April Discipleship Emphasis

Each month this year our staff will choose a different aspect of discipleship to share as the focus for that given month. Discipleship is the process of growing to be more like Jesus, part of The Journey every Christian embarks upon when surrendering their life to Christ.
 
The discipleship focus for the month of April is Bible Reading. Our daily reading, study, and engagement with God’s Word is where we begin to find the Lord in our personal lives. You may have heard it said that your belief in Jesus can’t just be an extension of your family’s faith, but it must be a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. This is true! Just in the same way that your relationships with friends, family, or coworkers will never grow if you don’t get to know them, you cannot grow without a personal walk with Jesus. 
 
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Paul shows the accuracy of Scripture and its benefit to us as we walk together on The Journey: “6 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
 
Also, Romans 15 communicates that scripture is written for our instruction and for our encouragement! “4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom 15:4). Even when the promises of this life fail us, we know the Word of God never will (Luke 1:37). 
 
Hebrews 4 tells Christians that the Word of God is the greatest tool available when sharing the gospel with others: “12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). It’s here that we begin to realize that it isn’t the eloquent words we try to come up with or the manner in which we believe we speak, but the Spirit of God through His Word changes hearts.

This month continue The Journey: find the value in spending time with the Lord daily by reading His Word. Start now if you have never had a consistent plan before. Our staff is working through a year-long Bible reading plan, so we are all in this together! In Isaiah 55:6, the prophet Isaiah says to, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.” Seek the Lord this month and encourage others to do the same!
 
(Written by Jacob French, Music and Youth Pastor)