Love Someone Today

WELCOME HOME.
YOU ARE LOVED
LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

WELCOME HOME. YOU ARE LOVED
An Introduction:
The Missing Link
"Come follow me," Jesus said, "and I will
make you fishers of men." - Mark 1:17
When I was 12 years old, I came to know

Jesus in a personal way.
While watching a religious program on

TV, I knelt down and accepted Jesus as my
personal Lord and Savior.
But thankfully, it didn't end there.
My parents discipled me. Getting to know

Jesus was only step one. They saw to it that
I would grow in this
great relationship with Jesus.
So they taught me how to pray and how

to read my Bible. They saw to it that I
attended weekly Catholic prayer meetings.
They encouraged me to join a ministry within
that prayer group. They connected me with
other friends my age who also wanted to
serve God.

But more than all these, they loved me.

By their presence, their words and their life,
they mirrored to me who Jesus was. It was
my relationship with my parents that caused
me to love the Lord for the rest of my life.
Friends, the reason why I'm still here

loving Jesus after 33 years is because I was
discipled.
What Is Discipleship? In essence,

discipleship is relationship.
Discipleship doesn't happen in prayer

meetings or spiritual seminars or prayer
rallies. Real discipleship happens only in a
loving one-on-one relationship. So it's not
even just a "program" done in a one-on one
setting. It's first of all a relationship before
it's a program.
There really are only two elements to

discipleship:
1. Discipleship is a friendship.
Discipleship is love. It's delighting in the

person as Jesus would. You're talking to a

child of God. Jesus gave His whole life for that
human being. By loving that person, he or
she will know what it means to be loved by
God.
2. And within that friendship,

discipleship is training this one person
to love God, love others and bless the
world. How? By sharing habits that will
make this person grow in the Lord. And
here's where this little book comes in. Love
Someone Today will help you make disciples.
It contains seven important lessons a person
needs to start his relationship with Jesus.
This kind of discipleship is the missing link

of the Church.
Very little discipleship is happening

today. Parishes are like sacramental gas
stations. People go in and out like ships in the
night. Even many prayer groups are weak or
dying. They've become so focused on rituals
and activities, and they don't offer
discipleship.

Don't get me wrong. Weekly prayer

meetings are very important. In my
community, Light of Jesus, we call it The
Feast. Each week, we gather to worship and
listen to God's Word. Each week, we keep
tweaking and improving it, making it more
uplifting, inspiring and seeker friendly. And
each week, thousands of people come. And
they go home blessed and inspired. But at
the end of the day, for the thousands to keep
growing in the Lord, they need one-to-one
discipleship.
The lack of one-to-one discipleship is also

why real evangelism isn't happening.
Because you can't separate evangelism with
discipleship. Without one-to-one discipleship,
any evangelistic activity will create the
revolving door syndrome: after the
evangelistic activity, new people will soon
drop out.
This is also the reason why many young

people are no longer attending Church. Our
aging religious leadership is scary. Here's a
fact: 70 percent of the Philippine population

is below the age of 30. If we're not reaching

young people with the Gospel, that means
we're not reaching 70 percent of the
population. The solution? To disciple the
youth and let the youth disciple other young
people.
This is my prayer: That this little book

and all the little books of this entire
discipleship series will help you make many
loving disciples for Jesus.
Bo Sanchez
Start With J.O.Y.
As you begin your relationship with Jesus,

start with J.O.Y.
J-oin a weekly Prayer Meeting (such as

The Feast) and Small Groups for personal
discipleship.
Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up

meeting together, as some are in the habit of

doing, but let us encourage one another and

all the more as you see the Day approaching.
O-bey God's Word by reading the Bible

every day. You may use the assigned Mass
Readings of the day or read three chapters of
the Bible daily.
Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the

Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it
day and night, so that you may be careful to
do everything written in it. Then you will be
prosperous and successful.
Y-ield to the Holy Spirit so you can share

Jesus to others.
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when

the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be
my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Mark 5:19, 20 Jesus... said, "Go home

to your family and tell them how much the
Lord has done for you, and how he has had
mercy on you." So the man went away and

began to tell in the Decapolis how much

Jesus had done for him. And all the people
were amazed.

Lesson 1:
God Has a Great
Purpose for Your Life
When I was a kid, we had a huge old

black and white TV. If you're my age, you've
seen these things: It was encased in wood,
had four legs and a sliding door. And if you
turned it on, you could prepare yourself a
snack in the kitchen before the image comes
on. First, you see a white dot appear at the
middle of the screen, and then you wait for
two whole minutes until you see anything
else. But our TV was so old, it was ready for
the dumpsite. It conked out on us more times
than we were able to use it.
One day, everyone in the house was

excited when Dad came from abroad,
bringing home a brand-new colored TV set.
Naturally, no one paid too much attention to
Dad as everyone's eyes were glued to what
he was carrying.

We opened the carton, pulled it out,

plugged it and paid homage to the beauty in
front of us.
But then the unthinkable happened.

White smoke began to rise up from behind
the colored TV. And then we heard a loud
"poof!" Right before our eyes, it exploded.
One of us (to this day we don't know who)

plugged the TV set to a 220-volt outlet,
without realizing that the TV was 110 volts.
Lesson? We can't violate the

manufacturer's design.
Yes, even our own souls.
I believe God has a sacred purpose for

your life. There is a great purpose why you
were born in this planet. Perhaps some of you
already know what this purpose is. When you
don't fulfill that purpose, you're like a 110-
volt TV set plugging yourself to a 220-volt
outlet. You destroy yourself. That's why

many people are still looking for happiness

and inner peace in life.
I believe your most important purpose is

to be one with God because from your
oneness with God, you'll be able to share His
love to the world through the gifts and talents
He has given you.
Mark 12:30 "Love the Lord your God

with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind and with all your strength.'
The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as
yourself.' There is no commandment greater
than these."
It's all about love. This is your purpose.
Loving God with Your All
Question: Do you love the Lord with all

your heart, soul, mind and strength?
It's a tall order. I meet people who tell

me, "Bo, I'm basically a good person. I don't

kill people, I don't steal and I don't cheat. I

guess I'm OK, right?
That's not the point. Here's the main

question: Are you fulfilling your sacred
purpose in life? God created you because He
wants you to be in a love relationship with
Him.
Ephesians 1:4-5 Even before the world

was made, God had already chosen us to be
his through our union with Christ, so that we
would be holy and without fault before him.
Because of his love God had already decided
that through Jesus Christ he would make us
his sons - this was His pleasure and purpose.
And this unity with God starts now, while

you're on planet Earth. That's why within
each of us is a God-shaped vacuum. Nothing
can fill that empty place in our heart except
God's Love.
God made you so He could love you. He

wants you to be in a personal relationship
with Him. And He wants to make this

relationship with you an eternal relationship

to be with Him in heaven forever.
And this love that you receive will

overflow to others...
Loving Others with Your All
The most miserable people in the world

are selfish people. Because they're not
fulfilling God's design for their lives. We were
made to love and when we don't love, we
condemn ourselves to never reach our fullest
potential as human beings.
But how can we overcome our selfishness

and be happy?
You cannot give what you don't have.

Your heart is a love tank and you cannot give
love if you haven't received love. Many
marriages and relationships are broken today
because many people's love tanks are empty.

Fill up your love tank. As you receive

God's love into your life, you'll be able to love
others.
John 13:34 But I am giving you a new

command. You must love each other, just as
I have loved you.
Can loving others be the reason why

you'll wake up in the morning? Yes.
As you grow in your relationship with

God, you'll learn how to love others.
Friend, fulfill the great purpose of your

life.
Application:
• Take steps to deepen your relationship
with God. Mis discipleship program will
help you do that.
• Do you love God with all your heart,
mind, soul and strength? What must you
do to fulfill this first and greatest
commandment?

• Do you love others the way God loves

you? Make this the reason for waking up
in the morning.
Prayer:
Lord, I thank You that You created me for
a sacred purpose. I thank You that You want
me to be in a personal relationship with You.
I say yes to You, Lord. I open my heart to
receive Your love today. Today, I take this
journey of getting to know You more and
growing in my relationship with You. I want
to love others the way You love me, in Jesus'
name. Amen.

Lesson 2:
God Loves You More
Than You Can Imagine
Ask any mother. When she gave birth to

her baby, she already loved her child. The
baby didn't do anything good yet. The infant
didn't learn to say, "I love you, Mommy."
Neither has she won any medals in school
yet. In fact, the baby didn't come out cute
and cuddly. It came out covered in blood and
screaming.
Yet the mother loved her baby from the

very start.
Here's my point: If an imperfect mother

can give "unearned" love to her child, how
much more can God love you even before
you do anything good?
God delights in you. More than you can

imagine.
No matter who you are or what you've

done, He loves you. He will always love you.

Yes, you can shut out that love from your life
but you cannot do anything to decrease His
love for you. Imagine a man using an
umbrella in the rain. He has no control over
the rain.
But he can hide beneath his umbrella so

he won't get wet.
But this unearned love of God is very

disturbing to many people.
Perhaps some were raised by unloving

parents or in broken homes. Perhaps some
were raised in religious legalism. Perhaps
they were taught that God is insecure.
Which is a lie.
But the only way you can ever change

your life is to accept this relentless affection
of God for you. Open yourself to Him. Let His
powerful love transform you completely.
Jesus showed us an incredible love for

sinners. No matter who you are or what you

have done, God loves you and wants to give

you a new life.
Matthew 9:10-12 Later, Jesus and his

disciples were having dinner at Matthew's
house. Many tax collectors and other sinners
were also there. Some Pharisees asked
Jesus' disciples, "Why does your teacher eat
with tax collectors and other sinners?" Jesus
heard them and answered, "Healthy people
don't need a doctor, but sick people do."
Throw Away Your Umbrella
People wonder why, despite their sins,

they still receive God's love.
Imagine a man holding an umbrella

amidst a great storm. No matter how much
he tries, he will still get wet.
Your umbrella is your sin that tries to

block God's love from your life. According to
the Bible, all of us use umbrellas of sin...

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall

short of the glory of God.
The big problem is that sin multiplies. We

drift away from God so much, our conscience
becomes so weak, we no longer see sin as
sin. In the end, our sin has become a gigantic
umbrella made of steel and concrete. The
love of God continues to rain on us but we
can't even feel a single drop of God's
downpour. That is what the Bible calls
spiritual death...
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is

death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sin separates you from God. Make a

decision now to throw away your umbrella.
Get very wet. Better yet, swim in the ocean
of His love.
2 Timothy 2:19 Everyone who confesses

the name of the Lord must turn away from
wickedness.

Go To God As You Are - As Is, Where Is
Some people say, "I'll go back to God

when I've cleaned up my act."
That's foolishness. You can't do it on your

own. Go back to God now as is, where is.
With all your garbage. Let Him be the one to
cleanse you. Let Him be the one to wash you.
Let Him be the one to give you a new life.
Application:
• Do you remember events in your life
where you experienced God's personal
love for you in a very real way?
• What "umbrellas" of sin prevent you from
receiving more of His love into your life?
• Make a decision now to give your whole
life to God.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I thank You for loving me.
Forgive me for rejecting Your love by my
sins. I now repent. I throw away all sin from
my life. I want to receive all Your love. I now
open my heart to You. I accept You as my

personal Lord and Savior. I will live for You

for the rest of my life. Bless me, in Jesus'
name. Amen.

Lesson 3:
God Forgives You
Even Before You Ask
My friend Pio Español shared with me this

amusing story.
His sister is married to an American

named Doug. In one of their trips here in
Manila, the couple slept in Pio's home for a
few days. One morning, as Pio was collecting
the trash from all the rooms, he noticed
Doug's watch in the wastebasket. So he
picked it up and gave it back to his brother-
in-law. But Doug said, "I threw it away. It
isn't working anymore."
Pio said, "Let's have it fixed!" But Doug

said, "Throw it away. If you can fix it, it's
yours.“
Pio looked at the watch, shook it a bit,

prayed over it a bit, and voila - it started
running again.
I thank God that He is like Pio. In a sense,

He's very Filipino. When we stopped
"working," He didn't throw us away and get

Himself a new human being. He kept us, kept

shaking us, kept blessing us until we started
working again.
Forgiveness means God brings us back

into a relationship with Him.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is

faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.
God Gives His Forgiveness Freely
It is heart rending.
My friend's son has been taking drugs for

years. He's been in and out of rehab four
times. It is absolutely painful to see the
young man destroy his life.
One day, I asked my friend an awkward

question. "I'm sure your son has hurt you
deeply. Will you ever forgive him?"
His eyes moistened. With his voice

breaking, he said, "Bo, even before he asks
for forgiveness, I've already forgiven him in
my heart."

His answer floored me. And I believe that

this father was reflecting the Father's love. In
the heart of God, He has already forgiven us
even before we ask for it. The question is not
whether God will forgive us. He already has.
The question is if we will receive that
forgiveness or not.
Here's the truth we find in the Father that

Jesus introduced to us: Even before you
repent, God already forgives you of your sin.
It's not repentance that brings about His
forgiveness. It's His forgiveness that brings
about your repentance.
Read the story below. The adulterous

woman never asked for forgiveness or
repented of her sins before Jesus forgave
her. Jesus simply gave it. And it is this love
that changed her life.
John 8:3-11 (selected verses) The

scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery, and placing
her in the midst they said to him (Jesus),
"Teacher, this woman has been caught in the
act of adultery. Now in the law, Moses

commanded us to stone such. What do you

say about her?" And as they continued to ask
him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him
who is without sin among you be the first to
throw a stone at her." But when they heard
it, they went away, one by one, beginning
with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with
the woman standing before him. Jesus
looked up and said to her, "Woman, where
are they? Has no one condemned you?" She
said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither
do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."
You find the same truth in the story of the

Prodigal Son.
You know the story. A man had two sons.

The youngest son asked for his share of his
property and went away to spend it all in wild
living. When he was as poor as a rat, he
worked as a caretaker of pigs. He was so
hungry, he wanted to eat the rotten food the
pigs were eating.
This was the reason why he wanted to go

back to his father. Initially, the boy wasn't
going back because he was repenting. He
was going back because he was hungry. So

he prepared a speech of repentance. But

before he could even say it, forgiveness was
given. Read what the father did when he saw
him from afar.
Luke 15:11-24 Finally, he came to his

senses and said, "My father's workers have
plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to
death! I will go to my father and say to him,
'Father, I have sinned against God in heaven
and against you. I am no longer good enough
to be called your son. Treat me like one of
your workers." The younger son got up and
started back to his father. But when he was
still a long way off, his father saw him and
felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and
hugged and kissed him.
Here's the reason for this extravagant

love: Only love can change a person's heart.
Fear and wrath can never do that. The only
response we can give to such relentless love
is repentance. We repent because we are
loved.
1 John 4:19 We love because He first

loved us.

Application:
• God forgives you of all your sins. Do you
sometimes doubt that He forgives you?
Do you sometimes think that your sin is
bigger than His love?
• Only love can change a person. Do you
see this happening in your life now?
• Make a decision now to love the Lord
because He loved you first.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I thank You for loving me. I
thank You for forgiving me from all my sins.
I repent from all my sins and I turn away
from them. Cleanse me and wash me and
purify me. I want to follow You all the days
of my life. Because You love me, I will love
You forever. Bless me, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Lesson 4:
God Calls You to
Repent and Live a New Life
Some people repent because of fear.
When I was 14 years old, I heard the

testimony of a man in our prayer group who
said, "I died, went to hell and came back
because God wants me to tell you what I
saw." He then described what he saw in hell
the horror, the screaming, the torture and
the eternal flames.
Believe me, all of us in that prayer group

became very good after listening to his story.
At least, for a few days. And there lies the
problem. A repentance born out of fear will
never last. When the fear wears off (and
believe me, it will), the old ways come back
with a vengeance.
But repentance born out of love will last.

When you receive the love of Jesus, you're so
overwhelmed by that love, you can't help but
love Him back. Let me share with you the key
passage of my life:

1 John 1:18-19 There is no fear in love.

But perfect love drives out fear, because fear
has to do with punishment. The one who
fears is not made perfect in love. We love
because he first loved us.
Some people ask this common question:

"If God is this loving, why bother being
good?" It's a question that's asked by people
whose motive for being good is fear,
punishment and wrath. They have yet to
taste the real power of God's love. Because if
you really have experienced "the height,
breadth and depth" of God's love, it will
change you.
This is grace or God's free gift to you. You

don't deserve it. But you receive it anyway.
It is this unreasonable grace that starts your
new life in Christ.
Ephesians 2:8, 9 It is by grace you have

been saved, through faith - and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by
works, so that no one can boast.
It's this extravagant love that brings us to
repent. And what is repentance?

1. Repentance Means Taking

Responsibility
As early as Adam and Eve, we had a clear

example of "passing the buck" when it comes
to sin. When God asked Adam why he ate the
forbidden fruit, he said
Genesis 3:12 "The woman you put here

with me she gave me some fruit from the
tree, and I ate it."
In this statement, he blames Eve for his

sin. But if you look closely at his words, he is
even blaming God for his sin: "Oh, if only He
didn't put Eve with me in the garden!"
When God asked Eve, check out her

answer...
Genesis 3:13 "The serpent deceived me,

and I ate."
Again, she was blaming the serpent.
Today, people are doing exactly the same

thing. They say things like, "I'm an alcoholic
because of my bad environment," or "I'm a

drug addict because of my irresponsible

parents," or "I'm a womanizer because it's in
my genes. My father and my grandfather
were womanizers as well." In so many words,
what they're saying is, "I can't change. It's
beyond my power. I'm controlled by all these
factors."
But this is not true.
I remember a man who talked to me

about his adultery. He said, "I really want to
change now, Bo. I want to cut this adulterous
relationship that I'm in."
"So do it," I encouraged him.
"But Bo, I think it will be best if I'll let the

decision come from my girlfriend."
I looked at him, not hiding my surprise.

"I don't get it."
He said, "I don't want to hurt her feelings.

So I'll just..."

I broke in. "What about your God? What

about your wife? What about your kids? Any
thought of hurting them?“
He repeated himself. "Bo, I don't want

this sin anymore in my life. But the reason
why I'm still here is for the sake of my
girlfriend. She said she'd go insane if I leave
her."
What was this man doing? Blaming the

girlfriend for his continued sin.
Yes, his situation is complex but if we

really want to cut away from sin, we need to
make hard decisions that will hurt some
people. God never promised that repentance
is an easy thing. We will suffer. Others will
suffer. But decisions will have to be made.
Here's another thing that happens when

you take full responsibility for your sin. You
know who said yes to sin: You. So you also
know who can say no to it: You as well.
2. Repentance Means Taking Action

Repentance isn't just about feeling sad

and sorry.
Sometimes, we feel sorrow and guilt

because we got caught, or because we're
suffering from the consequences of our sin.
This is what you call "worldly sorrow." This
kind of sorrow never leads to a changed life.
2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings

repentance that leads to salvation and leaves
no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Repentance is an action.
Imagine you're walking westward.

Repentance means turning around and
walking eastward. It's that simple. If you
were walking away from God, repentance
means you take an about-face and start
walking towards God.
Acts 26:20 I preached that they should

repent and turn to God and prove their
repentance by their deeds.
Repentance means that we make a

decision not to sin again.

I'm sure you know this often-told story.

One day, a man goes to the priest and says,
"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I stole
three chickens from my neighbor." The priest
tells him, "For your penance, say three Hail
Mary’s.”
The man then says, "Uh Father, can I say

six Hail Mary's?"
Naturally, the priest was impressed.

Perhaps this man was really repentant, he
said. He smiled and said, "Sure, my son. Why
six?"
The man said, "Because my neighbor has

three more chickens left in his barn."
Clearly, there was no repentance because

there's no action of turning away from sin.
Make that decision now and turn to the

Lord.
Application:
• Are you taking responsibility for all the
sins you've done? What area in your life

do you need to take more responsibility

for?
• Are you turning away from sin? How are
you taking action?
• Go to confession to a priest who can
listen, advise and pray for you.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I repent from all my sins.
With Your power at work in my life, I'm now
turning away from my wrongdoing and I'm
now walking towards You. Once again, thank
You for forgiving me and cleansing me and
giving me a new life. I want to follow You and
be Your disciple forever. I know You will be
with me always, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Lesson 5:
God Calls You to a
Personal Relationship
Let me shock you: Christianity isn't

primarily a religion. Christianity is, first of all,
a personal relationship with God.
Jesus introduced us to an intimate God.

When He taught people how to pray, He said
something revolutionary.
Matthew 6:9 "You should pray like this:

Our Father in heaven..."
The original Aramaic word that Jesus

used for "Our Father" was "Abba," which
literally isn't "Father" but "Daddy." Until this
time, God was called "Father" but never
"Daddy." Jesus was proclaiming to the world
that you can now be intimate with God.
Prayer isn't just "reciting" prayers. It's

spending time with God who is madly in love
with us. And Mass isn't about attending a
religious obligation we must keep (or else!).
It's a family meal and fellowship with God
Himself.

Lovers First, Workers Second
Some people believe that God created

man because He wanted servants and
worshipers. Yes, we are to serve and worship
Him, but I don't believe that's the first
purpose why He made us.
If you're a mother or father, did you have

kids because you wanted helpers to do the
dishes and wash the laundry and clean the
house? Did you have kids so there'd be
people who'd take care of you in your old
age?
Most parents will say, "Of course not! had

children because I wanted to love and give
myself to them."
And that's why God made us: to love us. God
created us so that He can enjoy a relationship
with us.
In Genesis, God created the world in six

days. On the seventh day, He rested. Why?
So that He can enjoy His creation.
Specifically, so that He can enjoy you.

If God wanted you primarily as a worker,

then God should have created man on the
first day so that man could work with Him for
the next six days. But the message of
Genesis is profound. God says to us, "I want
to be in relationship with you.“
Spend Time With God's Word Daily
A relationship means that you spend time

together. And a relationship means constant
communication.
It's important to talk to God but it's also

important to listen to Him. And one of the
most important ways of listening to Him is by
prayerfully reading the Bible.
This is your spiritual food. Many

Christians are walking around totally
malnourished because they don't eat God's
Word daily.
Job 23:12 I have not departed from the

commands of his lips; I have treasured the
words of his mouth more than my daily
bread.

By reading the Bible every day, you'll

know how to resist temptation. In the
passage below, Jesus fought the devil's
temptation by quoting Scriptures.
Matthew 4:3, 4 The tempter came to

him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell
these stones to become bread." Jesus
answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live
on bread alone, but on every word that
comes from the mouth of God."

know how to live a holy life. But it's got to be
reading not just with your mind but also with
your heart. You need to "hide" God's Word in
your heart.
Psalms 119:9, 11 How can a young man

keep his way pure? By living according to
your word.... I have hidden your word in my
heart that I might not sin against you.

know God's will. How? As you immerse
yourself in God's Word, your thinking will
change. The way you see yourself and life will
change.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer

to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve
what God's will is - his good, pleasing and
perfect will.

know how to be successful. But remember:
it's not just knowing that brings success, but
obedience.
Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the

Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it
day and night, so that you may be careful to
do everything written in it. Then you will be
prosperous and successful.
James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the

word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it
says.
Spend Time With God In Prayer Daily
Each day, talk to God. And listen to Him

in the depths of your heart. He wants to
speak to you there.

Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into

your room, close the door and pray to your
Father, who is unseen. Then your Father,
who sees what is done in secret, will reward
you.
APPLICATION:
• There are two ways of reading the Bible.
One way is to follow the Mass readings of
the day. Get a guide that will tell you the
readings, such as Companion or Didache.
Or you can just get your Bible and read
three chapters a day. Begin with the New
Testament. Underline and highlight the
texts that strike you. When possible,
write your reflections.
• Make it a habit. Read the Bible and pray
at the same time each day. Most people
make this the first thing they do in the
morning.
Prayer:
Abba, I thank You for inviting me to an
intimate relationship with You. Thank You,
Lord, for opening Your heart to me. I too
open my heart to You. Thank You that You
want me to be in a relationship with You

forever. Thank You that You want to spend

time with me each day. I say yes to Your
Word. I say yes to Your Presence. In Jesus'
name. Amen.

Lesson 6:
God Calls You to
Follow Him Totally
Are you a Catholic?
Some say, "I'm a Catholic because my

parents had me baptized as a baby. And I go
to Mass every Sunday."
That's not my question. I'm not asking if

you're a Catholic by name and by culture. I'm
asking if you're a real disciple of Jesus.
And what does it mean to be a disciple?

Simple: You follow Jesus. Daily.
It's not enough to say, "I believe!" Even

demons believe in God.
But being a disciple requires obedience.

And it must be a total obedience.
Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord,

Lord,' and do not do what I say?"
Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says

to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of

heaven, but only he who does the will of my

Father who is in heaven."
Making Jesus your Lord doesn't only

mean following a set of rules. Ultimately,
making Jesus your Lord means submitting
your heart to Him.
You may not be able to set your whole life

straight right now. You may have areas in
your life that you know isn't under the
lordship of Jesus yet. That's OK. But
surrender those specific areas to the Lord
and ask for His power to change it. He will.
Trust in Him.
Love God With All Your Heart
If a husband will tell his wife, "Honey, I

am going to give you 50 percent of my life,"
or "Sweetheart, you can have me Mondays,
Wednesdays and two Saturdays in a month
but the rest of the other days are for me,"
you can be sure that this won't be a good
marriage. If marriage requires spouses to
give 100 percent of themselves, what more
when it comes to our relationship with God?

Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus answered:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
soul and mind. This is the first and most
important commandment.
It's not enough to see to it that we don't

murder anyone, or that we don't steal, or
that we don't commit adultery. God expects
us to love Him with our all.
Friend, give 100 percent of your life to

Him. He does not want you to
compartmentalize your "religious life" and
live the rest of your life for yourself.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified

with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ
lives in me.
Listen to what Paul is saying above. Our

"old selves" no longer live, because we have
been crucified with Jesus. If you've given
your life to Jesus, then that was not a
symbolic gesture. You really gave your life to
Him.
Living And Loving Like Jesus

A disciple imitates his master. Your goal

is to be like Jesus. Specifically, to love like
Jesus.
John 13:34 "As I have loved you, so you

must love one another."
And how did He love?
John 15:13 "Greater love has no one

than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends.“
He gave his life for us. He calls us to do

the same. At the end of the day, this is what
it means to make Him Lord of all your life.
Application:
• Do you give your entire self to God? What
area in your life would you find it difficult
to give to Him?"
• Are you submitting your heart to the
Lord?
• Do you love like Jesus? What area in your
life can you grow more in loving like
Jesus?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to follow You. Today, I
make You the Lord of every area of my life. I
submit my heart to You. Lord, I want to love
You with all my heart, soul, mind and
strength. I want to live like You, loving others
the way You love me. Thank You for giving
me the power to follow You. In Jesus' name.
Amen.

Lesson 7:
God Calls You to
a Spiritual Family
Tell me who your mentors are and I can

predict your future.
We need mentors and friends who can

inspire us to grow in our spiritual life. That is
why we need a spiritual family.
Think of a piece of burning coal. If it's

gathered with other burning embers, it's red
hot. But remove that piece and leave it by
itself and it will cool. Put it back in with the
other coals and it will burn again. The same
thing happens with Christians. When we're
surrounded by a spiritual family, we become
stronger.
Our larger spiritual family is the Catholic

Church. But you also need to join a smaller,
close-knit spiritual family. (If you don't have
a community, I'm personally inviting you to
my community, the Light of Jesus.) We want
to do what the early Christians did in the first
century.

Acts 2:42, 44-46 They spent their time

learning from the apostles, and they were
like family to each other. They also broke
bread and prayed together. All the Lord's
followers often met together, and they
shared everything they had. They would sell
their property and possessions and give the
money to whoever needed it. Day after day
they met together in the temple. They broke
bread together in different homes and shared
their food happily and freely.
With our spiritual family, we worship the

Lord. In my community, the Light of Jesus,
we worship at The Feast with joy and love in
our hearts. That's where we listen to God's
nourishing Word. That, too, is part of
worship. And together, we worship at the
highest form of praise, the Eucharist.
Psalm 149:1 Praise the Lord. Sing to the

Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly
of the saints.
With our spiritual family, we fellowship

with our Small Group. We need friends.
Isolation kills people in both their bodies and
spirit. So each week, meet with your Small

Group to study God's Word and encourage

each other. We may not literally "sell our
property and possessions and give the
money to whoever needs it" but we can serve
each other's needs in very practical ways.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how

we may spur one another on toward love and
good deeds.
With our spiritual family, we serve in

ministries. God has given us gifts He wants
us to share. What are your gifts? Use them
for the building of God's Kingdom in this
world. Bless the world with the talents that
the Lord has given you.
Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do,

work at it with all your heart, as working for
the Lord, not for men, since you know that
you will receive an inheritance from the Lord
as a reward. It is the Lord Jesus Christ you
are serving.
And your first ministry is to make

disciples. God wants every Christian to
make disciples. Use this booklet and meet
people one-to-one. Tell them about how God

changed your life. And invite them to The

Feast and to your Small Groups.
Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make

disciples of all nations..."
Matthew 4:19 "Come, follow me," Jesus

said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
Application:
• Join a weekly prayer meeting (like The
Feast) to worship and feed your spirit
with God's Word.
• Join a Small Group and fellowship with
others who want to love the Lord.
• Join a ministry. A simple task that's
offered to the Lord is a great gift to Him.
Prayer:
Lord, I thank You for my spiritual family.
I thank You that You give me friends who
help me grow in my relationship with You. I
thank You for mentors and coaches who
inspire and guide me. Lord, I will serve my
brothers and sisters in this spiritual family. I
will serve You with my talents and gifts. In
Jesus' name. Amen.

Love Someone Today

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Love Someone Today

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WELCOME HOME.

YOU ARE LOVED

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

When I was 12 years old, I came to know

While watching a religious program on

But thankfully, it didn't end there.

My parents discipled me. Getting to know

So they taught me how to pray and how

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

But more than all these, they loved me.

Friends, the reason why I'm still here

What Is Discipleship? In essence,

Discipleship doesn't happen in prayer

There really are only two elements to

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

person as Jesus would. You're talking to a

2. And within that friendship,

This kind of discipleship is the missing link

Very little discipleship is happening

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

Don't get me wrong. Weekly prayer

The lack of one-to-one discipleship is also

This is also the reason why many young

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

is below the age of 30. If we're not reaching

This is my prayer: That this little book

Start With J.O.Y.

As you begin your relationship with Jesus,

J-oin a weekly Prayer Meeting (such as

Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

doing, but let us encourage one another and

O-bey God's Word by reading the Bible

Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the

Y-ield to the Holy Spirit so you can share

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when

Mark 5:19, 20 Jesus... said, "Go home

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

began to tell in the Decapolis how much

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

When I was a kid, we had a huge old

One day, everyone in the house was

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

We opened the carton, pulled it out,

But then the unthinkable happened.

One of us (to this day we don't know who)

Lesson? We can't violate the

Yes, even our own souls.

I believe God has a sacred purpose for

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

many people are still looking for happiness

I believe your most important purpose is

Mark 12:30 "Love the Lord your God

It's all about love. This is your purpose.

Loving God with Your All

Question: Do you love the Lord with all

It's a tall order. I meet people who tell

LOVE SOMEONE TODAY: ONE-TO-ONE DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS

kill people, I don't steal and I don't cheat. I

That's not the point. Here's the main

Ephesians 1:4-5 Even before the world

And this unity with God starts now, while

God made you so He could love you. He