The Apostle Paul warned that many would be deceived in the last days because they would only want to have their ears tickled, meaning they could not endure hearing anything difficult or challenging. If you make it through the next few weeks with the Word for the Week, we will know you are not in that category because we are addressing the most difficult issues about discipleship first, such as the Lord’s statement in Luke 14:33:       

             “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”

         ...

          The sure word of prophecy reveals that we are heading fast toward the ultimate battle between light and darkness. It is the highest privilege and honor just to live in these times, but we have a much higher purpose than to just endure the times—we are here to participate in the greatest victory since the cross—the ultimate victory of light over darkness.

           We see this in such places as Isaiah 60:1-3:

          “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

          “For behold, darkness will cover...

         True discipleship will lead to being like Christ and doing the works that He did. It will also lead to persecution just as He was persecuted. Even so, to do the works of Christ is the greatest experience we can have. To love as He loved us and to demonstrate this love with our lives is our highest calling. This is the goal of our discipleship—for the Master to continue living His life through His followers, doing the same works.

          A large discipleship movement during the ‘70s and ‘80s sought to recover true biblical discipleship....

          Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.” That is an accurate assessment of the discipleship to which we are called. There are benefits, and they are far more wonderful than can even be comprehended. Even so, true Christianity is a life of sacrifice where we no longer live for ourselves but for Him.

          When Jesus called men, He started with the most difficult requirements, not the benefits. In fact, He hardly mentioned the benefits until they were already disciples. Some obviously think they can do better than the Lord by...

          The angel that released the apostles from prison said to them, “Go stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life” (Acts 5:20). To know “the whole message of this life” and to be obedient to it will be the basic devotion of a disciple.

          A disciple is more than just a student. A disciple lives to learn from his master and become like him. Every disciple of Christ lives to learn of Him and to become like Him doing the works that He did. As we have discussed, one of the...