Celebration Center Celebration Center

The first habit of a disciple maker is a vibrant prayer life. Whether you are a prayer warrior already or you struggle to keep your mind focused while blessing the meal, God will meet you where you’re at. Disciple Making is a spiritual activity that the devil doesn’t like and our greatest weapons are the Word of God and prayer. Today we will learn some practical prayer habits that are the first step from moving from the thorns of busyness to the fruitful good soil that produces a harvest.

We often know the process of being close to Jesus and making that jump, but sometimes it’s the first step that’s the hardest. As followers of Jesus we long for the “walk on water” moment, but before we ever get there we have to take the first step out of the boat.

Jesus shared clearly in the parable of the soils that there is only one soil you want to be on. As Jesus followers, we want to be on the fruitful & good soil but honestly, we better identify with the thorns. We will look at how this isn’t just a “next best” option for life, but rather that the two soils are the difference between death and life for you and generations to come.

A faith in Jesus that does not result in action is worthless. The Bible seems to suggest that true faith is demonstrated by our deeds. A powerful example of faith in the scriptures is that of the Centurion in Luke 7. This man asks for Jesus to come to His house because he believes Jesus is the only hope of healing for his servant. The centurion’s faith was not something that he only held in his heart; it was something he was willing to act upon. Jesus actually comments on how amazed he is by the man’s faith.

The early church shared a deep sense of fellowship around their belief in the risen Christ. They supported each other’s faith based on their shared love for Jesus and their commitment to living out His teachings. They shared with anyone who had a need, spent time reading the scripture, and fellowshipped together. This spirit of community was what allowed their numbers to grow each day and for the Gospel to spread far and wide. Today, believers can enjoy the community that comes from faith. Being a part of God’s family helps us experience all that God has for us.

One of the greatest obstacles to growing in our faith is the inability to fully accept the forgiveness of God. Our past mistakes, shortcomings, and failures too often hold us back from all that God has for us. God invites us to live with a future focus. Rather than dwelling on the past, we are called to live with eager anticipation for what lies ahead.