John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."







Tuesday, February 27, 2018

4th Lesson: Discipleship according to God's own heart.

Learning to engage in the conduct with God.






Objectives:
1. Learn to listen and to engage in the conduct as God instructs.
2. You will find God if you seek Him.
3. Now that you have learned, go teach and make disciples.
4. Learn the difference between Vessels for Honor or for dishonor.

God teaches Moses…
“But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”  God taught him to seek with all his heart and soul… in order to find God.

Bottom line, either you mean it or not, we cannot fool God. He sees the intention of our heart. God was already teaching Moses how to make disciples out of Joshua and the rest of the people. But, from there... where ever they were at that moment… ‘You will seek the Lord your God.  Once the leader shows you the way, and how to follow it… then… you have the means of doing it. In addition, God promises that if we seek Him with all our heart we will find Him.

So, the first thing we must do with our conduct, character and speech teach the people around us to seek the Lord with all our heart.  Meaning: if you say you are seeking the Lord, mean it. David said to God the following: ‘Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely’.

Psalms 139:1-6 tells us how David learned about it, and he says:
a. “1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
b. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
c. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
d. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.
e. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
f. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”


The dictionary says that ‘lofty’ is: ‘A lofty ideal or ambition is noble, important, and admirable.’


A disciple knows that God searches his heart and that God knows him. He knows that God is aware of everything in his life, even when he goes to bed and when he gets up in the morning. A disciple learns the fact that God is walking with him, by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and that God knows all his ways. A disciple learns that God is always his shepherd, and that He cares about His people.

David also taught his son in the ways to go, and how he could serve God with a loyal heart. Let us read this verse in 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NKJV):
“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”

First command:
a) Know God…
b) Serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind.
c) For the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.
d) If… you seek Him… He will be found by you.
e) If you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

Question nº 1: Are you aware of whom you follow, and who follows you?



Task nº1: Read the verse and put your name in the blank: “As for you, my child _____________________, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you __________ seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”


I believe God teaches us in the same way as He taught Solomon through David his father. I believe also that God is seeking today disciples according to His own heart. And the above verse describes it great.


And I would describe it this way based on the verse above:
“As for you dear child, know that the Heavenly Father, our God is seeking disciples with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for our Lord Jesus searches the hearts and understands all the intent of our thoughts. If we seek the Lord Jesus with all our heart, we will find Him, but if we go after our own understanding… as we see it best… we are in reality forsaking Him, and Jesus does not delight in it.”

He cannot use a follower that in reality does not follow the Lord Jesus and His way; but instead follows his own ways… Each person ought to decide whether it is the Lord’s way or his own way.

God has spoken in the past and speaks now the same message. In Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NKJV) we read: “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Question nº2: Now based upon the above, can one evaluate if we are teaching them to seek the Lord with all their heart, and that they will find Him?



The second thing that we must do. We are taught to make disciples, encourage people to follow Jesus and to become His disciple; and teach them to do the same. For this to happen we need to have the longing in us, to want to call upon His Name; and to seek Him and search for Jesus with all our heart. We ought to mean it and truly want it. This is what we need to convey in our message with tender loving care.

Blessings on to you all. 
Antonina Penner.


A. PENNER PUBLISHING.
 Discipleship according the heart of God
ISBN NUMBER:  978-0-9881063-2-1



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Rev. Billy Graham