Being a disciple in Bakersfield

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in Bakersfield California today? That is how I choose to be identified but what does it really mean? Being a disciple when Jesus was physically there with you was exciting for the ones who were called during His ministry on earth. They followed Him everywhere, could get a hug when they needed one and benefitted from face to face teaching.

 
It is a little different today here in Bakersfield. For reasons understood only to Father God I was born in 1946, not 20 A.D..So I don't have the benefit of that physical, one-on-one contact that Peter, John and the others enjoyed.  Jesus understood that long before I was selected to be here in Bakersfield in 2016. So in Acts 1:8 he told the disciples (those who were there with Him and all disciples for ages to come) ,"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 

 
The Merriam-Webster dictionary says that a disciple is "one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another." So if I understand correctly, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ today I must accept the teachings of Jesus and then do everything I can to spread that message utilizing the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. That is the challenge and the mission should I choose to accept it. If only it were that easy for me. Stay tuned.
  

Be careful what you choose

We know God innately. We choose either to do His will or we choose to ignore Him. Choosing to do His will involves some effort on our part. We start with the recognition that there is indeed a God and we determine to seek knowledge about Him. This could involve picking up a Bible and reading it. Or we may seek the assistance of someone we recognize as a follower of Jesus, or it may mean going to a church to learn.

On the other hand, you can make the choice to ignore that still, small voice that says there is a God that desires to have fellowship with you. Ignoring that truth has its consequences, however, for rejecting God puts us into a place of unrighteousness and wickedness. We are not overcome by ‘the devil’ when we choose evil, we have ourselves chosen to follow this path by ignoring the call of God which is part of our very being.

So turning your back on the truth that God created you and has expectations of you to follow His way results in putting 'things' before a worship of God and causes us, in God’s eyes, to be wicked and unrighteous, deserving of His wrath.

Being complacent and refusing to act on what you know about God will have a bad ending – and no, the devil didn’t make you do it, you chose.

Sin and unrighteousness are not the result of God tempting you. Nor the result of Satan forcing you. Sin, ungodliness and unrighteousness are the result of our loss of “God awareness” and the lack of attribution to God of “the gift of life and the blessings of daily living to the generous bounty of God.” This lack of being aware of God’s work in our lives and His desire to do good works in us can only have a bad result