Becoming a better disciple involves becoming a good learner. One must have certain conditions before he becomes a good learner.
1. WE MUST REMOVE DISTRACTIONS TO OUR LEARNING.
A. WE MUST HAVE SINGLE FOCUS TO LEARN TO SERVE GOD IN ALL WE DO.
DON’T TRY TO DO MANY THINGS AT ONCE.
Matthew 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
LOOK AT YOUR OWN DISCIPLINE AS AN ON-GOING PROJECT REQUIRING COMMITMENT AND INVESTMENT OF TIME AND ENERGY.
Luke 14:28-30 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
B. WE MUST COMMIT EACH TASK AND LESSON TO GOD.
Mark 13:4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
COMMIT IT IN PRAYER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY.
COMMIT IT IN WRITING.
C. WE MUST EXPECT TO HAVE THE NEED FOR FURTHER EXPLANATION AND CLARIFICATION.
Mark 9:28 And when He was come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
2. WE MUST DO MORE THAN JUST DESIRE TO LEARN.
A. WE MUST BEGIN.
THAT IS HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE. WE MUST DEPEND ON THE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO BEGINS AND FINISHES.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
B. WE MUST FINISH EACH ASSIGNMENT.
FOR SOME THAT IS EVEN HARDER. WHY ? LOSS OF INTEREST, EASILY DISTRACTED, CHANGE IN VALUES, MOODS, ATTITUDES.
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
In this passage the word “FIT” literally means “USEFUL”. Jesus put an emphasis on CONTINUING till a job was done !
***For example, a child is told to clean their room before they can do something else. The child does not want to do the cleaning and doesn’t consider it much fun. So also a child in Christ might not consider doing things at church or for the Lord much “fun” until he grows up. The child objects, “My friends are waiting.“ Then, Mom uses those two words of awesome power, against which no child has any defense. “SO WHAT ?“ In other words, you should do what needs to get done first and not worry about anything else.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed;
—THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.
—FINISH WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY.
Jesus made sure to finish what He needed to say to the disciple before He was crucified.
Matthew 26:1-2 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, He said unto His disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
—FINISH WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO LISTEN TO.
Luke 9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
It is easy to listen to what we want to hear but, there are times when the Holy Spirit wants to tell us things, and we already have made up our minds and closed off our hearing.
Many people try to counsel teens. They feel sorry for various things in their lives, but do not hear all the Holy Spirit is telling them. Therefore, they draw wrong conclusions. The key of counseling is to listen to the Holy Spirit. People are not going to tell you what you need to know for a long, long time, if ever.
C. HE MUST QUICKLY GRASP FOR THE NEXT LESSON.
3. HE MUST KNOW WHAT GOAL HE IS REACHING TOWARD.
PHIL. 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.