Counting the cost

we have all heard verse like  mark 8:34 it says "if anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" but have you ever stopped to think about what this would mean? to carry his cross would be the act of carrying the beam of the a cross that a person would be killed on it was humiliating and painful walk to your own death. We are called to do this daily to die to our self and to live for Christ.

 Not once does the bible say that this life was meant to be easy but it does make it very clear that we will suffer, be hated and persecuted. While this may look very different from person to person will happen if you are living your live for Christ. We are called to not live like world but to live like Christ and that will make us different. To live a life like Christ means that we must suffer like Christ he was hated beaten and died the most humiliating and painful deaths but more than that he took the wrath of God for our sin he dies and suffered for us, we need to be willing to do the same. Dying for us was the most that he can do living for him is the lest that we can do.






There is a lot of talk about what it will cost to be obedient and follow God. What are you willing to give up and what you are willing to suffer for Christ. you may be willing to pay any cost to follow Christ, hatred, persecution, beating and even death. But what about the cost that your obedience on the around you it can often be that those you love will pay more then you will. It will affect them and they will suffer for it but this is the awesome thing about suffering for Christ is not really a loss but a gain. The people we love we have to pay the price sometimes it can be even greater on them then on us, so what is your limit, what are you willing to give up to follow Christ cause we are called to give up everything.

When we are in trials and suffering that God is not absent he has not suddenly forgotten us in fact it is just the opposite he is working all the things together for our good for those who love him. God works all things together for even the worst things together for good.While it might not seem like there is no suffering no pain no cost to high that will even compare to the glory that we are going to see. So whether it is missing out of time with family, being hated by family or friends losing people you care about, physical pain  or even death. It will be nothing compared to what Christ suffered for us.





When going though trials ans suffering do you worship God because he is good or blame him for your pain. God is always good no matter what you are going though in life he is and he his working and he is right there with you. The cost of obedience is high but the cost of disobedience is even higher.

What’s the purpose?

Why are we here? What is the meaning of all this? Is there a reason at all? There are many that struggle with questions like these both Christian and non-Christians alike. It can be easy to feel lost and alone in this world there are so many people out there that just go about their lives without really living at all, life was meant for so much more. As Christians we have a very clear and different calling on our lives.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptising the in the name of the father

and of the son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have

commanded you. And behold I am with you always to the end of the age.

Matthew 28:19-20.

Is it that simple?  Is the reason we were created to further God kingdom on earth? We can hear all the Christian language about our lives and how we are should and should not live them.  While we should look different to the world because we are not of this world, we can get more caught up in technicalities and lose sight of God. It can become a religion rather than a relationship. We have a God who wants a relationship with us. He does not need us, he wants us. Being wanted by the God who created the universe should give us meaning and purpose.

I have seen everything that is done under the sun and behold all is meaningless,

a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:14

There is nothing that we can do in our lives that will be of any meaning apart from God. You can have the highest paying job, amazing friends and all the joys that this world can offer but that is meaningless without God.  For what is this life on this world but a fleeting blip. God is eternal and we should live our lives for him 100% in everything we do. I am not trying to say that you should not have high paying job or amazing friends. I have the most amazing friends on the planet!!! But that is not where you should find the purpose of your life. Our purpose should come from God and the promise that he has already fulfilled with the loving sacrifice that Jesus made by dying and giving us hope. Hope for eternal life this life that we live on earth is not forever and what ever suffering we have not it will not last so giving our whole lives to God. This life on earth is the closet the Christians are going to get to hell, but it is the closet to heaven that non-Christians will ever get. we cant let this be the best for them when they have a saviour that wants them and loves them.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:14

Our lives should be lived for one reason, our purpose to worship God and shine his light to the world with everything that we do. Why? Because of the gift of love that he gave us, Love that needs to be shared with everyone that does not know it. This does not mean that everyone should quit their jobs and go and live in villages in Africa telling people about Jesus. If everyone was called to that then who would reach the people who work in offices or those who drive buses, the children who will grow up to be the next generations of believers? God has placed each one of us where we are for a reason. He has given us our calling and he gives our lives meaning. All we need to do is step up, step out and shine for him.

The end of the matter all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments for

this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13

One definition of fearing God is to love what he loves and hate what he hates. So can the simple answer to the question “what is the meaning of life” be love God, love others.  If God gives us meaning and purpose why would be not want to fulfill it? We should want to live our lives 100% sold out for God and we should want to share him and his love with the world. We have been given the great gift of all time why would we not want to tell people about it. Let our light shine!!

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

1^st Corinthians 13:1-7