WBS.035
FUNDAMENTALS OF
DISCIPLESHIP
A KINGDOM HEART - V
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.
Acts 11:22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of Elohim, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Master.
This
has long been my favorite passage of Scripture.
Yes, I know. It seems a bit
obscure for a favorite passage; but the heart of IAUE is communicated to His
people in this one instruction: “he…exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would
cleave unto the Master.” IAUE wants His children to abide in His son,
our Master Yahushua Messiah. This instruction would not be given were it not
necessary. That means we can know that
if we are not purposed in our heart to cleave to the Master…we won’t.
The simple explanation is that we live
in a world ruled by our five physical senses.
If we can see it, touch it, taste it, hear it and feel it, it is real to
us; and we can understand its properties and rely upon it accordingly. If we cannot see it, touch it, taste it, hear
it and feel, like most aspects of the spiritual world, we must “believe” it
without the evidence that we routinely rely upon to determine what is real in
this world. This condition is what I
have often referred to as “the problem with the invisible god.” To this world, seeing is believing; and not
seeing yet believing is superstition. We
cannot see Elohim, thus our lives are constantly being challenged as to the
reality of our own faith. This is no
more true today than it was in the first century church. Granted, that region of the world in that era
was a very polytheistic culture. People
believed in many gods; but they all had icons of their gods so they could see
him/her in whom they believed. IAUE
refused to allow icons to be made to represent Him; hence the icon on Areopagus
to “the unknown god” (Acts 17:23). They were aware
of Him, but had no idea what He looked like or even what was His name.
We enter our discipleship with the
knowledge that our relationship with Messiah is going to be highly
subjective. We are going to experience him,
know him, feel him, hear his voice; and sometimes, maybe, even see him or his
angels; and the only ones who are going to be able to understand that it is
real are those who are also in a relationship with Him and share our experience
in him. It is only when we allow him to
change us from within that others can see him in us; and we become the world’s
evidence of spiritual realities. The
Kingdom of Elohim does not come with outward observation. It is observed by witnessing the effect of
the Master’s rule within a disciple; and that effect does not manifest in a
life that is not abiding in him and doing his will.
Barnabas instructed the new disciples
in Antioch that “with purpose of heart they
would cleave to the Master.” This
word “purpose” is quite interesting. In
the Greek text, it is the word “prothesis.”
Basically, it means to set or to place something in view. The interesting thing is how it is translated
in the New Testament. Eight times it is
translated “purpose,” but four times it is translated “showbread.” The showbread is the bread that was baked
each Sabbath and taken into the Holy Place of the Tabernacle where it was
placed before IAUE. For a week, it
remained there under the light of the Candlestick, absorbing the incense of the
altar of incense; and at the end of the week, the priests who ministered in the
Holy Place ate it, and replaced it with new bread.
If we combine this concept with the
more literal idea of being purposed in heart; we can see that what IAUE desires
of our commitment to Him is that:
- We set our lives before Him, to walk and live in the illumination of His Spirit;
- We are ever conscious of His worthiness to be worshipped through our every word and deed;
- We recognize that we are a part of a body that shares in our experience with Him; and we need to encourage each other in that body in fellowship on a regular basis;
- We need routinely to renew our purpose to cleave to the Master.
This
purpose of heart is not something that just happens on its own. Our faithfulness to the Master is not a
by-product of our faith. It is a choice;
and the fruitfulness of that choice comes out of preparation.
Isa 14:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare
the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
1 Samuel 7:3 And Samuel spake
unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto IAUE with all
your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you,
and prepare your hearts unto IAUE and serve him only: and
he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will
send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and
IAUE, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of
the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith IAUE of hosts.
Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was
spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of IAUE, make his paths
straight.
Matthew 11:10 For this is he, of whom
it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare
thy way before thee.
There
are scores of passages of Scripture where man is exhorted to prepare his heart,
or to prepare his way for IAUE. This is
a command. It is to be obeyed. It is not an option. If we fail to make preparation, we will not
be prepared. This call to preparation is
a fundamental aspect of the gospel message.
It begins with, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Elohim is at hand.” Repentance is not a point-in-time experience,
but a condition of heart. Repentance
recognizes “the problem of the invisible god,” and challenges man to always and
ever recognize that his former life is over and he now lives before Elohim…like
the showbread that is ever placed before Him.
What
skater aspires to represent his/her country in the Olympics that spends four
years eating fast foods, sitting in front of the television, and not exercising? What realistic expectation would such a
person have in the Olympic trials; and what Olympic Committee would select such
a person to represent their country?
What
soldier expects to become a Navy Seal or a Green Beret or an Airborne Ranger if
he does not make preparation to pass all manner of physical and mental tests? What commander would engage such a soldier in
an elite unit where excellence would be required of every aspect of every
mission?
What
musician expects to be hired by a symphonic orchestra who does not practice
long hours, sacrificing “personal time” in order to perfect his/her skill on
the instrument; and what orchestra would hire such a musician?
What
disciple would refuse to prepare his/her heart to recognize the voice of the
Master and predetermine that obedience will be their immediate response to him,
choosing instead to follow his/her own will; and what Master would say to such
an one, “Enter into my Kingdom?”
Now
you get the point. Discipleship is not a
point-in-time experience that is wholly resolved in the uttering of a sentence
prayer to Elohim. That is merely the
beginning of a rigorous life of discipline, self-denial, and revelation through
which He transforms us to be more and more like him, so others can see him in
us.
We
are called to set our lives before Elohim and to cleave to the Master Yahushua.
We are also called to exhort our
brothers and sisters to do the same.
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