Sunday, July 14, 2024

PART ONE: IT BEGINS WITH A FOUNDATION.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / 

Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9

To become a follower of Christ, we must understand discipleship. We cannot separate being a follower from discipleship. It isn’t enough to be just a believer. We must grow in our walk, and that is where discipleship comes in. The twelve were only sent when they had spent time with Jesus. Jesus didn’t send them out at the beginning of his three-year walk. They had to undergo training. Today, too many people are sent without training and mislead others on the way.  

It is a continually growing and laying down oneself to really understand what it means.

Even though I have walked on the road for a long time, my road had many ups and downs. When I took a detour, I never expected it to end where it did, and the result was that I had to resubmit myself to the training. I had to reinstall the culture of being an authentic believer, which led me to this study.

It begins with a foundation is a deeper look into what it means to be authentic in our walk and the cost involved.

The mark of a disciple entails the following:

· DEATH TO SELF: Luke 14:27-28

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (NKJV)

· IMITATES JESUS: Matt 10:24-25

24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. (NKJV)

· SERVANTHOOD: John 13:13-17

13 "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (NKJ)

· COMPLIANCE: Matt 4:19-20

19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. (NKJ)

· INDWELLING WORD: John 8:31

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. (NKJ)

· PRODUCTIVITY: John 15:8

"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (NKJ)

· LOVE FOR OTHER DISCIPLES: John 13:34-35

34"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (NKJ)

· EXCLUSIVE DEVOTION: Luke 14:33

"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (NKJ)

 

It’s necessary to understand what discipleship means before you embark on this journey. Your mind must be sharpened, your intellect improved, and you must be of sound mind as you overcome the enemies you will encounter on the way.

Through this bible study, the mnemonics will come through as explicit instructions from the Lord. This is not my instructions but God’s instructions.

I can only show you the way, but it’s up to you if you will do a self-study and follow the Word as God’s absolute truth.

It all starts with the foundation. Once that is established, the rest will become easier to build upon.

May you find true meaning in your walk as you grow into maturity with Christ as your ultimate destination.

I want to thank my spiritual father, who has given me the resources to learn, and equip those who will read this, and to grow into the image of Christ. May you, too, find this study as a light in the tunnel and you, too, find your way to Christ.  

Discipleship possesses certain traits.

Luk 14:26-30

“Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? 29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, 30saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. 33So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

You must hate all sentimental connections.

:26 who does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.

Thayer: 1) to hate, pursue with hatred, detest

   2) to be hated, detested.

TBESG: You must have an indifference to or relative disregard for one thing in comparison with another. Hate has the same meaning as detested, according to the Apostolic Bible Polyglot Greek-English Linear. The word hate is used as detested in several translations.

Gen 26:27

And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate (detested) me and have sent me away from you?”

Gen 29:31,33

:31When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved (detested), He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

:33Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved (detested), He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.

Gen 37:4, 8

:4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated (detested) him and could not speak peaceably to him.

:8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated (detested) him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Ex 18:21

Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating (detesting) covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Through these scriptures, you must hate or detest all sentimental relations. Clinging to these relationships cripples your progress in becoming a disciple of Christ.

You must carry the cross. You must deny yourself and follow without hesitation.

Matt 16:24, 27

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Mark 8:34

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

To follow, you must estimate the cost.

We will unpack this in the following days in more detail as this Bible plan unfolds. 

This Bible plan is going back to the basics and is essential for our growth. It is important to examine ourselves to truly determine if we are on the right path. If we have what it takes to follow Christ and come to the In-Christ position. 

My prayer is that you will receive clarity and insight to overcome and step into the fulness of grace with me. May this journey lead you to the Rock, the one who will never fail you; Jesus Christ. 

Grace and peace to you. 

Follow the blog to stay connected. 

Grace and peace to you.

CONTENT



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PART NINE: FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, THE SECOND STRING LINE

  All pictures are Microsoft Stock photos.  When we do an in-depth study of the foundation, then our hearts will be tested and scrutinized. ...