discipleship: the difference between fullness and failure
"Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant." —1 Kings 19:21
The culmination of Elijah's earth-shaking ministry was when he heard God whisper to him to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha (1 Kgs 19:15-16). Personally, Elijah anointed only Elisha. The other two anointings were done by Elisha, Elijah's disciple, and by another disciple of Elisha. Elijah's great mission was completed by discipleship (see 1 Kgs 19:21).
When Jesus was hanging on the cross before His death, he commanded one of His disciples, representing all His disciples, to accept Mary as the mother of all His disciples (see Jn 19:27). Shortly before He ascended into heaven, Jesus commanded all His disciples to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19). The culmination and completion of the mission of Jesus is by discipleship.
The Lord has an amazing plan for your life. Will this plan be done fully? That depends on how well you make disciples of your children, family, fellow workers, friends, and other people the Lord has brought into your life. Be His disciple by His standards (see Lk 9:23-24), and make disciples of all nations.
Prayer: Father, make discipleship the priority for me that You want it to be.
Promise: "Say, 'Yes' when you mean 'Yes' and 'No' when you mean 'No.' Anything beyond that is from the evil one." —Mt 5:37
Praise: Margaret not only homeschools her children to better raise them up for God's kingdom, she spends countless hours driving them to Christian gatherings and events so they may be further discipled through fellowship and sound teaching.
Reference: (For related teaching, order our booklet, Discipleship in a Culture of Death, or our tape on audio AV 97-1 and AV 97-3 or video V-97, and consider coming to our discipleship retreats. For information on our retreats, call 937-587-5464 or e-mail retreats@presentationministries.com)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert A. Stricker, December 13, 2003
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 18, 2003