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This week we started to look at prayer and its importance in the Christian life. Pastor John Samuel Barnett has covered many questions in his Q&A series on prayer. One of those being the important questions of checking what you want to hear vs. the voice of God telling you.
 
When I pray, how can I know I was hearing God’s voice rather than my own desire?
 
(2014JUL27 – Q&A-73)
Pray is among the most important duties of faithful believers in Christ. Prayer humbles us and makes us more reliable on God and less on our own power. And yet, some struggle with prayer whether with the concept or the carrying out action.
 
But be of good cheer as Pastor John Samuel Barnett helps in proclaiming the role of prayer in a believer’s life and who we are to actually pray to.
 
(From 2015JAN25 – FTF-17 – How To Connect With God – By Focusing Upon Who He Is)

The last example of Jesus’ discipleship is coming alongside those who are in the midst of spiritual warfare. Pastor John Samuel Barnett covers this example and lays the foundation for prayer being the ultimate tool to combat the evil one.

https://youtu.be/0erQjRydPhU
(From 2015JAN18 – FTF-16 – The Habit Of Prayer – Connecting With God)

Continuing with Jesus’ example of discipleship, Pastor John Samuel Barnett provides the next two elements of discipleship – being spirit-filled & Investing.
 
(From 2015JAN18 – FTF-16 – The Habit Of Prayer – Connecting With God)
Continuing with Jesus’ example of discipleship, Pastor John Samuel Barnett provides the next three elements of discipleship – being word-fed, connected, and surrendered.
 
(From 2015JAN18 – FTF-16 – The Habit Of Prayer – Connecting With God)

Last Sunday was the 32nd anniversary of Francis Schaeffer’s death. Schaeffer was an amazing intellectual and apologist. He was also one who devoted his life to disciple others. Our very own Pastor John Samuel Barnett actually studied under Schaeffer at L’Abri. Today, he discusses his time with the man.

https://youtu.be/ZnoGpWarE70
(2014JUN01 – Q&A-67)

We’ve now looked at all seven parts of discipleship. Continuing with examples of what to go over, Pastor John Samuel Barnett will go over examples used by the Creator of the discipleship system – Jesus Christ. Today, we learn from Christ what He discipled people on about salvation.

https://youtu.be/6kz3V_n4xVA
(From 2015JAN18 – FTF-16 – The Habit Of Prayer – Connecting With God)

In his amazing book, “As Iron Sharpens Iron”, Howard Hendricks builds the case for desiring to be a mentor and to be mentored to. Hendricks writes that he is well aware of how awkward this request can be and how unsure someone can be in wanting to ask another person to mentor/be mentored to. In his book, he gives a plethora of examples on how to ask, what to ask, what to go over, what meeting will be like. The purpose is to “soften the blow” but the purpose is to remove excuses on this important need.

Today, Pastor John Samuel Barnett follows in Hendricks’ footsteps and gives an example of what discipleship can look like. Hopefully, you are using these devotionals not as items to read and listen to and go about your day feeling like you’ve checked something off your spiritual “to do list”. Nor should it be used to feed a good feeling.

Let us learn from James in 1:22 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

https://youtu.be/k9NDMuwYzJc
(From 2015JAN11 – FTF-15 – Face2Face Discipleship – 7 Habits Of Highly Useful Believers)

The final two habits of discipleship from Pastor John Samuel Barnett come from the second part of a famous verse every Christian should have memorized. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” That is an amazing truth that we should all respond to and embrace and praise God for.

However, in verse 10, we see the reason for that gift, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

We are called to do good works and not only that, but good works that are unique only to you; that God calls only you to carry out! We do these good works not to earn or payback what God has done but as an expression of love and worship for what He has done. We who disciple, should teach others to invest in their faith and consecrate their life to those good works God has entrusted to us.

https://youtu.be/K6fh2xD58IY
(From 2015JAN11 – FTF-15 – Face2Face Discipleship – 7 Habits Of Highly Useful Believers)

Parts four and five of Pastor John Samuel Barnett‘s discipleship habits is teaching others to be connected and Spirit-filled.

Being a Christian isn’t some brute fact like 2+2=4. We aren’t just to say, “Yep, I believe in God. Now to go about my business.” No, we are to completely renewed and changed by that belief. That’s why John the Baptist and Jesus call people to respond to God with the call to “Repent!”. That repentance is a call to completely change our entire being to a new way of thinking and living – one that is entirely focused on God and His Will.

https://youtu.be/YDCeR57s0VY
(From 2015JAN11 – FTF-15 – Face2Face Discipleship – 7 Habits Of Highly Useful Believers)