Sage Voice

 The Spotless Agenda: 004 Discipleship: Mode of Teaching Believe me! People learn faster by watching than by reading or listening. In the Gospels, Jesus' mode of teaching was by demonstration. His leadership was by example. What more? He did the truth before he taught the truth. This style of teaching is called Demonstration. It's amazing how Luke introduces the Book of Acts, "Jesus *began to do many things* when he was working on earth. He *also began to teach people many things*. I told you about all these things in the first book that I wrote for you, Theophilus" (Acts 1:1 Easy English).  He begins the Book of Acts with the Acts of Jesus, then continued with the Acts of the Twelve and finished with the Acts of Paul. The Book of Acts is really about what Jesus, his apostles and the early church did to advance the gospel in the whole wide world.  Those who follow his way of life really do well in life.  As a disciple maker, you must begin by demonstrating the truth ...

 The Spotless Agenda: 003 Discipleship: Discipline/Self-control Christian discipleship is about training new believers to master the discipline of Christ. We are not called to follow his footprints but his way of life as example for us. This involves a high degree of self-control. Christ was a man of absolute self-control. In an age of increasing knowledge, you need to train your heart and your mind to distill knowledge before imbibing it. The Christian's heart is too pure to settle any kind of 'enlightenment' that contradicts or attempts to falsify the word of God. Many streams of false enlightenment flow across the internet and social media every now and then. In a world where almost every kind of information can be accessed online, it affords young people the opportunity to secretly excite themselves sexually anytime, anywhere. All you need is a smart phone or tablet. To be able to withstand the increasing motivation for illicit sexual behaviours, you must train your min...

 The Spotless Agenda: 002 A Culture of Discipline The word 'discipline' is from the Latin "discipulus" which means 'pupil'. It was derived through the Latin "discere" which means 'to learn'. The same are the roots from which we have the English word 'discipleship'. Discipleship encompasses the state of being a disciple and the act of making disciples. Who then are disciples? They are not just followers of a person or a tradition. They are people who have mastered the disciplines of their leader, teacher or master. Hence they refer to themselves as pupils of the leader, teacher or master.  Between the Gospels and the Book of Acts alone, the word 'disciple' appears over 250 times. It was the name used to refer to the Apostles as well as new believers until Acts 11:26 where the name 'Christians' was first introduced.  Scripture doesn't unequivocally say that the unbelievers in Antioch gave the believers the name '...

 The Spotless Agenda: 001 A Culture of Truth and Honesty Christ is God's haven for mankind. In him you can have assurance of salvation and eternal life. In fact, with the exception of Christians, no other religious group can confidently claim assurance of salvation and eternal life. John Wesley was right when he said, "All can know they are saved." Having full assurance of salvation and eternal life is a mark of spiritual maturity.  One evidence of assurance of salvation and eternal life is a culture of truth and honesty. You do the truth and tell the truth when you have assurance of salvation and eternal life. Some people are not able to do the truth and tell the truth because they don't have assurance in themselves that they are a new creation, and that they have a new nature - the nature of truth and honesty inherited through Christ.  Falsehood and deception are signs of doubt or weakness in heart and mind concerning one's own salvation and eternal life. It...