Disciple

Hm , some notes again, on disciple, convicting to myself, and eye opening to how , well dan, how things can seem right , but they are not, and we can either accept them and repent or not. Also, it can destroy us and create or distort what was intended.
well here goes:

What is a disciple? Or the 5 types of disciples (the Brother got 5, not saying only 5)

1. The do nothing disciple: James 1:22-24

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. 23 For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: 24 for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 

2. the part time / my way disciple

Phillipians 2:21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

3. Hypocritical Disciple
Titus 1:16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
-their actions speak the wrong way-

4. Self-righteous disciple
Isaiah 65:
3 a people who continually provoke me
   to my very face,
offering sacrifices in gardens
   and burning incense on altars of brick;
4 who sit among the graves
   and spend their nights keeping secret vigil;
who eat the flesh of pigs,
   and whose pots hold broth of impure meat;
5 who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me,
   for I am too sacred for you!’
Such people are smoke in my nostrils,
   a fire that keeps burning all day.--
Analogy here used was a balance scale , before we are Christians, we are the most important thing to God, aka He is fighting for our souls, but after we become Christians, the scales drop down, God still has to save those other souls; and just liek a scale, we have to lower ourselves....(the lowliness of His Greatness)
( I add v 2:  All day long I have held out my hands
   to an obstinate people,
who walk in ways not good,
   pursuing their own imaginations—)

(These take pride in self,-not right)

5. The Contentious Disciple

Philippians 2:3-11 (New International Version, ©2010)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, 
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 
7 rather, he made himself nothing 
   by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, 
   being made in human likeness. 
8 And being found in appearance as a man, 
   he humbled himself 
   by becoming obedient to death— 
      even death on a cross!

 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father.

This is the entitlement disciple " I'm entitled to this or that. 

Hm, In all these things, it is about "me" and honestly I have played all these parts and even still have times, I do or start to. It is very similar to how Adam and Eve were tempted in the garden, cause the Devil told them the truth in one way " you won't die (not right away in the way you think) and it will make you like God knowing good and evil " (Gen. 3:4), but it was a distortion or half-truth, playing off the weaknesses. That is how we are destroyed and defeated, it takes focus off of God and His plan, way. It gives us part truths s we can feel good about ourselves, but destroys us cause it is not the whole truth, which takes learning and well, the whole truth doesn't always sound as good to us as "our favorite part" so we skip to what we like ignoring the whole thing. (as if we are watching a movie)

So it is here, I'm entitled to rights as children of God, but not cause of me, or anything like that, it is a gift, yes, God thinks very highly of me, but doesn't mean I'm any "holier or more righteous" than you or anyone, Dan. Only by God through Jesus is there any righteousness. 

Yeah, I got baptized and repented but that doesn't mean I can just live like before or even that I can do what I want, or that I have now hit the jackpot which I get whatever, I have to do something, more than just show up on Sundays and Wednesdays. 

The scary one for me, well they are all scary and when I heard this lesson, freaked me out (that's a good thing), Hypocritical disciple, actions not match words. That's hard, cause it is a constant thing, I forget a lot of stuff ( guess that why I take fish oil, supposedly helps the memory :) ) but that isn't an excuse, have to keep looking at what I'm saying and doing to see if they match up with what God says to do. If not, gotta find a way to rectify it by God's good grace. Oh, and I know I'm gonna fall flat on my face and break a nose (figuratively speaking) or something, but that's when God loves it most cause then He can truly vividly (cause I know I don't see it other times) pick us up, fix us up and carry us.

What also hit me was just the verse that I think sums it all up : Philippians 2:21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

This one verse, even no reading it after some days since heard this all, um, cuts me like a knife (and I've been cut many times with knives, through some accident my own and others)

By the Grace and power of God, can this be overcome. I guess it seems , the hardest part is letting go what I want, and just listening to what God says, not what I want to add or "adjust" to fit my point. Honestly, i have found just on scripture things that I just arg, well I'm ashamed to say it, but I seen things and read things where I'm just asking "what the heck? God why did you do that?  Why was it OK? Why did  You let that happen; it seems so unfair." 

Bottom line though, it's not about me when it comes to me or life in general, (Hm, not sure if that came out right). I'm gonna stop before I get off point even more. 

Well, Dan, that is it, for this moment. Hope it helps someone, if not, well it helped to read this again, hope others if they are past this part, pass this on to those who need it,; never know who needs to hear this or something.  Fight the good fight, the war was won on the cross, now we just got to fight the left over battles. 

May God help us and guide us. Help her God, and be with her and lead us to the Cross. Carry us , cause we need it. Help us to let go of self and just do what you say, no questions asked (Yup, God, um, I REALLY REALLY need help with that) . Thanks for putting up with us. Heal and protect and strengthen. Know this wretched heart and clean it of it's impurities and gunk. Thank you for the beautiful weather. In Jesus name, Amen.