Count the Costs
“ In the metformin hcl 500mg metformin hcl weight loss same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
Luke 14:33
( I suggest metformin hcl 500 mg price you read Luke 14:25-35, to better understand the context.)
Have you ever rode a public transportation without checking if you have enough money to pay? One Saturday morning, I was suppose to go to the office but the sun is already shining hot. I don’t want to end up sweaty after a long walk. So I planned to ride a shuttle from my condo to the office. I asked my wife if she can lend me some coins and so she gave me her purse. I got my coins and set off to the elevator and then to the streets.
If you know me, whenever I do things, I usually check if I can do it or pay for it. But this time, with full confidence I rode the shuttle without checking if I have the right money. Lo and behold, when I got the coins from my pocket it was less the amount I was supposed to pay. I held a pause, “what should I do?” Should I go down? “But I will be humiliated.” Some people might think, “he rode the shuttle and then goes down right after? Is he nuts?” (I did it last time, I felt they were staring at me haha)
Having those thoughts, I was saying to myself. “Yuklid, you should have checked your pockets first! You should have counted the money before you got out of the house.” While finding myself preaching to forgetful me, I looked in my bag then I checked to see if I have money in its pockets… and you know what, I did! I have a 100 bucks. And so I was saved.
But thinking about this experience, I was asking myself, “what if I really didn’t have money?” What was the lesson God is teaching me that day? One important phrase that comes into mind is: “Count the costs.”
Jesus told His disciples in Luke 14:28-30—“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’”
The point is, It is foolish to invest on things that we cannot accomplish or pay in full—especially when it comes to DISCIPLESHIP.
Jesus said, if you want to follow me, “surrender everything and then follow me.” You cannot partake with Christ while dragging your security blankets, your comfort zones and your love for this world along in the journey. They will just be heavy loads that will stress you out.
If you want to be with Jesus, you have to present just “YOU,” without the extra features—nothing more, nothing less. Because again we all have to understand that this is the COST of DISCIPLESHIP.
Luke 14:33—“In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
All of us who have decided to turn to Jesus and have committed our lives to Him should ask: have we really counted the costs? Have I really checked if I have surrendered everything? Is my life a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God?
Application:
Get a paper and list down the things that you believe you are taking control of. These are possessions or bondages/struggles that you are having a hard time of letting go. Learn to “let go.”
Tell it also to your accountability partner or small group leader so that he/she can always check up on you and guide you about it. So that these things will not be hindrances in your walk with God.
Be confident, that God is ready to finish what He has started in you—just learn to surrender. (Ph 1:6'being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.' Philippians 1:6)
Prayer:
“Lord, I surrender my life to you. Even parts in my life that I have a hard time letting go. Teach me to lean on you and to have more of you. I confess that I need your help in this area of my life. Help me live my life your way starting today. Lord, from now on I give you your throne. Amen.”
