The passage I read
was Luke 14:25-33
You can find that passage here:
The verse that most
stood out to me:
33 In
the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my
disciples.
As I reflect:
Are you willing to lose
everything you value, for the one thing above everything’s value?
When I first truly realized
what salvation was, I had nothing and was going down to the pit of hell. It was easy for me to grab hold of everything
that Christ offered. What wasn’t easy is
later realizing as I grew that my values were changing. As my values were changed, the way others
interacted with me also changed. I no
longer wanted to do the same sinful things and pour myself into my possessions or
the way others saw me. I just wanted
more Jesus and less of me. Over the
years, I lost many people I thought were friends because of my choice to follow
Jesus. I have even lost some family
connections because they felt that going to church saves you but you can go ogle
at boobies at hooters the next day and use all sorts of perverse language and
still be a follower of God. As my convictions became more and more
Biblical and my views changed from earth based to Heaven based, I became more
and more separated from many whom I cared for.
It is something that is inevitable for the follower of God. He will set you apart and ask you to
sacrifice habits, relationships, comforts, and even your very thoughts if they
in any way go against what He has taught.
This is part of our daily cross that we bear. We are happy to lay down our lives for the
Lord, but we wouldn’t fool anyone in saying that it was easy.
The question brought
up in this passage is, “Have you counted the cost?” I think the vast majority of professed
believers do not count the cost. In
fact, many have left the belief when they found out there were real struggles
involved and that it wasn’t just a bunch of mushy feel good people getting
together and sharing bliss. Many others
still have chosen (instead of abandoning the belief all together) to simply
ignore the parts they don’t want and take all the “good stuff”. But God has made quite clear in the Scripture
that this relationship will cost us everything.
In other words, there is nothing in our lives that is to be as highly
valued as God and what He desires of us.
If a friend says you either choose Jesus or you choose me (whether said
aloud or implied by actions), you had better chose Jesus. If family members judge and distance
themselves from you because of the daily choices you make in following after
God, then you keep following after God anyway.
If you find yourself in a situation where you have to lie to keep your home,
then you lose your home for the God who said, “Thou shall not lie.” The concept is simple; God above all
else. The application however is not as
simple and is usually the place where separation usually occurs. Today and every day in every situation I
encounter, I have to ask myself, “What does God say about this?”, and then base
my actions, words, and thoughts, on the answer… Even if it cost
everything. Yes everything. I have counted the cost, and just as My Lord
counted the cost in the sum of Jesus’ life for mine I count it worth losing all
for Christ.
My response to the
Lord:
Lord, I know that I have many nice possessions for which I
glorify you as having provided blessings to me and my family which we don’t’
deserve. But I know that you give and
that you take away and I would still bless your name should all of it be taken
tomorrow. I have lost friends and much
more than that for you Father and I don’t count it my credit as Your Son has
given up far greater for me. If I have
anything you desire, it is yours to take and do with as you please. I myself am yours to take and do with as you
please. Lord you know my heart. My words are not empty. I cannot define your worth. But I know that all I have is worth losing if
you ask it of me.
Thank you. I'm counting the cost, and it's great in one way--can really feel bad and have to pay the consequences but it's nothing compared to what the Lord gave me, and it increases our faith and trust in Him hugely, in turn blessing us. i agree with you that I too know christians who make so many exceptions, but
ReplyDeletethis scripture and others clarify what we give up(sacrifice) for Him, to follow Christ. I remember years ago thinking I really wasn't making any sacrifices to follow him, but friends asked me if I'd lost friends or strained relationships. Yeah, and since then more. To be seen as a fool who can't move on and let the past go, to receive that judgement for asking people for forgiveness and seeking to heal hurt i caused. it was such a reminder of this world's values and mine being so very different. And we, as Christians, must live for an audience of one! It is for the Lord, i live, walk, talk and act as i do. A fool for Christ. My highest priority is HIS will whether that make me a fool or not or if it leaves me homeless. I hear people throw this around soloosely, but when you are really tested, you need to go to him upon your knees and truly allow Him to search your heart. Are you truly obeying Him and trusting in every area of your life? Because really, I'm dead serious, you can abuse the grace of God and just hope you'll get to Heaven. Step out and trust him just like walking on the water. The Lord won't let you drown. I've come forward about several lies with a government application that were fraud, and i was willing to face jail time to be honest. I'd lied before I was saved. My church prayed for me and God made the call with me as I confessed. You'd just be amazed when you step out like that how God is going to bless you. After my confession, I was blessed greatly, allowed to stay on my disability and simply asked to re-answer the questions honestly. That was it. I've been asked to sign a trust to take care of me if my husband should die first but there are lies within it. We are told to obey the laws of this land unless they contradict God's laws
ReplyDeletewell said. Amen.
DeleteSoI must obey. I am Christ's, not my own. WE do things HIS way, not the world's way. I have an atty thinking me a fool yet refuse to sign a document i know could be "stretching" the truth or slightly "going around the law." God allows us choices and comsequences or blessings. So by not signing this trust, if my husband dies first, I will literally not have a penny to my name. But that's OK. God is going to provide! So are you really really counting the cost to be a disciple, stepping out upon the water. The Lord blesses me so greatly when I follow Him completely in every single thing with no exceptions.
ReplyDelete"...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.... Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." Romans 12:2, 9
ReplyDelete"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19-20
"Friendship with the world is enmity to God." James 4:4 "He [Jesus] turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.'" Matthew 16:23"Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." Psalm 40:4
"Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on." Proverbs 4:14
ReplyDelete"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me." John 15:18-21
"At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.... If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words...." John 14:20-23
“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it...." Luke 14:27-28
"...you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment." Mark 12:30
"...because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved." Matthew 24:12
ReplyDelete“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 10:37-39
"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ." Galatians 1:10
"Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!" Deuteronomy 5:29
“But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels. 'Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies....'" Psalm 81:11-14
"Their heart is divided; now they are held guilty." Hosea 10:2
"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death...." Philippians 3:7-10
"But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." 2 Timothy
Note: This last Scripture was the Lord's personal call to a seeker who longed to know God, but who loved his possessions more than anything. In the lives of each of us who would follow Jesus, there could be something that we seek and want more than Him. If so, He graciously puts His finger on that thing, and gives us a choice. Will you follow Me, or will you stay behind with that possession?