Christ in 1,407 newly churches planted.

Starting a business based on what’s in their hands has borne much fruit. This strategy makes sense. And the small business/church planting stories that have emerged are fascinating and inspiring.

“What’s in your hands?” is a good question for each of us to consider. Recently one of our Global Disciples Facilitators from Ecuador was sharing the perspective his church has on reaching least-reached people.

He said, “We tell the people of our church that everyone works in the mission: the knees of those who pray, the hands of those who give, and the feet of those who go. No matter what area of the mission you are involved in, either praying on your knees, opening your hands to give or moving your feet to go, it must be done sacrificially. Sacrificially pray, sacrificially go, and sacrificially give to reach the unreached people.”

What is your role in reaching the one-third of our world that has never had the opportunity to respond to the Good News of Jesus? What is in your hands? The Bible reminds us that God our Savior “wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

It is inspiring to read stories of the early Church after Pentecost. “They were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:45). Their engagement in God’s mission began with what they had in their hands. It’s a great place for each of us to start making God’s glory known in the nations.