Count The Cost

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Nancy

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GOD-He loves us John 3:16
He is Holy and He is just in all things, He punishes the wicked and removes evil from His presence Romans 1:18

MAN-God created man for fellowship and His purposes Colossians 1:16.
Man rebelled and turned from God's ways Isaiah 59:2 And the penalty is death Romans 6:23

CHRIST- God became man in the person of Jesus Christ to restore this fellowship that was broken at the fall of mankind and the earth in Genesis. Colossians 1:19-20a
Christ never sinned 1 Peter 2:22
Christ died as a substitute for man by paying our penalty for our sin. Romans 5:8
He rose from the dead 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
He is alive today and wants to give us a new life (being born again) and unbroken fellowship with God, John 10:10

Our response is to repent Matthew 4:17. We must believe Christ died to provide forgiveness and a new fellowship with God John 1:12.
We must receive Christ as Lord AND Savior, we must obey Him. We do this through prayer as we open the door to our heart for Him to change us. Revelation 3:20

The cost to God- 1 Peter 18-19.
Zero cost to man, for salvation Ephesians 2:8-9
The cost for man is discipleship Luke 9:23-24

So, discipleship to me simply means to follow the way of someone so as to spread those teachings.
So, how do you do discipleship? Are you a tract hander outer, do you feel comfortable walking up to a lost soul and speaking words of life to them? We are seed planters and waterers...God will always give the increase where He sees fit.
For myself, it is volunteering as to get to the people who need to hear the message of the gospel. Many seeds but, as yet (as far as I know) only one that I know of is now attending services and really digging into the bible. Never would have thought this man would even consider turning his life around. How about the other seeds? We don't know but either way, we obey God by spreading His good news!
Anyone want to share how they give the good news and what He has done for us?
 
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Wynona

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I tried to lead my half sister to Christ but her Hebrew Israelite upbringing has convinced her that Jesus isn't equal to God. Im hoping God has his hand on her and will draw her to Himself.
 
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GTW27

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Blessings in Christ Jesus Nancy. It is not by our power that The Good News was meant to be preached(shared). It is by The Authority and The Power of The Holy Spirit that The Gospel is shared. When I come here, I have no plan of my own to write, but I have faith, and I wait for The Lord, and He gives me what I need at that very moment And so it is, also, when I go out into the world. You see, I know The Lord is with me, and that He is faithful, faithful to provide what is needed, when it is needed. The Lord alluded to this same thing in the scriptures when He said do not worry about what you will say, as The Holy Spirit will give you the words that you will say to them. So it is with us, if we are truly born from above. That is how The Gospel was meant to be preached, in The Spirit. About a month ago, my neighbor sent a few people over to my house and I sold them a few vintage fishing reels. I was standing on my front porch as I was showing them the rods and the reels. After the sales, there was only one person left. He was a man I had met before and he was one very active in his church. As the conversation turned to his favorite topic, I found my self in The Spirit(This was The Lord's doing) and I started to preach, or should I say The Preaching began. We were talking about the early church and the churches of today, and revival. And I remember walking up to my car and pointing, and I said, do you see this car? This car takes me any where I want to go. Picture for a moment, this car representing me. What I now do, what I have learned to do, is to hop in the back seat and let The Lord drive. I do not ride in the passenger seat as The Lord drives, but I hop in the back, and fully trust Him to drive. This is the key to The Lord's promises, this is the key to revival, this is the key to unlocking The Power and Authority of today's churches. This is the key to sharing The Gospel that touches the heart of the world. It has always been about Him(Jesus) Him in us and through us. In His design, before the foundation of the world, all Glory and honor and praise belong to Him, and Him alone. Now I will tell a true story of over 20 years ago. The Lord came to me and said, "My son, I want you to pick a topic, and I want you study and prepare, and in a week I will return and I want you to preach to me on the topic." So I got right on my assignment, and I selected a topic and I studied and prepared that week. A week later The Lord returned and He said, "Peace be with you my Son, are you ready? Now stand up and preach." I then stood up, but I had nothing, my mind went blank. Everything I studied, I could not remember. Everything I brought that day was from me, and very much like driving your own car. The flesh is weak but The Spirit is willing. On these boards, I have brothers and sisters that are in Christ Jesus. We are members of the same body, with Jesus as The Head of the body. We all have The Father and The Son(Jesus) in the form of The Holy Spirit within us. Let us learn to deny ourselves and trust Him fully, so He can show us the depths of His Love for us and through us, as well as His faithfulness.

By the way Nancy, in the winter of 1990-2000 I lived on west street about two or three blocks from Niagra street behind the Tops where the shooting was this year. I really did not want to live there, but I needed to learn to be in the mist of other cultures not just my own, for The Lord is The Lord of all cultures.
 
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Aunty Jane

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Can I just ask the responders here what they believe "the good news of the kingdom" is?

Jesus said that "...the good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the entire world as a testimony offered to all the nations. And then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)

He told his disciples before he returned to heaven...
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the world.(Matthew 28:19-20)
What are we to preach, and how is it to be done? How was it done in the first century?

"I did not hesitate to tell you what was for your benefit as I proclaimed the word to you and taught you publicly as well as from house to house." (Acts 5:42; Acts 20:20)

Jesus' instructions were ...
Whatever town or village you enter, look for some honorable person who lives there, and stay with him until you leave. 12 As you enter a house, extend your blessing upon it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town."

It is obvious that we are to take the message out to the people in their towns and villages, or publicly wherever a conversation might be started. ......but we have to know what to tell them, and to direct them to those who will continue their spiritual education.

So What exactly is "the good news of the Kingdom"....?
 

Nancy

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Blessings in Christ Jesus Nancy. It is not by our power that The Good News was meant to be preached(shared). It is by The Authority and The Power of The Holy Spirit that The Gospel is shared. When I come here, I have no plan of my own to write, but I have faith, and I wait for The Lord, and He gives me what I need at that very moment And so it is, also, when I go out into the world. You see, I know The Lord is with me, and that He is faithful, faithful to provide what is needed, when it is needed. The Lord alluded to this same thing in the scriptures when He said do not worry about what you will say, as The Holy Spirit will give you the words that you will say to them. So it is with us, if we are truly born from above. That is how The Gospel was meant to be preached, in The Spirit. About a month ago, my neighbor sent a few people over to my house and I sold them a few vintage fishing reels. I was standing on my front porch as I was showing them the rods and the reels. After the sales, there was only one person left. He was a man I had met before and he was one very active in his church. As the conversation turned to his favorite topic, I found my self in The Spirit(This was The Lord's doing) and I started to preach, or should I say The Preaching began. We were talking about the early church and the churches of today, and revival. And I remember walking up to my car and pointing, and I said, do you see this car? This car takes me any where I want to go. Picture for a moment, this car representing me. What I now do, what I have learned to do, is to hop in the back seat and let The Lord drive. I do not ride in the passenger seat as The Lord drives, but I hop in the back, and fully trust Him to drive. This is the key to The Lord's promises, this is the key to revival, this is the key to unlocking The Power and Authority of today's churches. This is the key to sharing The Gospel that touches the heart of the world. It has always been about Him(Jesus) Him in us and through us. In His design, before the foundation of the world, all Glory and honor and praise belong to Him, and Him alone. Now I will tell a true story of over 20 years ago. The Lord came to me and said, "My son, I want you to pick a topic, and I want you study and prepare, and in a week I will return and I want you to preach to me on the topic." So I got right on my assignment, and I selected a topic and I studied and prepared that week. A week later The Lord returned and He said, "Peace be with you my Son, are you ready? Now stand up and preach." I then stood up, but I had nothing, my mind went blank. Everything I studied, I could not remember. Everything I brought that day was from me, and very much like driving your own car. The flesh is weak but The Spirit is willing. On these boards, I have brothers and sisters that are in Christ Jesus. We are members of the same body, with Jesus as The Head of the body. We all have The Father and The Son(Jesus) in the form of The Holy Spirit within us. Let us learn to deny ourselves and trust Him fully, so He can show us the depths of His Love for us and through us, as well as His faithfulness.

By the way Nancy, in the winter of 1990-2000 I lived on west street about two or three blocks from Niagra street behind the Tops where the shooting was this year. I really did not want to live there, but I needed to learn to be in the mist of other cultures not just my own, for The Lord is The Lord of all cultures.

Thank you G,
Your post is chock full of good advice.
That part of the West Side is pretty bad and I used to even live on West Ave. in my late teens. We have many different cultures in this city. I'm on the South Side now, near Lake Erie.
Again thank you for your reply.
 
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GTW27

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Thank you G,
Your post is chock full of good advice.
That part of the West Side is pretty bad and I used to even live on West Ave. in my late teens. We have many different cultures in this city. I'm on the South Side now, near Lake Erie.
Again thank you for your reply.

I lived in the apartment above the store a few blocks behind tops. Being the only gringo in that area The Lord put it in the hearts of the violent ones that I was an undercover cop. They let me be, but were extra careful when selling their drugs. lol.
 
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Wrangler

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Anyone want to share how they give the good news and what He has done for us?

How is very individualized. I meet people where they are and the conversation begins.

For instance, recently I struck up a conversation with a coworker. He looked tired and I expressed concern, sympathy, compassion. This is HOW it begins. He opened up, letting me into his world. Feeling my genuine love for him, the conversation continued. Ultimately, he admitted he felt a void, purposeless in life.

That's when I suggested he needs religion and invited him to pursue it and to read the Bible for himself. I told him it changed my life. He stood at the door I invited him and pondered his next move.

Can I just ask the responders here what they believe "the good news of the kingdom" is?

Perfect articulation of theology is not important in reaching people. It's just simply not our job. The verse in the translation below was one of the most impactful in my journey on this issue. It's about relationships not religion. People do not convert because someone articulated doctrine so intellectually well, it moved them to action. Rather, people are moved by a personal and emotional connection.

For instance, earlier this year I went to a neighbors birthday party. Her 27 year old son seemed to gravitate to me. The conversation turned to his wife's inability to conceive and the pressure his mother has put on him to give her grandchildren. Somehow God came up and he wondered if it was God's will for him and his wife to have children and how disappointed his mother would be. I told him I had something for him.

I returned with The Every Man's Bible NLT, telling him I bought a bunch, gave all but this to my SIL's. His reaction? He began to cry, saying he had prayed for a good Bible for him and I pull this out. It had nothing to do with my articulation of theology.


The mission given to me by the Anointed One is not about baptism, but about preaching good news. The point is not to impress others by spinning an eloquent, intellectual argument; that type of rhetorical showboating would only nullify the cross of the Anointed.
1 Corinthians 1:17 (Voice)
 
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Aunty Jane

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It's about relationships not religion. People do not convert because someone articulated doctrine so intellectually well, it moved them to action. Rather, people are moved by a personal and emotional connection.
I believe that people who are genuinely searching for the truth about God and who want to know about his intentions concerning the plight of mankind in how he will provide a solution for our problems, will be drawn by “the good news of the Kingdom” that Jesus’ disciples were commanded to preach before “the end” comes. (Matthew 24:14)

This is God’s solution to man’s inhumanity to man, and the corruption in all governments that sees more and more suffering as they continue to shove one another, back and forth. The value of our money continues to buy less and less as we see the whole world plunged into times of great change...none for the better. Civil unrest is increasing world wide and the distress of everyday life is taking its toll.

People need “good news” and the “kingdom” will solve all of man’s problems....so in a nutshell, what is it? What are we to tell people and where are we to send them to further their spiritual education?
Jesus provided the message and he taught us to pray for the Kingdom to “come” so that God’s will could be “done on earth as it is in heaven”. It is important to know what we need to tell people.

A relationship with God is very important, but emotion should never be the sole basis of that relationship.
Emotions that are not backed up by knowledge (not just belief) can let people down if their expectations are not met. The expectations must be real, not fantasy. Solid Bible knowledge is key and it’s not something that can be arrived at on our own.....God has always provided teachers for his people. Jesus sent his disciples out to find them and then teach them his Father’s truth. (Matthew 28:19-20)
There must be somewhere to send them to further their spiritual education. All must adhere to the same truth....(1 Corinthians 1:10) Where will they go? Who is teaching this truth?
 
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Nancy

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How is very individualized. I meet people where they are and the conversation begins.

For instance, recently I struck up a conversation with a coworker. He looked tired and I expressed concern, sympathy, compassion. This is HOW it begins. He opened up, letting me into his world. Feeling my genuine love for him, the conversation continued. Ultimately, he admitted he felt a void, purposeless in life.

That's when I suggested he needs religion and invited him to pursue it and to read the Bible for himself. I told him it changed my life. He stood at the door I invited him and pondered his next move.



Perfect articulation of theology is not important in reaching people. It's just simply not our job. The verse in the translation below was one of the most impactful in my journey on this issue. It's about relationships not religion. People do not convert because someone articulated doctrine so intellectually well, it moved them to action. Rather, people are moved by a personal and emotional connection.

For instance, earlier this year I went to a neighbors birthday party. Her 27 year old son seemed to gravitate to me. The conversation turned to his wife's inability to conceive and the pressure his mother has put on him to give her grandchildren. Somehow God came up and he wondered if it was God's will for him and his wife to have children and how disappointed his mother would be. I told him I had something for him.

I returned with The Every Man's Bible NLT, telling him I bought a bunch, gave all but this to my SIL's. His reaction? He began to cry, saying he had prayed for a good Bible for him and I pull this out. It had nothing to do with my articulation of theology.


The mission given to me by the Anointed One is not about baptism, but about preaching good news. The point is not to impress others by spinning an eloquent, intellectual argument; that type of rhetorical showboating would only nullify the cross of the Anointed.
1 Corinthians 1:17 (Voice)

"For instance, recently I struck up a conversation with a coworker. He looked tired and I expressed concern, sympathy, compassion. This is HOW it begins. He opened up, letting me into his world. Feeling my genuine love for him, the conversation continued. Ultimately, he admitted he felt a void, purposeless in life."

Perfect approach...this is the work of the Holy Spirit, for sure. Just like the NLT bible you gave to that man.
Thank you for the input.
 
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Nancy

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I believe that people who are genuinely searching for the truth about God and who want to know about his intentions concerning the plight of mankind in how he will provide a solution for our problems, will be drawn by “the good news of the Kingdom” that Jesus’ disciples were commanded to preach before “the end” comes. (Matthew 24:14)

This is God’s solution to man’s inhumanity to man, and the corruption in all governments that sees more and more suffering as they continue to shove one another, back and forth. The value of our money continues to buy less and less as we see the whole world plunged into times of great change...none for the better. Civil unrest is increasing world wide and the distress of everyday life is taking its toll.

People need “good news” and the “kingdom” will solve all of man’s problems....so in a nutshell, what is it? What are we to tell people and where are we to send them to further their spiritual education?
Jesus provided the message and he taught us to pray for the Kingdom to “come” so that God’s will could be “done on earth as it is in heaven”. It is important to know what we need to tell people.

A relationship with God is very important, but emotion should never be the sole basis of that relationship.
Emotions that are not backed up by knowledge (not just belief) can let people down if their expectations are not met. The expectations must be real, not fantasy. Solid Bible knowledge is key and it’s not something that can be arrived at on our own.....God has always provided teachers for his people. Jesus sent his disciples out to find them and then teach them his Father’s truth. (Matthew 28:19-20)
There must be somewhere to send them to further their spiritual education. All must adhere to the same truth....(1 Corinthians 1:10) Where will they go? Who is teaching this truth?

Well said and, thank you for the reply.
 

farouk

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GOD-He loves us John 3:16
He is Holy and He is just in all things, He punishes the wicked and removes evil from His presence Romans 1:18

MAN-God created man for fellowship and His purposes Colossians 1:16.
Man rebelled and turned from God's ways Isaiah 59:2 And the penalty is death Romans 6:23

CHRIST- God became man in the person of Jesus Christ to restore this fellowship that was broken at the fall of mankind and the earth in Genesis. Colossians 1:19-20a
Christ never sinned 1 Peter 2:22
Christ died as a substitute for man by paying our penalty for our sin. Romans 5:8
He rose from the dead 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
He is alive today and wants to give us a new life (being born again) and unbroken fellowship with God, John 10:10

Our response is to repent Matthew 4:17. We must believe Christ died to provide forgiveness and a new fellowship with God John 1:12.
We must receive Christ as Lord AND Savior, we must obey Him. We do this through prayer as we open the door to our heart for Him to change us. Revelation 3:20

The cost to God- 1 Peter 18-19.
Zero cost to man, for salvation Ephesians 2:8-9
The cost for man is discipleship Luke 9:23-24

So, discipleship to me simply means to follow the way of someone so as to spread those teachings.
So, how do you do discipleship? Are you a tract hander outer, do you feel comfortable walking up to a lost soul and speaking words of life to them? We are seed planters and waterers...God will always give the increase where He sees fit.
For myself, it is volunteering as to get to the people who need to hear the message of the gospel. Many seeds but, as yet (as far as I know) only one that I know of is now attending services and really digging into the bible. Never would have thought this man would even consider turning his life around. How about the other seeds? We don't know but either way, we obey God by spreading His good news!
Anyone want to share how they give the good news and what He has done for us?
Hi @Nancy Really good questions there.........

Acts 2.42 contains a summary of excellent activities in the Lord's Name.............
 
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quietthinker

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Count The Cost cuz, having all yer eggs in the same basket might not deliver a full carton
 
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Wrangler

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A relationship with God is very important, but emotion should never be the sole basis of that relationship.

Whoever said emotion is the sole basis of our relationship with God (or anyone)?

A relationship with God is not merely very important. It is of the highest importance! This is the message of the Sh'ma, the most important commandment. It is not emotion only but action. If you truly love God, you will do as he commands.

All must adhere to the same truth....(1 Corinthians 1:10)

Must? You are using a word of encouragement as a command. Paul could not even agree with Barnabas to take Saint Mark with them. They could not agree and ended up splitting up. So much for 'must adhere to the same truth.'

Brothers and sisters, I encourage all of you in the name of our Lord Yeshua Christ to agree with each other and not to split into opposing groups. I want you to be united in your understanding and opinions. 1 COR 1:10

Who is teaching this truth?

Sister, for all your depth of understanding of Scritpure, I don't think you've learned the lesson of Original Sin. Knowledge is secondary. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care!

The question in this thread is 'Anyone want to share how they give the good news and what He has done for us?' This is personal. This thread is about our personal testimony and witness. This thread is not about violating 1 Corinthians 1:17, spinning an eloquent, intellectual argument; rhetorical showboating only nullifies the cross of the Anointed.
 
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Nancy

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Good scripture/verses..
---
Many Christians in 'persecuted/restricted countries' go through..
- counting the cost/what it means..in different/severe level.
---
I have been been working with Christian leaders..in those countries.

Yes, agreed. We in the West are the rich, even the poorest of our poor are richer than many places.
The cost is everything and most keep so many things back, like Ananias and Sapphira...?
Thanks for your reply!
 

farouk

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Good scripture/verses..
---
Many Christians in 'persecuted/restricted countries' go through..
- counting the cost/what it means..in different/severe level.
---
I have been been working with Christian leaders..in those countries.
@Pathfinder7 I love Philippians where the themes of joy and suffering exist side by side.