Refining Your Approach to Him

Luke 14:26-33

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." Sounds like a message to be digested by a mature Christian, doesn't it?

"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'." What does "coming to Him", "counting the cost" of starting and "laying the foundation" mean to you regarding our salvation through/in Christ Jesus? Could Jesus be saying to those who are considering accepting the Lord's salvation by being born again that they should know what they are getting into?

"Or what king, going to make war against another king, DOES NOT SIT DOWN FIRST AND CONSIDER WHETHER HE IS ABLE with ten thousand TO MEET HIM WHO COMES AGAINST HIM with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation AND ASKS CONDITIONS OF PEACE. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple".

I believe the Lord showed me a clear example of what Jesus is saying here. I had heard sometime ago that there are few medical school students who leave school or fail out; very few (less than a few percent). Yet medical school is one of the most rigorous of matriculations, both in intensity of study and length of time to graduate. Very expensive! Would seem to me that those circumstances would produce many dropouts. Why not?  The medical student has already counted the cost- he/she knows what is expected long before application.

Now apply that to our Christian population. Is that what we see, a small percentage of dropouts? Maybe the converts to Christianity are not being informed of the cost of discipleship. Maybe the prospective converts should be read this before they lay the foundation so they may finish strong!