In Luke 9:57, we see Jesus walking down the road with some of His
followers, and one of them promised, “I’ll follow You wherever You go.”
Jesus didn’t say, “Awesome! We’re headed to Pizza Hut for choose-your-
own-toppings and some wings.”
What He said in verse 58 was “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air
have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Jesus didn’t say, “Follow Me and you’ll be happy, prosperous, popular and
successful.”
He was saying, “Just know this: I don’t have any place to lay My head.”
He was saying:
Being My disciple is going to cost you whatever you have.
Don’t expect comfort and ease.
Do you really want to follow Me?
Count the cost first.
How much does it cost to follow Christ?
Absolutely everything.
The Lord might not take your life.
He might not take all your money.
He might not take your job or your family or your possessions.
But you need to be willing to give it all up, if that’s what He asks.
You need to be desperate enough to embrace Christ no matter what
the price.
So count the cost.
Many people who claim to be Christians haven’t counted the cost.
They don’t even realize there’s a price to pay!
They just signed up because at a Christian college or university
or on a missions trip, or in a revival, or at summer camp because it seemed
the thing to do.
If you want to follow Christ right into heaven, here’s the message:
1. Deny yourself
No more my rights, my plans, my relationships, my money.
2. Take up your cross
Be willing to die for the sake of Christ if required. Slay yourself.
3. Follow Him
Refuse to associate any longer with yourself.
Reject all the things your carnal self longs and wants and hopes for.
Place your feet directly inside his footprints.
This is hard.
But this is the truth.
And it’s only possible through the power of His HS working within you to
help you become what He wants you to be—holy.
This is real Christianity.
Anything else is Jesus Lite.
Thoughts?
—– —– —–
As we approach the end of this fiscal year, and you’re considering making
donations to non-profit organizations, will you ask the Lord if He is leading
you to donate to Susie Shellenberger Ministries? Praying for me—and my
speaking schedule—is the BEST gift you can give me.
But if God leads you to donate to this ministry, you can use PayPal on my
Website: SusieShellenbergerMinistries.com or you can make a check to
Susie Shellenberger Ministries, 7012 N. Lake Front Drive, Warr Acres, OK
73132.
Love,
Susie
