Re: Verse reading–Luke 14:25-35 (Day four)
Thank you for participating in our ‘40 Days of Prayer’. Yesterday concluded our emphasis, but we invite you to continue to pray for the needs before us as a church. We want to be found faithful. As our Re: Verse study resumes, it is appropriate that this week’s passage deals with the cost of following Christ. Does Christ expect us to pray and seek guidance as an individual…as a church? Let me answer for you…YES. Jesus is teaching in some very strong terms of what is required of the believer. If we could sum it up in one word, it is everything! Some preachers these days would have you to believe that all you have to do is ask Christ into your heart and the circumstances of your life will be great and nothing else is required of you. Wrong. To follow Christ costs us everything. Yes, our life is eternally changed, but the circumstances of our life may include persecution and suffering. Whatever the cost, obedience must be absolute.
Praise be to God that we can “consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to/in us” as we “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”