The Most Important Thing to Know About Being a Good Disciple
What do you think it means to be a good disciple?
I was taught that to be a good disciple you needed to be a good student.
Although, learning what Jesus taught and studying God’s Word are an important part of discipleship, I believe there’s another simple definition that better explains what it means to be a good disciple…
Being a good disciple is simply a matter of following Jesus with a willing heart.
Life Application Bible Notes Mark 3:14ff
In Mark 3, Jesus chose and called His disciples.
Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones He wanted to go with Him. And they came to Him.
Mark 3:13
We talk about pastors and teachers being called but did you know that all disciples are “called?”
They are:
- called to faith in Jesus.
- called to serve Jesus.
- called to trust and obey Jesus.
And responding to His call is not complicated.
It is recognizing the blessing that Jesus wants you and answering His call by saying…
“Yes, Lord, I love You. I want to follow You! Please help me by the power of Your Spirit and give me all I need to trust You and obey Your will.”
The good news is . . . this is a prayer God loves to answer. He doesn’t first require a special gift or ability. He doesn’t need us to clean up our act first.
He simply wants us to repent and turn to Him.
To…
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
Luke 12:31
And trust His promise…
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13
Will you pray with me as I ask God to help us SEEK Him with all our hearts and trust Him to give us everything we need to be good disciples?
A Prayer Asking God to
Make You a Good Disciple
Lord, I am a sinner in need of Your forgiveness, mercy, and healing grace. I am so sorry that I fail to love the way You want.
Thank you for calling me to be Your own. Thank you for wanting me to be Your disciple. I want to follow You. I want to be a good disciple.
I want to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I want to love others the way I love myself. I want to obey Your commandments. Please help me. Fill me with Your Spirit and give me the longing to SEEK You with all my heart every day of my life. I want to love Your Word and sitting with You in prayer.
I want to trust and obey You with all that I am. And I believe, that by Your grace, this is a prayer You want to answer. I believe You will give me everything I need today. I surrender myself to You in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Friend, the enemy wants you to doubt the Lord and he wants you to believe that being a good disciple is up to you. The truth is . . . discipleship is about surrendering to the One who makes all things possible.
Those who Jesus’ called were not perfect nor did they have any special talents or abilities. They simply wanted to follow Him with willing hearts.
May that be our prayer today and every day.
On today’s note write:
Today, I will follow Jesus with a willing heart!
God bless you today as you SEEK Him and trust Him to give you everything you need to be a good disciple.
Thank you for your post. It was the Lord’s answer to my morning prayer.
Tammy, thanks for visiting and for letting me know it blessed you! I hope you have a wonderful day!
Praying today to follow Jesus with a willing heart, Deb. How I love praying with you each morning!
Blessings!
Thank you so much, Martha! Have a wonderful day!
Hi Deb,
It was a blessing to read your post today……seeking Jesus with a willingness to follow Him – is true fellowship with our Lord and saviour, knowing that we don’t have to be perfect to be His disciples. All we need is a willing heart, the Holy Spirit makes up the rest for us.
God bless you and may He continue to inspire you always.
Angela – Ireland
Amen, Angela! It is a relationship that is the best blessing in the world. God bless you!
Deb, Thanks so much for making this so simple for us because it really is. We are the ones that make it complicated! Praying for your ministry of making God’s Word more accessible to all of us!
Thank you, Patti! I am blessed by your encouragement. And I am blessed by your prayers! God bless you!
Thank you Deb. I am still not sure what this is about:
On today’s note write:
Today, I will follow Jesus with a willing heart!
Do we write this in a special book?
Hi, Angela! You can write it wherever you’d like. In a notebook or on a stickie note . . . anywhere that will help you remember and think God’s love today! God bless you!