Having considered the urgency and the value of the Kingdom of God, Yeshua/Jesus now asks us to consider the costs of following Him.
The Decision: New Podcast Available.
Having considered the urgency and the value of the Kingdom of God, Yeshua/Jesus now asks us to consider the costs of following Him.
the mountain mensch 
Good morning, Rabbi
Thank you for sending me your Podcast. I certainly behave been considering these passages for several weeks…
I offer you my comments and inspiration as always you bring to my studies.
July 13-4, 2023
Comments to Mountain Mensch
Mary Frances Begley
Matthew 16:24-26
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Jesus gave us two instructions and two challenges:
(1) Two instructions – decision and action. Following Jesus has a requirement, a decision and action – spirit rebirth, soul garments engaged: thought of choice pathway, speaking the commitment to deny himself of will worship, renewing mindset to transform from voluntary humility, pride, arrogance, and engage personal action to take up your cross and follow the Lord, His way, truth and life eternal, set apart from the worlds systems and temptations; thirsts, quests, and endeavors in life. The reality of recognizing how to take up our cross also means counting building and endurance costs, getting to the living water — as in John Chapter 4 when Jesus came to Jacob’s Well, in Samaria and met the Woman at the well; getting to know the Gift of God and who it is that is asking for and communing with us about our thirst, water pots, vocations, marketplace and societal relationships, we will need a drink of living water, take up our cross, and walk upright and literally forsake all for the living water, a disciplined pay-as-you go costs so as to meet challenges and influencers offering unquenchable thirst temptations…to get gain…and for what…that which should be counted dung…for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul?
2 Two Challenges: Choosing Whom We Serve and Counting the Cost
We must be in position to learn to recognize the gift of God made accessible in this adventure of Faith — denying ourself the water and gain of a life of worldly gain, and who it is that is speaking into this New Covenant Agreement with the Lord God Almighty, which New Covenant is confirmed with the Blood of Jesus which speaks mercy and Justice, better things than the Blood of Abel, which cries out for vengeance—Give me to drink; recognize The Christ, the Son of the Living God; whose daily bread we eat and whose cup we drink remembering Him.
He has given us living water!
24https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-24.htmThen Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. Matthew 17:24
We then answer the Lord, count the cost, deny ourselves things, that do not produce fruit of the Spirit, and would bar us from inheriting the Kingdom of God. Counting the cost” means up front to seek for and recognize to the best of our ability the totality of the Cross endeavor and agreeing to terms first: terms and conditions of the Word of God, read, preached and heard—the Gospel—which have guide posts to deny yourself; take up and connect to your cross; and follow Jesus. In following Christ, we can only know things as we encounter life in daily following the Lord by Grace through faith; by choosing this day to serve the Lord no matter what! We shall not, must not and cannot simply follow our own flesh inclinations, dark spiritual and soulish influencers that are of this world; things and attributes that we would not normally recognize as idolatry, deceptive manipulations or self-imposed activities that dishonor God, family and country; tolerating things here a little -there a little; doing and participating in not-too-bad activities; We cannot follow Him and the world’s way at the same time (Matthew 7:13-14https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%207.13-14).
Following Him WILL mean we shake off unhealthy relationships, recognize, face and make changes to dreams not producing righteousness, but have unethical and adulterated scenarios; but seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, crucifying the flesh, and following Jesus! Then the following produces good fruit and growing and coming to the stature of the full measure of Christ! There is only one way to accomplish and complete our destiny — live godly lives through Christ— He must be resident in us — for this is the hope of Glory!
Matthew 16:24-28
Discipleship Is Costly
24https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-24.htmThen Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. 25https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-25.htmFor whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]. 26https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-26.htmFor what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-27.htmFor the Son of Man is going to come in the glory and majesty of His Father with His angels, and THEN HE WILL REPAY EACH ONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT HE HAS DONE.
28https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-28.htm“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, there are some of [k]those standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
This bears repeating:
26https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-26.htmFor what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-27.htmFor the Son of Man is going to come in the glory and majesty of His Father with His angels, and THEN HE WILL REPAY EACH ONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT HE HAS DONE.
If any one will follow Jesus, the invitation is open to all…for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth on Him should have eternal life.
We cannot earn salvation by lifestyle change or any other good deed (Ephesians 2:8-9https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Eph%202.8-9).
Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast
But when we choose to follow Christ, we must and shall release in obedience and willingness the control of our lives guided by the Word of God and the Spirit of Truth, Mercy and Grace. When Jesus is in control, we shall have pure living results (1 John 3:4-10https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20John%203.4-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%205.17).
1 John 3:4–10 ESV
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
5 You know that khe appeared in order to ltake away sins, and min him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; nno one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
7 Little children, olet no one deceive you. pWhoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, tnor is the one who udoes not love his brother.
2 Corinthians 5:17 — King James Version (KJV 1900)https://biblia.com/books/kjv1900/2Co5.17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
So, what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Blessings
Mary Frances Begley, MM
CEO/Founder
Living Springs Fellowship
חבורה מעיינות חיים
Chavurah Ma’ayanot Chaim
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Great podcast! Inspirational.
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