PRINCIPLES OF A FRUITFUL LIFE

The next step we must take at this juncture is to discuss the Journey of Discipleship, a sequence of the Journey of Salvation. In essence, the journey of salvation gives rise to the journey of discipleship. It is of necessity for us to do a study on what the journey of discipleship is all about so that we can apply wisdom as we run the Heavenly Race or the Journey of Life. I would like to begin by saying that every life in Christ Jesus is on a journey of discipleship where he becomes a student and a follower of Christ. This journey of discipleship is imbedded in the journey of salvation. A Christian is automatically enrolled into the school of discipleship once he has taken the decision to follow Christ. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. - John 15:8 To be explicit, a child of God becomes a disciple of Christ only when he starts to be fruitful in life. And because of the importance of this discipleship training, our Lord made it known to His disciples immediately He called them. He knew that only a man who has a clear understanding of a journey will get to the end. Many Christians are distracted because they lack knowledge. When you know where you are going and its importance you will never allow distraction to keep you off track. Our Lord explained the importance of this journey immediately He called His disciples. And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. - Matthew 4:18-22 After our Master called His disciples, they left all including their fishing profession to begin the journey of discipleship. They did not see the need to take permission from anyone. Peter and Andrew were not even apologetic enough to take permission from their father who was with them. Why? They knew they were to move to the next level of becoming the Disciples of Christ; Fishers of Men and no more Fishermen. Please, do not misunderstand my point; you don’t have to leave your profession as they did if the Lord is not requesting that from you. But you have to take a decisive step concerning this journey wherever your location is in God’s kingdom. You cannot get to the end of the journey if your profession will keep you off track. Your profession must align with the journey. In other words, you must be able to balance your profession with this journey of discipleship. You must know that your profession has been carved out by God to fulfill your journey of discipleship. This will enable you to take a firm decision concerning this journey so that when others are going back because of their non commitment you will definitely keep moving. The people that are going back are visionless but you are full of vision. You must get to the Rubicon where your turning back will become impossible. Listen to Peter when their Master asked if they will also go back when others left. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. - John 6: 66-69 You have to believe and be sure of this journey before you can get to the end. Uncertainty about the journey will bring distraction along your way. I have no doubt that you know about the exploits of the Disciples of Christ and the rewards that will follow them on the Day of Judgment. The first disciples made so much impact that the precedence they left has been unmatchable by what we have in the kingdom today. And do you know that the same grace they enjoyed is what you are enjoying today? Listen carefully; what you will make out of this journey is the only thing that will glorify your Father in heaven. And this is all about your living a fruitful life. The Lord has definitely called you unto a fruitful journey of discipleship so let His desire for your life be fulfilled. Heaven is waiting to celebrate your success. The cloud of witnesses is building hope on you to succeed. The job of the cloud of witnesses is to urge you to keep moving and never to stop. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, - Hebrews 12:1 Keep moving despite all odds. Lay aside every weight that is not allowing you to run the race properly. Develop patience; overcome all the hindrances that have been set by hell to pull you down. You are able to get to the ’finishing line’ as long as you keep looking unto your Master. The Word of God says, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” – Romans 8:37. Nothing can stop you!