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Topic: Discipleship (02/23/04)
TITLE: Discipleship; Partnership = Blessed By shirley shields 02/29/04 |
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We know that a disciple is a follower of someone or some cause that they believe in and they offer their support on some level for the cause involved. As I pondered and prayed over the word discipleship this week, various other words filtered into my thoughts, and the word partner or partnership seemed to have a definite link with the word discipleship. So being a disciple simply means someone who follows and shares the same viewpoint as the leader of a given cause.
Partnerships can range from being a very limited partnership or a full and equal partnership. This depends on the follower’s convictions and their depth of desire to follow the cause. Partnerships are a legal document that spells out the terms of the agreement between the parties involved. Our legal document being a Christian is found in the Bible. Aren’t we actually called to be partners with the Lord and continue in His work while on earth? I realize it is a one sided partnership from our side of the deal. He paid the price and we get the gift of eternal life with our Creator for eternity.
Any believer today is a disciple, some it seems have chosen the limited partnership agreement it seems. They desire to inherit the promises made to them; but have no desire to rock the boat in search for other disciples for God’s Kingdom.
Next I find the word interference (outside) enters the picture, which attempts to be no less than an equal partner (but illegal) in this relationship. In James 5: 7-11; we are told that all believers will suffer trials and tribulations here on earth, which is just part of this sin filled world we live in temporarily. If it wasn’t for the free gift offered to us by the Lord, we could have them (trials and temptations) permanently and for eternity. The greatest gift ever offered to man is found in John 3:16. The Lord loved us enough to redeem us from the enemy’s meddlesome hand. He has no legal standing in our partnership with the Lord; he just likes to interfere in our progress along this faith walk of life we are on.
Salvation was freely offered to whosoever believeth, but no where does it say it won’t cost us something while here on earth to support our partnership with the Lord. In fact we are told just the opposite by the Lord in Matthew 5:1-12 known as the Beatitudes. Blessed are those who have faced various trials and situations and have overcome in them. The Lord told us about the blessings (rewards) to come for our temporary struggles we face while here on earth. So being blessed by the Lord is the final connection I found in my search concerning discipleship this week.
In James1:14-26 we are told that faith without works, or works without faith is useless and unprofitable It takes both of them working together to produce spiritual fruit for the Kingdom of God. And that’s what each disciple was called to do in their partnership agreement with the Lord.
Moses stands out to me as one excellent example concerning hardship and trials we may faced on earth. We must choose whom to follow and obey. God placed each of us exactly where He wanted us to be. Just as the Lord needed Moses in the valley of his everyday life to lead the children to freedom, God also desires the same from us today.
God never promised us a Rose Garden as the song says, and I recall that most Roses have some thorns to deal with, they become secondary as we enjoy the beauty and fragrance of the flower. That’s like life in general; we must deal with some thorns that will confront us and rejoice over the blessings sent our way from the Lord.
We can see that faith and works are connected for a divine purpose as well, and that is for producing more disciples for God’s Kingdom. In the garden He told Adam and Eve to be productive in bringing more children into His garden. Faith partnered with works will always bring to the forefront some form of thorns (interference) that will attempt to stop our efforts of discipleship to others.
©Sue Shields 2004
www.sueshields.com