Christ heals through Discipleship

How do we find the life Christ promises us in the scriptures? Christ was sent to heal the broken-hearted and set the captive free, right? Simple enough. So why are so many Christians still broken hearted? Still captive to (you name it)? Because we are all still wounded and in need of healing. Deep, soul restoring healing found only in the work of Christ. And He typically heals us through one of four 'streams'. The first of which is Discipleship.

I'm not talking about discipleship of accountability, tithing, fasting, scripture memorization... Is that what Jesus called the 'disciples' to? Did he call out to Peter and Andrew to lay down their fishing nets and learn how to spend more time in the church or memorizing scripture? NO! At the core of Jesus' heart - the heart of God, was to spend time with us. To have relationship with us... He wants us to walk with him. And through that daily walking with God... we become more disciplined... more holy. The goal is for sure to become holy - but not by observing the law. Discipleship through walking with God. That is the path to healing; to 'wholeness'. And that's what we all need right? Becoming WHOLE through healing the brokeness. Jesus wants us to hang out with him; walk with him and the trade off is healing, wholeness, LIFE.

That's what discipleship is men (and women).... learning to walk with God. How much time did Jesus spend teaching the disciples about the ten commandments? How much time did he spend teaching the 12 to be legalistic? What are the scriptures of the New Testament filled with? Relationship right? Spending time together. Doing life together. People weren't drawn to Jesus cause he was a great teacher of the Law (legalism) and how to obey it. Did he praise the pharisees? Did he hold them up as the standard? But is that not what the church does today? Just do this, and that. Take that class, observe this law and that one. Lead a Bible study, serve in the church more than you spend time with your family. Then you will have arrived, right? We strive for that and year after year we mope around in emptyness; brokeness. Wondering why we're not further along in our 'walk'.

Act 6:3... Jesus is telling the Twelve, choose 7 men known to be full of the spirit and wisdom. Why? Wisdom is the key; the foundation. It is especially needed early on as you are learnging to walk with God. The learned wisdom of knowing if the voice you hear in your head is God's, your's, or the enemy's. And that simply takes time, friends. That alone is a strong enough deterant for most, right? Well, I gave it a shot God. I tried a few times to pray and listen for you and it just doesn't work. It takes time. Tiger Woods didn't pick up a set of clubs at 21 and suddenly become the youngest player to ever win the Masters. Tiger has been swinging a golf club since he was 6 months old! and he practiced - probably every day. He never gave up. Golf was everything to him. He has given his life to it and he is reaping the fruit of that dedication.

That's all Jesus wants. He wants us to spend time with him. Talk with him. Listen for him. Scripture does not describe wisdom as the mastery of principles. It is described as a discerning heart. God offered to give Solomon WHATEVER he wanted. And he asked for a discerning heart. Solomon is remembered as the wisest person who lived; not the most disciplined in principles. And wisdom comes from walking with God; learning from him. And in the beginning you are going to stink at it. You are going to suck for a while even. I've only recently begun this journey of learning to walk with God and it feels like two steps forward and one back - on a good day. Yet God doesn't give up on me and now and then I hear him. Just two nights ago I was working through Eldredge's Walking With God Journal and as I was finishing up I just threw a question out there. A significant situation has seemingly disrupted life as I know it right now. It's taken many days to even get to a place of willingness to hear from God. And so I say, "Father, do I even go through with this certain pending situation?" I had already made my list of logical pros and cons. I was ready to hear a yes or no from him. But what I heard was, "Just walk with me. It'll all work out." I don't have clarity on what I wanted clarity on. I want answers and God just wants me to walk with him. That's the life he wants for us... walk with him and he'll work out the details as we trust him with them. The more time we spend with him, the more we learn to hear him. And as we learn to hear him we gain wisdom. And all long the way we are healing; restoring our heart.

To hear from God we have to believe he is still speaking; that an intimate, conversational relationship with God is the norm. It's was not just reserved for Moses, David, Paul... but all of us. Secondly, we have to assume that it is ours to hear his voice. "The sheep know my voice..." And third, to begin to tune into our heart. Christ dwells IN our hearts. We don't audibly hear his voice, it is within. You have to cultivate an awareness of tuning into your heart. Unplugging from life and getting quiet.

There is so much more to say but this is a good start. Bottom line is that God doesn't want our good deeds alone. We can never be good enough. And being good enough is simply a wounded, broken life striving for something unacheiveable. The Father simply wants our time. He wants a relationship. And relationships take time.