The 9 Practices
1.3 – Being A True Learner
Philippians 3:7-9 (New International Version)
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
What does it take to be a true Learner?
Luke 9:57-62 (New International Version)
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
3 Obstacles to being a true Learner…
1. Comforts
Romans 8:18 (New International Version)
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
2 Kinds of comforts we fight:
· Comforts of the past: past successes, hurts,
o Lot’s Wife, Children of Israel
· Comforts of the present: nice life, neat things, security in false things
· It is often more comfortable to hold on to what we know than it is to experience what we were created for.
· You cannot live by faith and make decisions in fear.
2. Priorities
Exodus 20:3 (New International Version)
"You shall have no other gods before me.
· If you ask someone if they are busy, they will almost always say yes. Not very many people will look at you and say – I am doing NOTHING!
· Everyone is busy. What we need to make sure of is that we are busy with the right things.
· The Phrase: “I DON’T HAVE TIME.” Is an excuse – not reality. Our priorities won’t let us do it. We always have time for our priorities.
· When your priorities are about things in this life, your kids grow up with the same priorities.
· Your kids are not better off if they don’t see you live by faith.
3. Obligations
Luke 14:26 (New International Version)
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
These are hard statements!
Joshua 24:14-16 (New International Version)
"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
· Jesus isn’t playing. And Neither can we.
Some questions to ask:
1. Do I live my life looking backward or forward?
2. What other obligations to I let get in the way of fully following Jesus?
3. What priorities do I have that may not align with God’s design for me?
4. What is God asking me to let go of so that I can truly be a learning disciple, not just a stagnate follower?
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