Read Mt 6.19-34
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6:21)
Jesus is drawing a contrast between worldly thinking and the eternal. He concludes if the things we value are in heaven, we will quickly align our hearts with those values.
Discipleship is a process of exchanging values. We come into the faith recognizing our values and God’s values are completely opposite. God’s values are eternal and ours are temporal. When we repent, we embrace God’s values for our lives through Jesus. We begin a journey of transformation (Rom 12.2). However, we need an explanation of those values, we needed tutoring. Jesus lived out the Father’s values in a perfect manner to become our perfect model. As we follow Jesus, we are lining up our values with His. We are becoming like Him. Now our treasure, serving and glorifying God, is where our heart is as well.
The disciplemaker is in the business of helping people change their values. The first step is helping the young disciple see the incongruence of their values versus the Father’s. Of course, we can simply tell them; but, I’ve found this realization happens best with self discovery. This is why it is so important to get them into the Word of God. Now, instead of me telling them they need to change, God is telling them.
Changing values is tough, but it is close to impossible if the person has no desire to change. I always say, “You can’t push a rope.” A person who is not willing to participate with you in the change process is better left to the One who generates desire in very creative ways. But even when a person wants to change, it can be tough. That is why prayer is such an important tool in my disciplemaking kitbag. There are certain areas of life that will take spiritual dynamite to dislodge. And we can never underestimate the power of relationship. Our modeling, encouragement, and exhortation are all such important components for shaping a young disciple’s values.
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6:21)
Jesus is drawing a contrast between worldly thinking and the eternal. He concludes if the things we value are in heaven, we will quickly align our hearts with those values.
Discipleship is a process of exchanging values. We come into the faith recognizing our values and God’s values are completely opposite. God’s values are eternal and ours are temporal. When we repent, we embrace God’s values for our lives through Jesus. We begin a journey of transformation (Rom 12.2). However, we need an explanation of those values, we needed tutoring. Jesus lived out the Father’s values in a perfect manner to become our perfect model. As we follow Jesus, we are lining up our values with His. We are becoming like Him. Now our treasure, serving and glorifying God, is where our heart is as well.
The disciplemaker is in the business of helping people change their values. The first step is helping the young disciple see the incongruence of their values versus the Father’s. Of course, we can simply tell them; but, I’ve found this realization happens best with self discovery. This is why it is so important to get them into the Word of God. Now, instead of me telling them they need to change, God is telling them.
Changing values is tough, but it is close to impossible if the person has no desire to change. I always say, “You can’t push a rope.” A person who is not willing to participate with you in the change process is better left to the One who generates desire in very creative ways. But even when a person wants to change, it can be tough. That is why prayer is such an important tool in my disciplemaking kitbag. There are certain areas of life that will take spiritual dynamite to dislodge. And we can never underestimate the power of relationship. Our modeling, encouragement, and exhortation are all such important components for shaping a young disciple’s values.
A few questions;
· Is the person you are discipling ready and willing to change?
· Are they reading the Word daily?
· Are they being saturated with Jesus in the Gospels daily?
· Are you praying for this person’s transformation daily?
· Are they seeing the values of Jesus modeled by you?
· Are their values changing?
FJ83
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