Discipleship: Be Like Mufasa

I enjoyed all of the groups that ministered today soooooooooooo much! Let me see if I can get the group names right this time:

1. Team He Lives
2. Team Chosen
3. God's Assistants
4. Team Ninja Spider Monkeys 

I think I got it this time!! Anyway, everyone put their heart into their time slots and conveyed strong messages from the Bible. I know it isn't always easy to get up in front of a crowd - especially one full of teens (wink, wink) - but you did it. Every time you do something in faith and something that may be a little uncomfortable, you stretch yourself. Stretching is a good thing. It keeps you growing and reaching for the things God has for your life. You just grew in the Spirit by ministering today! It was that easy.

Proverbs 28:1 says, "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." No matter what comes your way in life, always stay bold for God and pursue the best. If I can refer to the movie The Lion King for a moment, maybe it will help to paint a better picture. We are created to Mufasa's and not Scar's. Both are lions, but only one is strong and a good leader. Be a Mufasa (you can roar right here if you'd like).

Discipleship: Confidence

Confidence can be defined in many different ways. For the sake of this post we'll say it's an overwhelming sense of God in your life so you don't stress but live with strength instead. Confidence and pride are two very different things. Pride is a "me" thing and Godly confidence is a "Him" thing. The Bible says we are to "set our affections on things that are above," and this includes our self-image (Col. 3:2). When our confidence is found in Christ, we are setting our heart on Him so we don't have any need to worry. We're confident that God has every detail of our lives under control.

Here are some facts from today's lesson:
1. Confident people give God all of the praise
2. Confidence gives is security
3. Confidence will serve as a defense
4. Confidence is a witness
5. (MOST IMPORTANT) Confidence is vital in the Christian life

If we can take these principles and apply them to our lives we will live successfully. God has called us to walk with confidence. Jesus is our greatest example of this. He was confident in Himself as God in flesh, Jesus the Savior, God's only Son, Mary and Joseph's boy, a carpenter, the Chief Cornerstone and so on. He knew His position and never allowed narrow minded people or those with an agenda to shake His confidence. We should walk that same way. We're children of God, called out of darkness into His marvelous light, filled with the Holy Spirit and power, changed into the image of His dear Son and on a mission from God the Father. Anyone who tries to diminish that responsibility and revelation is not of God. Leave that relationship alone and walk with confidence toward your next assignment in God.

What is a way that you can stand up with confidence and live for God? We all face different challenges daily. Keep your confidence and move forward like you have nothing to lose. The good news is, you don't have anything to lose! You gain everything in Him! What a good God we serve.

Discipleship: I GOTS to have it!

Today we continued the lesson on the GOTS, aka gifts of the spirit. The Bible is full of stories and examples of the power of God moving through man with the GOTS.

Here are the categories for them:
Power Gifts
1. Faith
2. Healing
3. Miracles

Vocal Gifts
1. Prophecy
2. Tongues
3. Interpretation of tongues

Revelation Gifts
1. Word of wisdom
2. Word of knowledge
3. Discerning of spirits

All of these gifts can be found in 1 Cor. 12. Study them, desire them, and do them in faith. The more we desire the gifts of God, the more we will be used by Him.

Discipleship: Water Baptism

Today we learned about the power of identifying with Christ through water baptism. Being baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is one of the foundations of our faith. It shows the world that we are no longer identifying with our old ways, and now we identify with a new life. Galatians 3:27 says, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." The last three words "put on Christ" have a great meaning. We are put on our Christ-like nature every day just like we get dressed every day. It literally means to clothe yourself with Jesus. When we take His qualities and apply them to our lives, we are putting on Christ.

Once we identify with God by being baptized it is now time to live it strong. It takes guts to identify with God and follow through with it every day. The devil presents all kinds of options that can distract and deceive us. We have to be wise to his attempts and cast them down. Use these scriptures to combat the enemy:

• 2 Corinthians 10:5 - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
• Sometimes the devil attacks in our thoughts. Choose to think on the Word. 
• Never allow your imagination to run wild with negative thinking. Dream big about what God has planned for you; dream about answers.
• 1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant; for your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking who he may devour:
• The devil can't trap you if you stay aware. You have power over him in the name of Jesus.
• Remember, it's the devil who tries to trip you up, not God. God brings the answers.
• 1 John 2:2 - But ye have an unction from the holy one, and ye know all things.
• God speaks to His children. "Unction" means a knowing in your heart. When God speaks, you will know.
• God will give you clarity on situations when you consult him in prayer.
• Galatians 5:1 - Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty with which Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
• Jesus has set us free! We have salvation, and we have identified with Him in water baptism so live like a child of God.
• Don't get tied up in sin, guilt, problems, etc. Walk free and replace old lifestyle habits with Godly characteristics since you have identified with Christ. 
• 
  Every day we put on Christ we have the opportunity for success. Water baptism is a single act of obedience to the Bible that shows the world we belong to Him, just like salvation is a single prayer and confession of Jesus. The best part is that we get to live it everyday. So make a choice to be daily identifier with Christ and thank Him for the successes that come.

Discipleship: Faith

Faith is our substance and evidence according to Hebrews 11:1. In other words it is our proof of the answer until we see it happen. When we act on our faith is pushes us toward the answer we're believing for.

With every heartbeat faith should be pulsating through our lives. When we allow it to move through us, Heaven is unleashes to bring answers our way. As faith grows, answers come. Let faith grow in your heart with these easy steps:

1. Read the Bible daily, Rom. 10:17
2. Pray in the understanding and in tongues every day, 1 Thess. 5:17 and Acts 1:8
3. Go to church, Heb. 10:24-25

Let me know what you think about faith!