FIVE MARKS OF A DISCIPLE: OCTOBER 5 – NOVEMBER 2

Posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: Fasting builds intimacy with God, and encourages you to grow inwardly, upwardly, and outwardly. Explore five marks of a transformed disciple of Jesus and determine five actions that will allow God to change you. An action that applies to each mark is focus. Fasting and prayer is God’s way for us to find the kind of focus that builds intimacy within and actions without. Be with Him. Be like Him. Do what He wants.

COMING NEXT! MAKING SPACE: NOVEMBER 4 – NOVEMBER 27

Reflect on how to use fasting to make more space for God in your life. Make space in the moment and better reflect God to others. Make space in the morning and enjoy intimacy with Him. Make space in your conversations with others and learn how to listen like He does. Make space in your schedule to breathe and be refreshed by Him. Make space in your commitments so that you can say Yes! to the things He wants you to do. God made a space in this world for us. Let’s return the favor!

by Amanda Bew

Marks of a Disciple 10: Spirituality Questions

This questionnaire is designed for you to self-assess behaviors that show at what level you are taking actions, making choices, and attaining knowledge that characterizes a disciple of Christ.

Ask yourself these questions and gain clarity regarding your path of growth in spirituality.

This is not a test! There is no grade! There is no one to compare yourself to!

Take note of the questions that you might answer Never/Unlikely/or Unaware. Pray through them and identify areas where God might ask you to focus and grow next year. In the same way, note your answers of Often/Very Likely/or Very Aware and thank God for the opportunities He has given you to grow in those areas. Posts for the next five days will cover each of the marks of a disciple. You may want to refer to previous posts for more information about each mark.

SPIRITUALITY is a characteristic that can be measured by the extent of the disciple’s dependence on God and participation in the following spiritual disciplines.

Dependence on God: Ephesians 5:18, “Be filled with the Spirit.”

  1. If a standard for being filled with the Spirit is daily, how often are you seeking to be filled with the Spirit? Never/Sometimes/Often
  2. When you experience difficulty in your life, how likely is it that you ask God to give you the power to do the right thing? Unlikely/Likely/Very Likely
  3. This past week, how aware were you of knowing deep spiritual truths? Unaware/Aware/Very Aware
  4. Which word best describes how you feel when you are filled with the Spirit? Surrendered/Persistent/Wise/Loving/Powerful

Solitude and Prayer: Luke 11:3, “Give us each day our daily bread.”

  1. If a standard for devotional time with God is daily, how often do you meet with Him? Never (0)/Sometimes (1-3)/Often (4-7)
  2. When you meet with God, how likely is it that you look for a quiet place to be alone? Unlikely/Likely/Very Likely
  3. When you meet with God, how aware are you of your personal relationship with Him? Unaware/Aware/Very Aware
  4. Which word best describes how you feel when you spend time with God? Surrendered/Persistent/Wise/Loving/Powerful

Fasting: Matthew 6:16, “When you fast …”

  1. There are no standards for how often or how long you might fast. How often have you participated in a fast in the past year? Never (0)/Sometimes (1-2)/Often (3-4)
  2. Which word best describes how you feel when you participate in a fast? Surrendered/Persistent/Wise/Loving/Powerful

Identify one action that could support your growth. After completing the questions for each of the five marks, prioritize each action and choose one to commit to for next year.

Holy Spirit, speak to me of the deep things of God and fill my inner self with the fullness of who You are. Help me hunger for You and prepare to fast sometime soon to experience that hunger. I want to meet with You daily for quiet focus, and know that You are with me in every moment. Amen.

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