Today’s Bible Verse

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

John 15:16 (NIV)

Discipleship Through Relationship

The foundation of effective discipleship is relationships. And this is two-fold: our relationship with God and our relationships with others. As we grow in our intimacy with God, we will grow in our relationship with others. But we must be intentional and deliberate about this; we must have an open heart and a desire to be fruitful. The wise embrace instruction:

“Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man (one upright and in right standing with God) and he will increase in learning” (Proverbs 9:9 AMPC).

As we grow in our relationship with God, our wisdom and insight will grow, thus making it easier to relate to others. We will be able to share wisdom and insight to people God placed in our lives. God’s Word will give us patience, compassion, and understanding. We will be eager to take the time to listen to their stories and encourage them to walk closer to God. This is discipleship in a nutshell: investing our lives into other’s lives. Keep in mind, this is the byproduct of our relationship with God.    

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples the command to make disciples. He declared that all disciples should be made in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is a comforting reminder that disciple-making is a team effort. We are not alone or dependent on our own power. (Pastor Lilly Montano, Word of Life Santa Barbara)

An Uncommon Life

Discipleship is leading by example, the example of Jesus. When we model Christ’s sacrificial love and compassion in our relationships, we are illustrating that we have been transformed by God’s love. The way we live will invite others to experience the same love that has transformed us. We become the living letter Paul talked about in 2 Corinthians:

“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NKJV).

By being that living example we perpetuate the gospel on this earth. We become disciples that make disciples.

Today’s Declaration

Father, I thank You for a heart that’s surrendered and established in You. I value my relationship with You above all else. I cherish and protect my time with You, Lord, because that’s the cornerstone to my relationship with others! Amen! 

Today’s Bible Reading

• Old Testament: 1 Samuel 19-20; Psalms 103
• New Testament: Mark 12:13-27; 2 Corinthians 8