Chidiotamiri @Chidiotamiri@dingdash.com

The conditions of mentorship and human followership may change or be modified to suit current realities. But the conditions of discipleship remain unchanged. Jesus said:

"If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also]." Luke 9:23 AMP

In the strictest sense, there's a difference between a believer, a disciple, and a Christian, though we may still use these terms synonymously. There was a time when Jesus preached and many believed in Him (they became believers). That is, they responded to the altar call But Jesus said to those believers, "If ye continue in my words, then are ye my disciples indeed" (John 8:31). Thus, a disciple is the believer who follows Jesus Christ daily and CONTINUES to obey ALL His teachings.

The disciples in the early church at Antioch had become so Christlike that they were nicknamed, "Christians" (Acts 11:26). A Christian is a believer who has become a disciple of Jesus Christ and has so become Christlike that you can hardly tell the difference between the Master and the disciple.

Are you a sinner, believer, disciple, or a Christian?

Saying the sinner's prayer with faith in your heart can only make you a believer or a baby in the faith (teknon), not a disciple of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, it's hard to differentiate between teknons and sinners. Through discipleship, teknons are groomed to become mature disciples or sons (huios). Only huios can drive and advance God's kingdom on earth. The Great Commission is summarized thus:

1. Preach to sinners to get converted and become teknons.

2. Train (disciple) teknons to become huios.

There's no number of celebrities used by betting companies for adverts that can make betting right. Betting is unbiblical, addictive, destructive, and mentally incapacitating. Quit betting.

In life, we may not always have faith in God to stand. But we need to always surround ourselves with people whose faith will sustain us even when ours has failed.

We have the mind of Christ as believers, but let's cultivate and groom it. That's the essence of discipleship.

To me, these are the two most powerful prayers in the Bible and in the right order:
"Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me."
"Lord, that I might receive my sight."

We don't approach God on the basis of: "I pay my tithe or firstfruit faithfully." We come to God on the platform of MERCY - AT THE MERCY SEAT; bringing nothing in our hands, but clinging to the cross.

You're already in a ditch of carnality and deception when you begin to think that you're the best Christian, your pastor is the best pastor, or your church the best.

Net-breaking and ships-sinking blessings await those who'll obey the Lord's instructions this year. But we need to enlarge our capacity for more. Throw in more NETS, not just one net, for a draught. Multitude of fishes are waiting to rush into your nets.

"I've never tasted alcohol." "I've never smoked." "I've been sexually pure." "I love my neighbors." You've been deceived if your righteousness is based on these. Christ is our Righteousness.

Temptations come to us because we still have the ability to yield to temptations even after we're born again. There's no level of spirituality that we attain in life that will remove from us the ability to sin. But though the ability to sin is still in us, the grace of God has appeared to us and it enables us to say "NO" to sin.

From my personal experience, I've found out that when we preach Jesus and God's kingdom, miracles of healings happen with ease among the people even without praying for them to get healed.

My prayer for 2022.

"Awake, O north wind! Awake, O south wind! Breathe on my garden with your Spirit-Wind. Stir up the sweet spice of your life within me. Spare nothing as you make me your fruitful garden. Hold nothing back until I release your fragrance. Come walk with me as you walked with Adam in your paradise garden. Come taste the fruits of your life in me." Song of Solomon 4:16 TPT

Many people are high-spirited at points "Z" and "A", but they get despondent between points "A" and "Z". It's not enough to be hopeful in December and January. Put your hands to work and keep the fire burning between January and December. That's the secret of success.

God created the world in six days. He can still do what He promised you He'll do in 2021 before the end of the year. Only believe.

"How many are the lost that I have lifted?
How many are the chained I've helped to free?
I wonder, have I done my best for Jesus, when He has done so much for me."
Edwin Young

There are many unbelieving believers who claim to be following Jesus. They're the so-called disciples of Jesus Christ who always betray the Lord.

"But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him." John 6:64

I'm like a weak ox yoked to a strong and compassionate Christ. He carries me on and His strength alone does the job on the farm.

The height of a tree trunk must be directly proportional to the depth of its root. The spread of the branches of a tree only reflects the spread of its roots beneath the soil. Deepen! Heighten! Widen! This is the order.