Learning to live as a Disciple of Jesus is all about letting God transform your life from the very core of your heart. It is learning to become a little more like Jesus every day. Your life will not be transformed overnight but it will be transformed as you begin yielding to the teaching of God’s Word and letting God’s Word shape the way you think, the way you feel, the way you speak, and the way you act.
Over the next several devotionals, we want to take a look how to walk more closely with God. Today we will look the need to train ourselves to be Godly.
WE MUST TRAIN OURSELVES TO BE GODLY
The Bible says we are to train ourselves to be godly. Our training is not a training of the body, it is a training of the mind, a training of the heart, and a training of the will. It is learning to willingly surrender your life to God and His teachings. It is learning to order and arrange our lives around certain practices or habits that will enable us to become more like Jesus every day.
One of those habits is what I call the practice of reflection on Scripture.
You and I live in a world filled with people with divided loyalties. We are distracted by many tasks that the world calls us to do. The world says, make a name for yourself. The world says, do
whatever it takes to make it to the top of the ladder in your work. The world says, do whatever it takes to make lots of money so that you can help your family, help others, and really be important. The world says, do whatever it takes to have lots of power so that you can be the decision maker. Those may be things that the world says, but they are not what Jesus says. Jesus says,
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
This was one of the things that Jesus was teaching one of His followers named Martha. This follower of Jesus was “distracted by her many tasks” and resented her sister, Mary, who had chosen simply to be in the presence of Jesus. Martha had divided loyalties, she wanted to be with Jesus, but she also wanted to impress the guests in her house by having a very clean home and some awesome food. Martha was living her life with divided loyalties and many distraction is a terrible way to live.
What are the things that pull for your attention? What are those things that keep you from really pursuing God with all of your heart? Take just a few minutes and reflect on the things that are distracting you right now and pulling for your attention. Write down all of the things that come to your mind. After you have written them down, take some time in prayer. Tell God that you want to walk closer with Him every day. Tell Him that you are willing to surrender your heart to His teachings. Tell Him that you are willing to learn the practice of reflecting on Scripture.
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In your prayers remember to pray for God’s Work here in Northern Thailand.
Please remember to pray for our growing ministry to Chinese students that come to Thailand to study at two universities here in Chiang Rai. Over the past 16 months we have seen many Chinese students come to know Jesus. God is using our “English Corner” ministry at the university, our church, and our English language school as a tool to reach and disciple these folks.
God has now opened a door for our first “mission trip” into China through our language school in about two weeks. Pray that God would go before us.
We asking you to pray for God to raise up an ethnic Chinese person who speaks English well to come out and serve as our “Chinese Ministry Coordinator.”
Reaching, Teaching, Discipling, Equipping, Training, and Serving God’s World in compassionate ways is what NTIM, Baan Athitaan Church, and Grace Language School are all about.