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Count the Cost

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JESUS SPEAKS

“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; lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, “This man began to build and was not able to finish.” (Luke 14: 27 – 30)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

The tower in this parable represents the Christian life. Those who are contemplating a potential conversion are encouraged to first sit down and count the cost. Following Christ demands great sacrifice and results in divine transformation. And thus, in our evangelistic endeavors, failing to include the requirements of repentance and rebirth is dishonest.

I recently spoke to a group of young men. Although they possessed a very basic knowledge of Christianity, they were surprised when I presented them with the full gospel. I explained that they were obligated to repent from their sinful lifestyles (drunkenness, lewdness, fornication, etc.), which they had not yet abandoned, in order to be transformed by the Lord. Although a couple of men listened to the message without offense, one man became angry. He claimed to be confused by what I had said, and subsequently rejected the gospel (or so it appeared) because it required him to change.

Before an individual can make a decision to become a Christian and be baptized, they must first consider the cost; lest they devote themselves in ignorance to a life which requires great sacrifice. Many who have made this mistake will initially accept and embrace the gospel, but will eventually walk away before it is finished.

“Lord Heavenly Father, may we reach out to those who are lost and present them with the gospel truth. Give us strength and courage; and grant us wisdom in our evangelistic endeavors, that by means of Your Spirit, many might repent and receive Your free gift of salvation. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!

What is Possible?

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JESUS SPEAKING

“With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19: 26)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

God is not shackled by the limitations of human reasoning. There are no boundaries to what the Lord can accomplish. And so, those things which man perceives to be impossible, are entirely possible with God.

There came a time in the Old Testament when the Northern Kingdom of Israel was attacked by the Syrian Empire. The Syrians laid siege to the capital city of Samaria for quite some time; cutting off all of their supplies. The people struggled and began to starve. When the conditions became unbearable, King Joram and his men set out to find the Prophet Elisha and execute him. And yet when they attempted to arrest him, he prophesied that the very next day there would be an abundance of food for everyone in the city; so much food that the price of goods would return to their normal levels. One of the men accompanying the King scoffed at such a premise, saying, “if the Lord himself should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” In response Elisha prophesied that this man would observe the miracle but wouldn’t be able to consume any of the food. Later that night, God inundated the Syrian army with the sound of enemy chariots and soldiers marching against them; an illusion that served a greater purpose. The Syrians panicked and fled in haste, leaving all of their equipment, supplies, and food behind. The next day the Israelites discovered the empty camps and raided them; bringing an abundance of food back into the city. And thus the cost of food returned to its normal level. So the man who had previously scoffed at Elisha’s prophecy was trampled beneath the feet of the raging crowds near the city gate. Thus God’s prophecy was fulfilled; that evil scoffer witnessed the miracle but didn’t eat any of the food.

Like the man who was trampled, there is a danger in placing human limitations on what we believe God can achieve. When any difficult circumstance arises, may we remember that our God is able to accomplish impossible things.

. “Lord Heavenly Father, we know that with You, all things are possible. May we remain focused on Your power and your strength, no matter how difficult the circumstances might appear. May we never forget that You are a miracle worker. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.” God bless all of you!

The Consequences of Sin

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JESUS SPEAKING

Then they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, “Take up your bed and walk’?” But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.” (John 5: 12 – 15)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

In their effort to destroy Jesus, the religious leaders sought to discover who had healed a paralyzed man. When questioned, the man remained uncertain. Afterwards, Jesus found him in the temple and warned him to stop engaging in sinful activities. According to Jesus, continuing in sin will eventually lead to even worse suffering. Simply put, the consequences of sin are devastating.

There once lived a famous gangster named Al Capone. He ran an organized crime empire that promoted gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging. He committed atrocious acts of violence, theft, bribery and extortion. One day he was arrested and convicted of his crimes. While in prison he was diagnosed with two sexually transmitted diseases. syphilis and gonorrhoea. Over time the syphilis morphed into neurosyphilis, which damaged and degenerated his brain. Eventually, his mind was completely destroyed. Al Capone suffered greatly because he continued in sin without restraint. He engaged in promiscuous encounters with numerous partners who were themselves promiscuous. Obviously sex outside of marriage is sinful and has consequences. Following a life of purity would have prevented Al Capone from enduring a great deal of suffering.

All those who are called to be Christians must avoid godless activities. As a result, the consequences of sin won’t create any devastation in their lives. If we have faith and place our trust in the Lord, He will give us the strength to avoid the mistakes that so many others have stumbled into. May God keep our hearts pure, our minds clean, and may we avoid worldly sins and embrace everlasting life.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we yearn to be Holy, even as You are holy. May we commit ourselves to living in accordance with Your will. May we abandon sin and death, and instead follow you with enthusiasm and devotion. Without You Lord we can do nothing; but with You, we can accomplish impossible things. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!