In this devotional podcast episode, M.t. Clark shares a personal update as he begins the Deeper Walk International School of Prayer Ministry program, marking a shift from his usual role as an online discipleship instructor to that of a student and prayer‑minister trainee. He reflects on the humility required to move from assumed expertise to learning anew, emphasizing the difference between intellectual knowledge and experiential, Spirit‑led wisdom. Clark meditates on Psalm 18:31‑32, interpreting the verses as a reminder of God’s unique power and the need to rely on Christ’s perfect way rather than personal strength. He announces several resources for listeners—including his blog (mtforchrist.org), A.W. Pink’s “Sovereignty of God” study, Freedom in Christ courses, and weekly Bible studies—inviting the audience to engage with these materials. The episode includes specific prayer requests (e.g., for a brother released from hospital, others needing healing, and his own finger injury) and a closing prayer that petitions God for guidance, strength, and the ability to represent Christ in daily life. Throughout, Clark encourages listeners to stay on the “new road” of discipleship, to pursue the perfect way of Jesus, and to actively participate in the community’s learning and prayer opportunities.
Chapters
To see today's photo, go to mt4christ.org or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter. Good morning! Today's photo of a dashboard view of a blazing sunrise on the horizon comes to us from a friend who shared this photo on social media Tuesday declaring, "Coming in hot, Charleston! Ready to rock this week!" You just have to love the enthusiasm of our friend who presumably, after recharging their batteries with an extended 3-day weekend was ready to seize the day and face and triumph over all the challenges the new work week had to bring. Well, it's Thursday again, and as is my habit, I share my friend's photo because I absolutely love his attitude and because his Charleston Highway sunrise is more than an adequate visual representation of a pathway and can be utilized to not only encourage us in the upcoming week but can be used as an encouragement to get on or to stay on the path of Christian discipleship, to live by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, not this week, not just this week, but also from here to eternity. I'm especially excited this morning because this evening I begin yet another journey with the Lord as I will be attending the first meeting of the Deeper Walk International School of Prayer Ministry program that will occupy my Thursday evenings throughout the year. This will be a switch for me, as I am used to leading discipleship courses online for Freedom in Christ Ministries. So now I have to switch gears as I take on the role of a student, a disciple of prayer, I suppose, as I will be educated and trained with the goal of becoming a certified Deeper Walk Prayer Minister. I am somewhat familiar with a great deal of the material that will be covered, I think. And although that could lead you to believe that would put me at ease, uh, the opposite seems to be true, as I am contemplating having to show that I know what I know with the coursework. I am also reminding myself to take the courses as they come, to slow down and remain humble, and to be open to hear what is being taught, to not fall into the trap of pride and believing that I quote-unquote, already know all this. I am also mentally preparing myself to only answer what is asked with the upcoming assignments. Because I blog 6 days a week, writing comes naturally for me now, but I have to be mindful to submit the appropriate amount of text to answer the questions and share my thoughts adequately, but not to be too verbose or write a doctoral dissertation for an for an essay assignment. Uh, education, knowledge, and wisdom is a funny thing. There's a big difference between learning something mentally and knowing it experientially, and sometimes you can know something like the back of your hand but can struggle to express your knowledge verbally. As a teacher or online course facilitator, I haven't had to study and do assignments. While I answer questions and make illustrations in every course session I host, I'm drawing from the material I already know and the experiences I've already had. While I have already read the two books for the first course in their entirety, I'm not sure if I "know" the material. As a student, you don't know what will be asked of you beforehand, and even though I've read all the material, I don't know what specifically will be asked, and if I and if I retained any of what I did read. Since reading the two books for the first course, I've gone on to read a couple of other books and am not sure that I know what I know, you know? I am currently facing the fact that I will have to read them again and do the reading assignments for each week as they come, because the assignments won't be on the overall books. They will be geared to each week's reading. As we slowly walk through the material over several weeks. So, so much for prepping. Um, uh, the expectations of being a student are a lot different than from being an instructor. As an instructor, it is assumed you know what you're talking about for the most part, whereas being a student, it is assumed that you don't know the material and have to prove you do. Oh yes, it's a performance-based paradigm. Show me what you know. I'm used to grace, but although God has graced me with intelligence and the ability to learn new things, I will have to demonstrate my knowledge and proficiency in performing as a prayer ministry minister in order to be certified. In fact, Deeper Walk has you sign a statement upon acceptance in the program stating that you understand that just because you were accepted into it, it doesn't guarantee that you will be certified. With that disclaimer, Deeper Walk International is saying this is the real deal, guys. Sure, you can read books and write essays, but do you have what it takes to be a prayer minister? Can you meet someone in their struggles and counsel and lead them through the various prayer practices in which they can receive the resolution of their personal and spiritual conflicts, or lead them beyond the traumas of their past to receive healing? Do you have the heart for this ministry? Do you have what it takes? Obviously, I am taking this training quite seriously, and even though I already have some education and experience in these areas through my degrees and work with Freedom in Christ Ministries, I am not taking anything for granted. This is service to the Lord Most High for the Body of Christ, and I will endeavor to be equipped for this, as I feel it is a part of the Lord's calling on my life. In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul encouraged Timothy and all of us to be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So as much as I look forward to making new friends, to learning new things, and acquiring new skills, I am not resting on my laurels of what I've already done. I am a student, disciple of prayer ministry, and I will be diligent to present myself approved to God, God willing, and to be used by God for his service in new ways. I am excited to learn new things and to do new things for God and his kingdom. So I'm coming in hot, Deeper Walk International, and I'm ready to rock because I know the Rock, and I know that finding our purpose in God's kingdom and being used by God is the best thing we could possibly hope for in life. So keep walking and talking with God and look to the horizon for what he is calling you to, calling you to do. When you walk with the Lord and seek to do his will with your life, you won't be lukewarm or cold. When you follow him, your life takes on new meaning and purpose, and you'll be on fire for the Lord and the life he has for you. You will accept the challenges with enthusiasm and endeavor to do the best for him. You'll be coming in hot to show yourself approved and to, and to walk into all the good things he has prepared for you. Today's Bible verse comes to us from the New Living Translation Bible Promise Book for Men. This morning's meditation verses are Psalm 18:31-32. And they say, for who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? God arms me with strength and he makes my way perfect. Today's verses remind us that there is no one like our God and that he prepares us for his purposes. The Lord is God alone. God alone is the solid rock. He is omnipotent. All-powerful, and he arms us with his strength and makes our ways perfect. The perfect way is Jesus, of course, and so when we follow him, our ways, no matter how much, uh, we may stumble, is made perfect too. Our walk is about progress, not perfection. Um, the only perfect one is Jesus. So as much as we tried, we, uh, As, as much as we try, we have to realize that in our own strength, we will undoubtedly not be able to do everything perfectly. However, when we make Jesus our life, abide in him, allow him to live through us, and allow him to live through us, we can do and accomplish things we otherwise would have thought to be impossible. It is only after coming to Christ and surrendering to his will that I was able to overcome my addictions. It was only because of my desire to surrender to the Lord's will that I volunteered to serve at my local church and to do any ministry work. It was only through following Jesus and having a desire to share his love that I ever decided to evangelize, write this blog, do this podcast, or go into the mission field. While I didn't do any of these things flawlessly, as you can, uh, testify to. Uh, the Lord gave me the strength to follow his perfect way. Things weren't always easy following this perfect way, and I have lost many things in its pursuit, but I can say it's a perfect way because it was God's way, um, and I was following his lead to the, to the best of my abilities, and I have no regrets. So rest in the fact that there is no one like our God. And go to him to receive the strength you need to follow the perfect way that he has for you. As always, I invite all to go to mtforchrist.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue sharing from A.W. Pink's Sovereignty of God, and we're sharing from— we're continuing to share from chapter 4, The Sovereignty of God in Salvation. And we're continuing in the second section of that chapter, which is the Sovereignty of God the Son in Salvation. And we'll be sharing, well, like I said, continuing that section, sharing points 2, 3, and 4 under that subheading. So if you want to see what that's all about, how God the Son is sovereign in our salvation, go to mtforchrist.org and you'll be able to find that at the end of today's blog post. As always, uh, we exist, uh, the, the blog exists, the podcast exists to encourage you in your walk of faith. Um, we, we do that by providing you with these lovely encouragements daily, um, and also by providing the discipleship classes that we, we taught back in 2021, uh, on the podcast in our YouTube channel. Uh, we've, we've have out there for your, for your review: Victor Over the Darkness, The Bondage Breaker, and Freedom in Christ, which are all based on the work of Dr. Neil Anderson and the Word of God. So if you wanted to get equipped, learn who you are in Christ, get free in Christ, those are great, great resources for you to utilize. And if you wanted, we can— you can email me at mtforchrist@gmail.com and I can provide you with the, uh, the printed materials for those courses. Free via email. So, um, here to equip. And you know, you're never too old to learn. And sometimes, uh, on the Christian walk of discipleship, the pathway of discipleship, we just need to know what we already know. We have to demonstrate that we know it by trusting in the Lord. We have to demonstrate we know who we are in Christ by believing it and living it out and the way we walk through life. So yeah, it's a challenge, and it's, uh, it's a challenge we should be up for and meet with enthusiasm because we've been given a new life in Christ, and as his word says. Also, we, uh, we also provide our Bible studies at Arthur and Susanna Sincotti, and I and my wife, uh, do each week, uh, to encourage you. If you don't have a Bible study, you can join ours. The latest one we did was God, help me understand your way, or something like that. Uh, you know, basically, um, Lord, give us understanding is, is the title. But, uh, that study and all the studies we've done previously, all the way back to 2021, um, are on the podcast and the blog and the YouTube channel for you to enjoy. So Um, we encourage you to go there. Uh, today is Thursday. Uh, we will have to go to work, and so we're going to pray, um, for the Lord to go before us. So let's do that. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. Lord, we just thank you so much for who you made us to be in Christ, um, and all the things you have for us to do when we decide to follow you. Lord, we pray for anyone who's listening or reading this message today, Lord, that they'd be blessed, that they'd be— that you'd come alongside them in their walk and come alongside them in their prayer request. Um, Lord, we want to thank you for my brother Mike being released from the hospital, and we pray for his continued healing, along with Bob Griffin and Fred Dimmick and anybody else out there who needs healing. Because we know— and actually, I'm praying for myself for healing as I cut my finger this morning, but we'll take that under advisement. Um, but Lord, we, we pray for you to, you to be with us in all things, and we pray for you to go before us today. Um, we pray for you to open our eyes to the things you want us to see and, and lead our paths in the ways you want us to go. So all we want to do is, is represent you here on the earth, Lord, and to make your love known to as many people as we can, we can through what we do and what we say. So we ask you for your help and strength to do that. Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we love you, and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
