Page 76 - Principles for Discipling Others-Student textbook

Study Section 15: Count the Cost of Discipleship

15.1 Connect.

Sometimes we as Christians go through deep troubles in our lives. God plans those events to
happen to us, for He uses those times to help us grow deeper in our relationship with Him. It
may be the loss of a special loved one, or the loss of a job or income, or rejection from a
group of people. If you have lived a few years, you probably have gone through such a time.

God is interested in how we handle those valleys in our lives. Do we trust Him, or do we get
bent out of shape and complain? Do we learn the lessons He is trying to teach us through the trials and
tribulations? Sometimes we can look around at the life that others live, and they seem to have
everything all put together and are enjoying life. And, like Job, we might be suffering. Today we are
going to learn how a disciple of Christ must be willing to “stand alone” for Christ, regardless of the cost.

15.2 Objectives:

1. Robert Foster has listed several ways the disciple of Christ must be different than all the “others”
around him.

2. We will learn five tips to include in our personal discipleship program.

3. We will conclude learning some key principles that must be a part of our discipleship
program.

15.3 Inspiration

It cost Tyndale his life to translate the Bible into the English language. What is it costing you
to give the Bible to others in their language?

As we conclude this course on the basics of DISCIPLESHIP, the steps of spiritual growth that
help us to keep Christ in the center of our lives as new-born sons and daughters of the King,
let us consider the following “Attitude Check” as written by Robert Foster, himself a child of the King and
one who daily strives to keep Christ in the center of his life…

Others May…You Cannot by Robert Foster

If God has called you to be really like Jesus, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and
put upon you such demands of obedience, that you may not be able to follow other people, or measure
yourself by others. In many ways He will seem to let other good people do things that he will not let you
do.

Others, who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to
carry out their plans, but you cannot do it; and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and
rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

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