California's Governor says, “Count the Cost”

Governor Jerry Brown told Californians they are going to have to make a hard choice about how much government they are willing to pay for, and then explained: “There is a lot of magical thinking in Washington and Sacramento, and maybe, I might even say, in Western civilization. We’ve had it easy until now and the moment of truth is upon us. We’ve got to pay for what we want.”

I couldn’t help seeing a spiritual parallel. What disciple of Christ does not want the abundant life Jesus promised: the blessings of peace, joy, and to know one’s purpose? Is it blasphemous to suggest it will cost you something? Jesus says, “You cannot be my disciple without giving up everything you own, but don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation and run out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you” (Luke 14:33, 28-30).

Let me clarify that it is not as if God won’t give us His abundance unless we pay for it (Jesus already did that). No, the problem is we can’t receive His fullness until we stop being full of ourselves.  Jesus paid the price to give us all the fullness of God. Are we willing to give up everything in order to receive it?  I think Jerry Brown was kind of saying: “It's time to count the cost.”

Is that a Lie in Your Right Hand?

Jesus said “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away” (Mat. 5:30). Jesus speaks metaphorically, not literally, to illustrate an essential truth—arguably one of the most important of His teachings.

These words form part of the “Sermon on the Mount” where Jesus calls His followers to a higher order of obedience. While the Mosaic Law certainly required compliance, Jesus required obedience from heart. He was warning us of the cost of such obedience—always accompanied by sacrifice. “Cutting off your right hand” means giving up who we think we are, how we define ourselves, in exchange for what Christ teaches us we can be in relationship to him. We must be willing to throw away our old ways that keep us from doing so—and there is no compromise. Speaking as a counselor, I know that this kind of obedience is as psychologically painful as losing an arm or a leg, or “your right hand.”

Some years ago, William Backus wrote a book “Misbelief Therapy: Telling Yourself the Truth.” I didn’t care much for the book, but I loved the title! In Isaiah 44, the prophet describes how idols are made from a block of wood you can hold in your hand, and he asks the rhetorical question: “is there not a lie in your right hand?” We must ask ourselves ‘what are we holding on to?’

What is it Worth?

According to the January “Open Doors” newsletter, a Somali mother of four young children was killed by Muslim extremists when she confessed her conversion to Christ. In Alexandria, Egypt, 21 people were killed as they were leaving church when a bomb exploded on New Year’s Eve. Meanwhile, our brother in Christ, Dr. Said Musa (see Nov. 30 post), awaits execution in Afghanistan for loving Jesus.

“Now great multitudes were going along with Him; and He turned to them and said, If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple…If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Luke 14:25-26; Mark 8:34).

As we read these words, do we think our every-day problems are the cross we must bear? Is that what Jesus' followers thought He meant? No. To them, the cross was no figure of speech. In Jesus’ time, to ‘take up your cross’ meant you were condemned to die the painful, degrading death, called crucifixion—a penalty reserved by the Romans for the worst criminals. Christ’s early followers knew their conversion could cost their lives. Certainly, Muslim converts know this. When they picked up their cross, they knew the price they might have to pay. Perhaps it is a good time to ask ourselves how much we have bought into the “easy-to-believe-just-say-a-prayer” evangelism that promises everything and costs nothing.

HE CALLS US TO SEE IT THROUGH, by David Wilkerson [edited version]

Christ knew many of his followers would not have what it took to see them through. He knew they would turn back and not finish the race. I believe this is the most tragic condition possible for a believer—to have started out fully intending to lay hold of Christ, to grow into a mature disciple and become more like Jesus and then to drift away. Such a person is the one who laid a foundation and could not finish because he did not first count the cost. (Luke 14:28-30)

I know that many who read this particular message are in the process of pausing or taking a step backward. It may seem like a small step, but it will cause a swift descent away from his love. If this is true of you, realize the Holy Spirit is calling you all the way back—back to repentance, self-denial and surrender. And at this very moment, time is a big factor. If you ever intend to lay hold of Christ, do it now; see it through!

You can read this devotion in its entirety online at: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/devotions/2010/he-calls-us-to-see-it-through