Something About Prayer - Dutch Sheets

This is a good speaker that focus about prayer.

http://dutchsheets.org/

Be blessed 😊

Matthew 4:4 - The Spoken Word of God

Matthew 4:4
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

word = Rhema word

4487 rhḗma (from 4483 /rhéō, "to speak") – a spoken word, made "by the living voice" (J. Thayer). 

Ro 10:17: "So faith proceeds from (spiritual) hearing; moreover this hearing (is consummated) through a rhēma-word (4487 /rhḗma) from Christ" (Gk text).

Short Definition: a thing spoken
Definition: a thing spoken, (a) a word or saying of any kind, as command, report, promise, (b) a thing, matter, business.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
1. properly, that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word
a. any sound produced by the voice and having a definite meaning.
b. speech, discourse (because it consists of words either few or many).
c. a series of words joined together into a sentence (a declaration of one's mind made in words); an utterance, declaration

2. In imitation of the Hebrew  the subject matter of speech, thing spoken of, thing; and that a. so far forth as it is a matter of narration.
b. in so far as it is matter of command
c. a matter of dispute, case at law

Reference:
http://biblehub.com/greek/4487.htm

Terms on Banks

Impaired Loans
A loan is impaired when it is not likely the lender will collect the full value of the loan because the creditworthiness of a borrower has fallen.

Loan/Deposit Ratio
The loan/deposit ratio helps assess a bank's liquidity, and by extension, the aggressiveness of the bank's management. If the loan/deposit ratio is too high, the bank could be vulnerable to any sudden adverse changes in its deposit base. Conversely, if the loan/deposit ratio is too low, the bank is holding on to unproductive capital and earning less than it should. 

Efficiency Ratio
A bank's efficiency ratio is essentially equivalent to a regular company's operating margin, in that it measures how much the bank pays on operating expenses, like marketing and salaries. By and large, lower is better.

Capital Ratios
There are a host of ratios that bank regulators and investors use to assess how risky a bank's balance sheet is, and the degree to which the bank is vulnerable to an unexpected increase in bad loans. A bank's Tier 1 capital ratio takes a bank's equity capital and disclosed reserves and divides it by the bank's risk-weighted assets, (assets whose value is reduced by certain statutory amounts, based upon its perceived riskiness).

The capital adequacy ratio is the sum of Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital, divided by the sum of risk-weighted assets. The tangible equity ratio takes the bank's equity, subtracts intangible assets, goodwill and preferred stock equity, and then divides it by the bank's tangible assets. Although not an especially popular ratio prior to the 2007/2008 credit crisis, it does offer a good measure of the degree of loss a bank can withstand, before wiping out shareholder equity. 

Capital ratios can be thought of as proxies for a bank's margin of error. Nowadays, capital ratios also play a larger role in determining whether regulators will sign off on acquisitions and dividend payments.

Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) is also known as Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio(CRAR),^[1] is the ratio of a bank's capital to its risk. National regulatorstrack a bank's CAR to ensure that it can absorb a reasonable amount of loss and complies with statutory Capital requirements.

It is a measure of a bank's capital. It is expressed as a percentage of a bank's risk weighted credit exposures.

This ratio is used to protect depositors and promote stability and efficiency of financial systems around the world.

Two types of capital are measured: tier one capital, which can absorb losses without a bank being required to cease trading, and tier two capital, which can absorb losses in the event of a winding-up and so provides a lesser degree of protection to depositors.

Net Interest Margin
Net interest margin (NIM) A bank’s main source of income is the difference between the interest received from the customers it has made loans to and the amount it pays its depositors and other providers of debt funding. This is known as the ‘net interest margin’ and is typically expressed as a percentage of the average loans (or ‘interest earning assets’) outstanding over the period in question. While not part of the official financial statements, most banks disclose this average somewhere near the front of their detailed annual reports.

Cost to Income Ratio (CIR)
Cost-to-income ratio Taking the net interest income and adding the non-interest income (aka ‘fees’), we arrive at a bank’s total income (though, in practice, there are often a few ‘other’ items to account for). The cost-to-income ratio (or ‘efficiency ratio’) takes the bank’s operating expenses as a percentage of its total income. The lower, the better.

Bad Debt
Charging fees and receiving interest is all in a day’s work for the average banker. But things occasionally turn ugly when a client can’t meet their repayments and a debt goes bad. And when you’re dealing with a net interest margin of less than 2%, it doesn’t take many bad loans to wipe out a hefty chunk of your profit.



Reference:
http://www.modefinance.com/blog/en/2015-12-23-How-To-Evaluate-Bank-Creditworthiness
https://www.moodys.com/sites/products/ProductAttachments/Banking%20Account%20and%20Ratio%20Definitions.pdf
https://www.sapling.com/13400715/you-can-buy-a-home-and-have-avocado-toast-too
http://www.investopedia.com/university/banking-system/banking-system9.asp
https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/how-to-calculate-profitability-ratios-for-banks.aspx
http://www.dummies.com/business/accounting/how-companies-use-the-loan-loss-coverage-ratio/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_adequacy_ratio

Matthew 1-Matthew 3

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Why the genealogy only mention Judah?

Matthew 1:16, 20

16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Actually the father of Joseph is Jacob, but when the angel spoke to Joseph in the dream, the angle call him the son of David.

Why the name of David is so important?

Price to Book Ratio (P/B Ratio)

P/B Ratio

The price-to-book ratio (P/B Ratio) is a ratio used to compare a stock's market value to its book value. It is calculated by dividing the current closing price of the stock by the latest quarter's book value per share. A lower P/B ratio could mean that the stock is undervalued.

P/B Ratio is used in value investing.

P/B Ratio = market capitalization / book value of equity.

(Market capitalization is often abbreviated as "market cap"; book value is often abbreviated as "BV")

Market capitalization = shares outstanding * market price per share

Book value of equity = book value of assets - book value of liabilities

So therefore, P/B = market cap / (BV of assets - BV of liabilities)

From Wikipedia:

In Benjamin Graham's days, book values were more relevant as most companies then had significant investments in tangible assets and such assets comprised the bulk of the value of the company. The value of today's companies, other than asset based companies like investment trusts and property companies, is very different from the book values and there is no relationship between their intrinsic values and their book values. That is why Warren Buffett said "In all cases, what is clear is that book value is meaningless as an indicator of value" in his 2000 annual report.

Except in the case of a small minority of companies like property companies and investment trusts that are asset based, book values bear little or no relationship to true values of the companies. The items on the balance sheet are the result of various transactions, recorded using double entry at a particular point in time, to the extent that they do not form part of the profit and loss account to that point in time. The assets and liabilities comprising the book value are mainly stated at historic cost though a few items therein may be stated at valuations.

In many of today's companies, their most valuable assets are not shown on the balances sheet and are therefore not included in the book value. Book values are meaningless in companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, GlaxoSmithKline, etc. where their intellectual capital, internally generated goodwill, etc. are much more valuable than the assets per their balance sheets but are not included therein.

As with most financial ratios, the P/B ratio has certain limitations. It is said to be useful only for capital-intensive companies or businesses that have large amount of book value assets. It does not take into account intangible assets such as patents, goodwill, and other forms of intellectual property that the business has developed. Therefore, for those with minimal tangible assets like services companies, the P/B value does not have much meaning. For companies like Microsoft, the stock price carries little bearing on the company’s book value because the bulk of its assets are on software products which are intangibles.

By comparing book value of equity to its market price, we get an idea of whether a company is under- or overpriced. However, like P/E or P/S ratio, it is always better to compare P/B ratios within industries. 

The P/B ratio varies depending on the industry so exercise caution in doing outright comparison. Companies that have more intangible assets have P/B ratios that are normally higher than the traditional ones that have more tangible assets. Check its limitations so that you won’t arrive at the wrong conclusions.

What if P/B ratio is less than one?

With a P/B ratio less than one, the stock is trading at a value lower than its book value. This is so because the market thinks the company’s asset value is overstated. If this is true, investors are advised to shy away from this company because it is likely that it will face a downward adjustment or correction in its price by the market. This can leave investors with losses. But a P/B ratio less than one can also mean that the company is earning very low returns from its assets and these is a chance that an adjustment in management, for instance, can lead to a turnaround in prospects and show positive gains.

A P/B ratio less than one means that the stock is trading at less than its book value, or the stock is undervalued and therefore a good buy. Conversely, a stock with a ratio greater than one can be interpreted as being overvalued or relatively expensive.

A P/B ratio less than one can also mean that the company is earning weak or even negative returns on its assets, or that the assets are overstated, in which case the stock should be shunned because it may be destroying shareholder value. Conversely, the stock’s share price may be significantly high – thereby pushing the P/B ratio to more than one – in the likely case that it has become a takeover target, a good enough reason to own the stock.

What does a high P/B ratio represent?

A higher ratio is a reflection of higher expectations of the company’s future gains. This may be attributed to perceived growth prospects or lower risks associated with the stock. However, a higher P/B ratio also reflects that the stock is relatively more expensive than it used to. During a bubble for instance, a high P/B ratio indicates over-optimism. Any new information or good news about the company may have been accounted for in the current price.

Take Note:

Moreover, the P/B ratio isn't without its limitations. It is useful for businesses – like finance, investments, insurance and banking or manufacturing companies – with many liquid/tangible assets on the books. However, it can be misleading for firms with large R&D expenditures or high-debt companies or service companies or those with negative earnings.

In any case, the P/B is not particularly relevant as a standalone number. One should also analyze other ratios like P/E, P/S, and debt to equity before arriving at a reasonable investment decision.

How is this ratio used?

This ratio is known in value investing strategy.  Investors usually choose stocks that have P/B ratios not higher than 3.  This level signals a perfect timing to buy since the stock seems to be selling at a discount. You have to dig deeper into this low ratio or it might be an indication that something is wrong with the company.

The P/B ratio may be widely used but it should not be used as a sole gauge to find undervalued stocks. It is often analyzed alongside the return on equity (ROE) which is an indicator of profitability. A higher ROE means that more money is being produced by the company given the same level of equity.  For a company that has a rising ROE, its P/B ratio should also rise. This is understandable because investors will get attracted to a stock that is producing more profits.  A sign that the stock is overvalued, which tells you that you won’t be making a lot of money out of it, is when you see a company that have very low ROE but high P/B ratio. Therefore, when you are evaluating the value of a company, take the P/B ratio and ROE analysis hand-in-hand.

The notion of book value also does not have much meaning for companies with sustained losses and large amount of borrowings. Because the denominator is the difference between book value assets and book value liabilities, one which has very high debt would have a very small denominator which can drive the P/B ratio at a very high level. Such is the case of cable and wireless telecoms companies. Meanwhile, for companies that incurring sustained losses, the book value becomes meaningless as it takes a negative value.

Also, the book value may fail to present the real value of aging assets especially at an environment of high inflation as the assets’ earnings power has already declined since these were obtained. This also applies to the case when the assets are no longer operating or have increased in value due to some reasons.

Other things that can distort the P/B ratio include share buyback because this cuts the company’s capital on its balance sheet. When businesses improve or reduce their cash reserves, they alter the book value without causing changes in operations. When they put these into a pension plan for instance, the book value will fall.

Screening Parameters (from Zacks)
Price to Book (common Equity) less than X-Industry Median: A lower P/B compared with the industry average implies that there is enough room for the stock to gain.

Price to Sales less than X-Industry Median: The P/S ratio determines how much the market values every dollar of the company’s sales/revenues — a lower ratio than the industry makes the stock attractive.

Price to Earnings using F(1) estimate less than X-Industry Median: The P/E ratio (F1) values a company based on its current share price relative to its estimated earnings per share – a lower ratio than the industry is considered better.

PEG less than 1: PEG ratio links the P/E ratio to the future growth rate of the company. PEG ratio portrays a more complete picture than the P/E ratio. A value of less than 1 indicates that the stock is undervalued and investors need to pay less for a stock that has a bright earnings growth prospect.

Average 20-Day Volume greater than or equal to 100,000: A substantial trading volume ensures that the stock is easily tradable.

Reference:
www.investopedia.com/terms/p/price-to-bookratio.asp
Getting the Right Stock Strategy at the Right Time by Mr. Ooi Kok Hwa
https://www.fool.com/investing/value/how-to-use-price-to-book-ratio.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P/B_ratio
https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/248360/5-value-stocks-to-pick-using-pricetobook-ratio
http://financeandcareer.com/using-price-to-book-ratio-to-evaluate-stocks/

The Power of the Name of Jesus in Prayer and in Battle - Apostle Guillermo Maldonado

The name of Jesus is powerful!

Watch & Pray

Watch and Pray

Watch = perceive

Meditate - is a form of prayer

Without prayer, it's easy to fall into temptation.

To have powerful prayer, relationship with God is very important. 

Prayer on 9th July 2017 - Sanctification

Pre-Service Prayer on 9th July 2017.

Theme: Sanctification.

Matthew 5: 6, 8

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Understand the power of purity.

Pure - means free from contamination, without mixture.

We want to live a pure life for God.

Few days back, my wife’s car was jerking.

A contaminated car engine - will not operate properly.

A clean old engine can go further than a contaminated or dirty engine.

A dirty engine will start to be slow, jerk, and eventually will breakdown.

It is just a matter of time it breakdon.

John 17:17

"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Pray that we all will allow the word of God to sanctify us.

Our attitude is an open mind and open heart.

We need to hunger for the word.

James 1:25

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

Passion for the Word.

The word of God has power.

It has the power to change us.

It can renew our mind.

It can gives us a new desire.

It can give us a new passion!

Not just passion for worldly things, but the Godly things.

The word of God gives you direction of where to go.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you.

Pray that we will fill our lives with the word of God!

Colossians 3:5: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

1 Timothy 6:11
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith.

Free from immorality and run to Jesus.

Flee - run away. Escape.

2 Corinthians 3:17

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Contemplate - gaze, look thoughtfully for a long time, meditate, and reflect.

We need to be a generation that seek God’s face.

We need that passion for the presence of God.

When you are in the presence, you are not in the prison.

You will not be in the prison of the flesh and worldly desire.

The activity of the eyes is very important.

Do we look at the evil things or evilly, or do we look at Jesus.

When we look and gaze at Jesus, we can transformed from glory to glory.

Ask God to give us a new heart / Desire.

A sanctified life is an effective life.

Occupation of the mind and heart is the most important.

The Power of the Resurrection by Apostle Guillermo Maldonado

The Power of the Resurrection 

Acts 2:24

Acts 1:3

The historical Jesus can't save us.

His Resurrection Proves:

His validation of the Father

His resurrection is his vindication 

Because Jesus is not guilty , God raised him from the death

1. Proves His credibility 

When he was on earth , he says he is the way, the truth and the life

Acts 4:33

Col 2:15

His Resurrection proved that the devil is defeated 

The Christian faith is based on 3 things 

The death of the Christ on the cross 

His Resurrection is now 

His power is now 

The Power of Personal Touch

The Power of Personal Touch

John 21:1-14

When Adam and Eve sinned, God is the one approached them. 

Jesus stayed in Zaccheus house 

God sent Jesus to earth 

John 21 - Peter was in his low point. 

Why people leave the church ? V1-2

Peter - discouragement , not sure whether Jesus is true. Some valid some invalid church. 

They are not rooted in the WOG.

They don't buy into the vision. 

Relationship problem 

Difference preferences 

Major transition 

What are the symptoms of people leaving the church v3

They will isolate themselves 

They will start will be critical 

They will not be interested in spiritual things 

Restoration Process v4-14

Luke 5

Almost the same event in John 21

The Seeking Process

Jesus never give up on Peter

The sheep know they were lost, but don't know how to come back. 

We need to reach out to the lost. 

Jesus - never condemned Peter. He prepared breakfast for Peter and friends instead. 

Love

Forgiveness 

Acceptance 

Acts 20:20

Paul preached publicly and from home to home. 

New Generation Rising

New Generation Rising

1 King

Background

Elisha was called to follow Elijah at a young age (1 Kings 19:19-21)

He become Elijah's servant for a few years (6-10 years)

1. Die to Self

Elisha , a rich young man who decided to gave up everything to become a servant and a follower (1king 19:21, 2 kings 3:11)

2. Humble to Learn

- Elisha followed Elijah and learn from him. 

Willing to submit himself as an apprentice . He called Elijah "Master"

3. Pursue God's Anointing

Elisha pursued persistently (2kings 2:1-8)

He asked for double portion anointing (2kings 2:9).

4. Courage to take over 

2 Kings 2:12-15

Take someone's cloak, to take the responsibility .

The Power of Discipleship

The Power of Discipleship

1 Peter 5:2-3 (NLT)

2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

1 Cor 4:15

15 For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. 16 So I urge you to imitate me.

17 That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.

Discipleship is one of the most important thing that Jesus have ever commanded us to do.

This is the central focus of our faith.

In Hope Church, Discipleship is our DNA.

For us to impact the world, we need discipleship.

Through discipleship, leaders / missionaries / church planters are built and trained.

And only through of discipleship, a new generation of young people can rise up for the cause of God.

And when a generation rise up to their call, a nation can be changed for Christ.

Because of discipleship, new campuses can be conquered for Christ.

Because of discipleship, there will be worshippers and not just singers in church.

Because of discipleship, there will be followers of Christ, and not just fans of Christ.

Because of discipleship, there will not be just performers, but people that will stand on the truth - we do not just perform our religious duties, but will stand on the Word of God no matter what is the situation.

Yesterday we had a leadership meeting, and a sister told us, there are many Christians in her company, but they are not living  like what a disciple, because instead of making an impact for Christ,  she said they invited her to go clubbing.

We are not here to judge, but we I believe God do not just want us to be a believers, but be a disciple.

So what is discipleship?

Before I start sharing about what is discipleship, let me start by sharing what discipleship is not.

And I want to say this:

Discipleship is not a program.

Discipleship is not about

• Just gathering in a group - fellowship
• Singing songs together - we do this in church / LG

• Merely attending a Bible class or listening to a sermon

• Because many time when we go to a class, we listen, learn, and leave. If you are come, listen and leave, you are merely doing religion. But Christianity is not a religion. Therefore we cannot do religion. We are not called o do religion, but to do life.

So discipleship is not just merely a program.

In the Bible, the word disciple occurs 269 times in the New testament, but the word Christians only appear 3 times.

God do not want us to carry a label of a Christian, but to be a disciple.

What is a disciple?

• The word disciple in the Greek is called mathētēs which means “student,” “pupil,” “apprentice,” or “adherent,”

The primary meaning of the word disciple is “learner” or “pupil”.

But you need to be very clear about this.

The student in this context is different.

A disciple was one who was in a committed relationship with a teacher as a student.

The commitment was not to the “subject” as is the case today in our modern education system, the commitment was to learn from the master, by being committed to him.

It was a very personal committed relationship.

Example:

When you learn Algebra in your school, you objective is to learn Algebra.

To be good in Algebra.

To learn the subject.

But in this context, this is not how we define discipleship.

But discipleship is about becoming like the Algebra teacher.

The aim is to be the Algebra teacher, not just a person that is good at Algebra.

It’s a different thing.

If you want to become like a Algebra teacher, you need to be a teacher.

You need to teach effectively.

Lovingly.

Patiently.

You want to know the why and how, not just the what.

And if the teacher is very good, you want to know his secret.

You want to get close to him, and learn his secret recipe.

There are two things here, learning the subject well, and learning to be a teacher as well.

This is the context of student / disciple in the NT.

Is to become like the master / teacher / shepherd.

Jesus is our chief shepherd, and we are to follow him wholeheartedly.

Matt 10: 24-25

24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.

25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters.

A disciple of Christ is a person who who is committed become like Christ.

The goal of discipleship is to become more like Jesus Christ.

In Our Mind

In Our Character

In Our Conduct

In Our Relationship

In Our Service

In Our Influence

How do you be a disciple?

1. Follow God Closely

Eph 5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us

To think, to speak like Jesus, and to behave like Jesus.

It is to become a replica of another person, of the master.

To follow God.

It’s about being transformed and renewed in your mind.

Romans 12:1-2 - It’s about not being conform, but be transformed.

But to be a disciple, you need to be discipled closely with the master.

Matthew 9:9

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

So Matthew was busy growing his money.

Busy with building up his career, building up his future and his success.

But Jesus knows what is the best for Matthew.

Because the best is not just merely to follow and chase after your dreams, but to follow and chase after Jesus.

Jesus knows what is the best for you.

That is to follow and chase after Jesus.

To be a disciple, we cannot learn fro afar.

We need to learn closely with the master.

Closeness brings understanding.

Not long distance relationship, a close relationship.

A believer that is not close to Jesus will not benefit.

You need to stay close.

Every time you come to a  gathering, or Sunday service like today, your goal is to come closer to  Jesus.

Come to service, and listen to His heartbeat.

Say God, I want to listen to you today.

How do you want me to be transformed today?

How can I apply what I am learning today?

James - be a doer, not just a listener. 

How to be a disciple?

Follow Jesus Closely!

2. Imitate Your Leader

1. Imitate his leaders.

Hebrews 13:7

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

1 Cor 11:1 - book written by Apostle Paul

1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

2 I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you.

God put and raise up many good leaders in your midst, so that they can help and guide us.

So that those that have experience and a sound teaching can guide and teach in in our faith.

Now, don’t get me wrong here, I am not asking you to worship bro Kok Mun.

But to meditate on the teachings by your leaders.

The Bible says consider - put it into good thought and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you.

To ponder on the encouragement and challenge by your leaders.

Do you know that there is a group of people in the Bible that will study whatever that is being preached to them. (Acts 17:11)

Their commitment of growth is high.

The NT shows many instances where God used leaders and shepherd to teach his people into maturity.

Titus 2: 1-8

This is a letter written by Paul to Titus, teaching him how to teach others.

Paul is guiding him, how to shepherd the leaders and the shepherds.

Follow a earthly shepherd.

You must follow your leader!

In this church, we practice discipleship intentionally.

We will assign shepherd in our church, someone that will be able to guide you spiritually.

The shepherd will teach you, and be there for you.

Listen to their teaching as they are preaching the Word of God to you.

For Discipleship to Happen Effectively, you need to be committed to follow Jesus.

You need to be committed to imitate your leaders in their faith.

Why Do We Need to Be Discipled?

Point 1

Intentional Discipleship Brings Maturity

A shepherd can encourage us when we face faith issue in our life.

The founder of Navigators - Dawson - was a great evangelist.

He stayed in the US.

One of the way he always used to to give hitchhikers a ride.

One day, as usual, he saw someone on the road, and decided to pick him up.

When that guy got into the car, he was not one polite gentlemen.

He curse and swore.

Thinking that this is person is not a believer, Dawson wan to hand him a gospel tract.

But as he try to do that, both of them stat to realise, hey, I see you before.

In fact, Dawson shared Christ to this guy about Jesus one year ago and he accepted Christ.

But nothing changing within him.

Having a mentor and a shepherd in our life, can walk us through the Word of God.

The shepherd can guide us through difficult moment in our life, especially in this journey of faith.

Point 2

Intentional Discipleship can guide us when we are lost

Sometimes as sheep, we can be lost.

And we can lost many many times.

We can be lost in our faith, emotion, finance, relationship and many many more.

1 Cor 4:15

15 For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. 16 So I urge you to imitate me.

17 That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.

The church of Corinth was lost in faith. They have been influenced by the world.

And Paul is asking them to remember what that have been taught to them.

John Wesley history was not all high.

Even though the Methodist movement has been very successful, but his life was changes when he met a German missionary and pastor, Peter Bohler. 

Pastor Peter guided the Wesleys in the area of faith

We can be lost in our emotion.

Recently i had a shepherding session with my shepherd.

And he tole me, hey Karlock, are you ok?

This is not your usual look.

You seem to lose your joy bit.

And he encouraged me.

Ask me not be overwhelmed by life and ministry.

We need someone to guide us.

Life is not all up, they there could be down season as well.

Point 3 

Intentional Discipleship can bring glory to God

John 13:35

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Matt 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

The reason for discipleship is for us to be changed from glory to glory.

The reason God want us to be changed is not for us to show the world how great we are.

It is for the world to see how great our God really is!

It is for the world to see, that God can change a person that is far away from God, and even use him for the glory of God.

Apostle Paul, was a persecutor of Christian.

Before he became a believer in Jesus, his name was Saul.

His mission is to end the spreading of the gospel.

But one day, Christ revealed himself to Saul.

From that day on, his life was never be the same again.

God gave him a new purpose. To win souls.

To bring God glory.

Conclusion

To be a disciple, we need to be committed to grow and be mature.

We need to stay to God closely.

We need to be committed to discipleship.

Make no mistake about this.

The reason we do discipleship is not just to make our church bigger, so that we can have a bigger budget and build a bigger church building.

It’s not that so we can have a bigger band and a more flashy lighting.

Intentional Discipleship is all about bringing glory to God.