Determined Discipleship is Determined to Keep Developing in Life

Pray – (1/2 minutes)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. And His mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:51-52)
   Passage: Psalm 61:1-5

‍ The four gospels tell the story of Jesus from conception to resurrection and ascension. Of the 89 chapters in those, only four contain information about Jesus’s birth and childhood. In the final word about the time from Jesus being 12 till 30, Luke tells us that Jesus kept increasing, or developing in four areas of life. Those four areas are designed by God for His children to live balanced lives. Think of them like a chair with four legs. If one leg is shorter, the chair will wobble. If one is broken, the chair will be very unsteady and hardly usable. ‍
      As disciples of Jesus, we need to be determined to keep developing in all four areas of life, mentally, physically, spiritually and socially. Each area is important and they connect to the others to enable us to live balanced, fulfilling, productive lives for Christ. Paul expressed the attitude of a determined disciple in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.” Set your heart to be a determined disciple and keep developing in life to be the best God designed you to be.

‍Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)