How To Be A Disciple

I Corinthians 4:16-18:  “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Notice that this verses encourages us to consider the inner man. In fact, it encourages us to focus on our inner-selves more than the outer self.  But isn’t it true that most of us spend way more time caring for, feeding, grooming and exercising our physical bodies more than our spiritual selves?

Think about these verses as well…

I Thessalonians 5:23: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  And then Ephesians 3:16 where is says, “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.”

All of these verses above talk about our spiritual development.  There is an eternal part of you.  The Bible calls it your inner man – your spiritual nature – that part of you that will live forever.  Why should we be concerned about our spiritual development?

1. Because spiritual development is the directive of God

2. Because the issues of life spring from your spiritual development

3. Because spiritual development gives you a purpose for life

4. Because our spirit-man is eternal

How do we development our inner-man?

We develop our spirit-man just like we do our physical-man.  Through INVESTMENT and COMMMITMENT to the cause – namely through practicing three particular spiritual disciplines that develop the inner man:

1. Read Bible

2. Fast and Pray

3. Gathering with other believers

I’ll close with this statement: There is only one of you and you get one shot at life…and then you live with the results for all eternity.  MAKE LIFE COUNT!