MiDweek RECAP

Taking things from Sunday morning, diving deeper, and applying them to our lives.

HOW DO WE FOLLOW JESUS?

Church, use this to check on your dashboard. If this is a tune-up, what needs more effort put into your walk with Jesus? Where are you practicing spiritual disciplines well? What do you need to add into the mix?

Moms and dads, let me again encourage you to use this to discuss what it means to follow Jesus with your kids. This is a great foundation to work through over time as you build your household on Jesus and the gospel.

Matthew 4:18-22

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Believe Him

John 3:16

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Spend Time With Him

IN PRAYER

Luke 6:12

12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.

IN LISTENING

Matthew 17:5

5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

I have found this to be one of the most challenging parts of my walk with Jesus. A resource that has helped me immensely in understanding prayer, especially the listening aspect of it, is Moving Mountains by John Eldredge. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to grow in this area of their following Jesus.

Learn more here

Purchase here

READING

John 8:31

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,"

Spending time in God's Word is crucial to any believer's life with Jesus. It can also be one of the most intimidating aspects of growing in your faith. Where do I start? What kind of Bible should I have? What about my kids?

I recommend starting in the Gospels. They record the life and ministry of Jesus. The gospel of Mark moves quickly and more cinematically. It's always a good start for those of you picking up the Bible for the first time.

It also helps to have a Bible that you understand. At Asante Church, we use the English Standard Version (ESV) translation for everything because it lends better to the word-for-word translation of the Bible. Below is a chart that plots out a few translations and where they fall on the spectrum of word-for-word or thought-for-thought translating along with a general reading level for each.

What about my kids? For kids going from children's Bibles to the real deal, I'd recommend the NIrV. It's perfect for those that are just beginning to read on their own. For those of you looking for a good children's Bible, I recommend the Jesus Story Book Bible. You can click the books below and be taken to a link to purchase them.

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Obedience

John 14:21

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

Love Him

Mark 12:30

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

SHARE HIM

Matthew 28:19

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

SERVE HIM

John 12:26

26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Suffering

Philippians 1:29

29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

As you take time to process through all of this, know that you are not alone in it. We are here for you as your church family to walk alongside you as you navigate what it looks like to follow Jesus in your life in particular.

-Pastor Alex