Following Jesus Christ & Counting The Cost
There are only 2 things a man or woman can do with their lives! They can live it their way or live it God's way! There is NO other choice, no third way! If you're NOT living for God in HOLINESS then you ARE living it your way, which means you are captive to the satanic world system and mind. That's it; that's the truth, like it or not!
Choosing to go God's way means a conscious choice to OBEY God's laws. It means breaking free from ENSLAVEMENT to the world system of rules. There is a change of ALLEGIANCE from obeying SELF and SIN to obeying the law of the Spirit! This change of mind and heart is a gift from God called REPENTANCE as stated in
2 Timothy 2: 25-26. " He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will."
2 Timothy 2: 25-26. " He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will."
Repentance is not just sorrow for past sins but a change of attitude about sin in general. In repentance we go from being lovers of self, sin and the things of the world to lovers of God, righteousness and the lost in the world.
“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 8: 34 - 38
Repentance isn't negotiating or bargaining with God about how much sin you can keep in your life and still be saved -- it is a total transformation of the direction, attitude and function of our wills. Although painful, repentance is the joyful experience of seeing our old life slip away as we desire more and more to know and do and be only what Christ wants us to know and do and become. A person can talk about Jesus and his faith but unless his action in big and little things demonstrates a real change, what is claimed as faith is nothing more than false piety.
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, doesn’t sit down first, and count the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he has 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. Or what king, going to make war against another king, doesn’t sit down first, and consult whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassador, and desires conditions of peace. So therefore every one of you who does not give up all that he himself possesses, is not able to be My disciple”
Luke 14: 28 - 33
“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 8: 34 - 38
Repentance isn't negotiating or bargaining with God about how much sin you can keep in your life and still be saved -- it is a total transformation of the direction, attitude and function of our wills. Although painful, repentance is the joyful experience of seeing our old life slip away as we desire more and more to know and do and be only what Christ wants us to know and do and become. A person can talk about Jesus and his faith but unless his action in big and little things demonstrates a real change, what is claimed as faith is nothing more than false piety.
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, doesn’t sit down first, and count the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he has 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. Or what king, going to make war against another king, doesn’t sit down first, and consult whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassador, and desires conditions of peace. So therefore every one of you who does not give up all that he himself possesses, is not able to be My disciple”
Luke 14: 28 - 33
Warnings
“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose you that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think you that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.”
Luke 13: 1 - 5
and
“And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 10: 21, 22, 28, 33
“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose you that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think you that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.”
Luke 13: 1 - 5
and
“And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 10: 21, 22, 28, 33
Obedience & Disobedience
"If you love me, you will obey what I command....Whoever has my commands, and obeys them he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
John 14:15, 21
"Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?"
Luke 6:46
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" James 1:22
"If you love me, you will obey what I command....Whoever has my commands, and obeys them he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
John 14:15, 21
"Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?"
Luke 6:46
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" James 1:22
Reward & Punishment
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Revelation 21: 5-8
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Revelation 21: 5-8
A Sword, Not Peace
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” For I am come to set a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be those of his own household.”
Matthew 10:34, 35, 36
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” For I am come to set a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be those of his own household.”
Matthew 10:34, 35, 36
How to Prepare for the Reality of Suffering as a Christian
Here are three points that can prepare us for such a glorious fate:
1) First, Christian workers need to examine their own hearts, searching for any sense of entitlement. As Paul advised Timothy, they need to be prepared to “share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God” (2 Tim. 1:8 ). They will do this, not by cultivating stoicism or asceticism, but by concentrating long and hard on “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8 ), who is better, more valuable, and more delightful than anything lost by following him.
2) There is a need to share the gospel the way Jesus did, by making the cost of discipleship clear (Luke 9:57–62). People who have been given a realistic sense of what it means to follow Jesus, and who have counted the cost, will make much steadier disciples. And lest we fear that such a sobering presentation of the gospel will keep people from being saved, we need to realise two things. First, Jesus is the offering, not a cozy life, and Jesus really is better than all of the good things of this world combined. Second, it is the power of the Holy Spirit that draws people to Jesus, not an attractive packaging of the message.
3) There is a need to include the subject of suffering well in immediate follow-up with new believers.
Followers of Jesus should not be surprised or caught off guard by suffering (1 Peter 4:12).
They need to endure suffering without compromising their integrity (2 Tim. 4:5; 1 Peter 2:19).
They must love their persecutors and pray for their welfare (Matt. 5:43–47).
They are to renounce any intention to take revenge (Rom. 12:14–21).
They are to trust God in the middle of their suffering and respond by proactively doing good (1 Peter 4:19).
They are to use their experiences of suffering as a basis for comforting others who suffer (2 Cor. 1:3–7).
They are to fix their eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:1–3).
And they are commanded to rejoice. “Rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:13).
As followers of Jesus, we do not rejoice in suffering because we enjoy pain, but because Jesus is so worthy in our eyes and hearts that we delight in being identified with him in his suffering, death and resurrection. All suffering is temporary. It isn’t worth comparing with the glory that awaits us (2 Cor. 4:16).
In that place of glory, all pain and suffering will be gone forever (Rev. 21:4).
Borrowed and modified from: www.imb.org/2017/03/28/suffering-persecution-prepare/
Here are three points that can prepare us for such a glorious fate:
1) First, Christian workers need to examine their own hearts, searching for any sense of entitlement. As Paul advised Timothy, they need to be prepared to “share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God” (2 Tim. 1:8 ). They will do this, not by cultivating stoicism or asceticism, but by concentrating long and hard on “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8 ), who is better, more valuable, and more delightful than anything lost by following him.
2) There is a need to share the gospel the way Jesus did, by making the cost of discipleship clear (Luke 9:57–62). People who have been given a realistic sense of what it means to follow Jesus, and who have counted the cost, will make much steadier disciples. And lest we fear that such a sobering presentation of the gospel will keep people from being saved, we need to realise two things. First, Jesus is the offering, not a cozy life, and Jesus really is better than all of the good things of this world combined. Second, it is the power of the Holy Spirit that draws people to Jesus, not an attractive packaging of the message.
3) There is a need to include the subject of suffering well in immediate follow-up with new believers.
Followers of Jesus should not be surprised or caught off guard by suffering (1 Peter 4:12).
They need to endure suffering without compromising their integrity (2 Tim. 4:5; 1 Peter 2:19).
They must love their persecutors and pray for their welfare (Matt. 5:43–47).
They are to renounce any intention to take revenge (Rom. 12:14–21).
They are to trust God in the middle of their suffering and respond by proactively doing good (1 Peter 4:19).
They are to use their experiences of suffering as a basis for comforting others who suffer (2 Cor. 1:3–7).
They are to fix their eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:1–3).
And they are commanded to rejoice. “Rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:13).
As followers of Jesus, we do not rejoice in suffering because we enjoy pain, but because Jesus is so worthy in our eyes and hearts that we delight in being identified with him in his suffering, death and resurrection. All suffering is temporary. It isn’t worth comparing with the glory that awaits us (2 Cor. 4:16).
In that place of glory, all pain and suffering will be gone forever (Rev. 21:4).
Borrowed and modified from: www.imb.org/2017/03/28/suffering-persecution-prepare/