Discipleship Is Serious
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost.
Luke 14:28
You can pay nothing to earn salvation; yet living for Christ is a serious matter of discipleship. To be a Christian means to rely on Christ’s power rather than your own and to be willing to forsake your way for His. Being a Christian can mean facing persecution, ridicule, and tribulation. Jesus forewarned the disciples, “‘If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you’” (John 15:20).
But with His warning about the cost of discipleship, the Lord promised that your heart would rejoice “‘and your joy no one will take from you’” (John 16:22). And He also told His followers to “‘be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33). You won’t escape the difficulties of discipleship, but Jesus will enable you to handle them.
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 245). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: There is no way to buy happiness, nor is there any way to buy salvation. But following Christ does have it's cost. We must be willing to put aside all present worldly wealth in favor of heavenly treasures to come. Being Christ's disciple is a serious commitment and requires whole-hearted, single-minded devotion to Him and His teachings.
Applications: Following Christ takes absolute commitment, so you must examine yourself carefully to see if you are truly willing to make that kind of investment of resources, time, and energy. You cannot partially commit. It is all or nothing, so remember that the alternative is to be apart from God (in eternal damnation), therefore "always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Cor 15:58).
Prayer Subjects: Pray for a focused commitment to obey God and all his commands. Pray that I would love God with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind. Pray that I would be whole-hearted, single-minded, and spiritually devoted to submitting to, obeying, and pleasing God.
Listen to this entry
Luke 14:28
You can pay nothing to earn salvation; yet living for Christ is a serious matter of discipleship. To be a Christian means to rely on Christ’s power rather than your own and to be willing to forsake your way for His. Being a Christian can mean facing persecution, ridicule, and tribulation. Jesus forewarned the disciples, “‘If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you’” (John 15:20).
But with His warning about the cost of discipleship, the Lord promised that your heart would rejoice “‘and your joy no one will take from you’” (John 16:22). And He also told His followers to “‘be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33). You won’t escape the difficulties of discipleship, but Jesus will enable you to handle them.
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 245). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: There is no way to buy happiness, nor is there any way to buy salvation. But following Christ does have it's cost. We must be willing to put aside all present worldly wealth in favor of heavenly treasures to come. Being Christ's disciple is a serious commitment and requires whole-hearted, single-minded devotion to Him and His teachings.
Applications: Following Christ takes absolute commitment, so you must examine yourself carefully to see if you are truly willing to make that kind of investment of resources, time, and energy. You cannot partially commit. It is all or nothing, so remember that the alternative is to be apart from God (in eternal damnation), therefore "always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Cor 15:58).
Prayer Subjects: Pray for a focused commitment to obey God and all his commands. Pray that I would love God with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind. Pray that I would be whole-hearted, single-minded, and spiritually devoted to submitting to, obeying, and pleasing God.
Listen to this entry
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