Introduction The word “disciple” may invoke images of long robes, scraggly beards, and dusty feet. The twelve men Jesus gathered around Him were set apart for a specific purpose but they shared something in common with all believers throughout the ages: they were followers. There is a necessary connection in the Bible between a personal relationship with God and a personal response to His gracious work in our hearts. Faith and obedience go hand in hand, the Lordship of Jesus laying claim to every area of life. We truly know Him only when we obey Him and the deepest kind of joy is found in that surrender of our wills to His. The purpose of this devotional is to help you think and pray through the implications of discipleship for your own life. Scripture meditation combined with practical application will fuel your faith so that you may be doers of the Word. May you hear His voice in these pages and experience His joy and peace as you take the next step of obedience. Please consider sharing your personal journey with us. Send your stories to [email protected]. First Steps Days 1-5 “Maggie and I” Day 1 Key Verse: Genesis 1:26 We have a miniature Schnauzer named Maggie. Maggie may have ADHD. I’m not certain, but I think she was over- stimulated as a puppy (our fault). We love Maggie even though she gives us much grief. Maggie is one of the family, but not really. When I want good conversation I seek out my wife, not Maggie. Maggie has never received a piece of correspondence in the mail or sat at the table with us while we shared a meal. There is a reason for that. I was made in the image of God. Maggie was not. The creation account in Genesis serves to remind us that human beings are the crown of God’s creation, not an after- thought. In love, God created us uniquely to reason and to rule over His creation. Most of all, however, God created us for relationships. We stand alone amongst all of God’s creation with the capacity to know Him and enjoy Him. It is only in this relationship that we can know our true reason for being. Sadly, there are many who reject God and never experience the purpose for which they were made. Any serious consideration of what it means to be a follower of Christ must begin in Genesis. You and I were made to know God and walk with Him. Miss this and you miss your whole reason for being. Take a Step: Spend a moment praising God for the wonder of His creation. Thank Him for the unique privilege of knowing Him. “A Poor Reflection” Day 2 Key Verse: Romans 5:12 There is an app on your Iphone that allows you to capture images of yourself on camera and to manipulate those images into silly and grotesque forms. The result is an image that more closely resembles life on another planet than anything human. Phones can be fun to play with but I don’t know of anyone who aspires to be like the image that they see in those surfaces. Those images are undesirable distortions of the real thing. Mankind was created in the image of God. As an object of God’s love, Adam was to find his joy in knowing his creator. But the invasion of sin in the world damaged God’s creation and distorted the image of God in Adam and in us. The sin of the first man resulted in a broken relationship that would affect all creation and all generations. We inherited a sinful nature from our spiritual forbears and we don’t have to look long and hard to see that nature peeking through in what we choose to say, think, and do. Our guilt before an eternally holy God leaves us powerless to know God or enjoy Him. What a bleak picture sin paints. But all is not lost! God was at work from the very beginning to restore what sin had taken away. Praise be to Him for His mercy and love! Take a Step: What evidence do you see of the damaging affects of sin in your own life? Confess your sin to God and tell Him you want to be a better reflection of His glory. “God Took the First Step” Day 3 Key Verse: Romans 5:8 I can remember it clearly. It was raining that day and as I drove by she was sitting in her front yard. I thought it an unusual time for someone to be enjoying the great outdoors so I stopped, put the car in reverse, and backed up to get another look. She was still there; seated and struggling. As I went to her side and inquired, I discovered that she had left her house to go into town when she slipped and fell. I helped her to her feet and stayed with her until she could be joined with her family again. I am not sure how long she had been sitting there or how long she would have remained, but I know on that day that God brought me by to help, and taught me a few things about grace in the process. The Bible describes our spiritual condition apart from Christ as death. Sin distances us from God and all efforts at moral reform fail to bridge the gap. New clothes do not give a corpse new life. So God took the initiative in coming to us in His Son. This is grace. Fully God and fully man, Christ satisfied God’s righteous requirements by dying as a perfect sacrifice for our sin. His resurrection from the dead demonstrated His power to forgive and transform those who come to Him by faith. As you contemplate what it means to be a disciple of Christ, remember this fundamental truth: God took the first step. Take a Step: Contemplate for a moment what life would be like for you apart from Christ. Spend a moment thanking and praising God for the indescribable gift of His Son! “Stepping out in Faith” Day 4 Key Verses: Ephesians 2:8,9 I like roller coasters, especially the wooden ones. The anticipation in the ascent, the moment of pause, the adrenaline rush in the plummet to the bottom; it is the closest that a guy can get to flying in a fighter jet without climbing into the cockpit. When I board a roller coaster I often think, “I hope this thing got inspected” or “I hope this seatbelt works.” Enjoying a roller coaster requires an all or nothing commitment that is based on faith. Whether dining at a restaurant, driving a car, or riding a roller coaster, we demonstrate faith when we are confident enough in someone’s work that we are willing to entrust our lives to it. Biblical faith is exercised when we trust that Christ’s death and resurrection on our behalf are enough to make us right with an infinitely holy God. There is no room for self-confidence in this kind of faith. All efforts at trying to earn God’s affection must be abandoned as we confess our sinful condition and turn to Christ. He alone can forgive and save forever, those who stake everything on Him. Take a Step: Have you trusted Christ to make you right with God once-and-for-all? If so, then spend a minute thanking God for saving you. If not, then would you consider taking this life changing step now? Consider the following prayer as a prompt: “God, You have made me aware of my sinful condition and I am sorry. I believe that Your Son was crucified and resurrected so that I could be forgiven. Right now I turn from my self-centered existence and surrender myself to Christ, trusting Him to make me right with You forever. Teach me what it means to follow Jesus . Amen.” “God’s Masterpiece” Day 5 Key Verse: Ephesians 2:10 You can see something of the artist in his work. Painters, musicians, sculptors and photographers can often be identified through what they produce. You might say that they put a little of themselves into every project. It would not be a stretch to translate “workmanship” in Ephesians 2:10 as “masterpiece.” You are God’s masterpiece and reflect the unique character of the artist as you obey and follow Him. Just as the portrait reflects the painter or the symphony reflects the composer, so Christians reflect the glory of God as they live holy lives. Through faith in Jesus Christ not only are we brought into God’s household but we are also placed on the path of Christ likeness. This is God’s will for every believer: obedience to Christ through faith. This conforms us to His image, every step reflecting more of the presence of His Son in us. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18. The process of sanctification, or being made holy, takes a lifetime and will be complete only when we see Him in eternity. Until then, each of us is a work in progress. Take a Step: What kind of progress are you making? Do you look more like Christ today than you did last month? Last year? Be honest with God about this and commit to living a life of obedience this year.