Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. Luke 14:25-33
“A young missionary woman was killed a few years ago in a foreign country. I don’t know all the details but I know she followed her Saviour into a very dangerous place to touch broken and oppressed people in the Name of Jesus. She knew very well that she would not be coming home. Her final letter to her pastor and home church is beautifully moving and includes the prose from Jim Gentil. “The missionary heart: Care more than some think is wise. Risk more than some think is safe. Dream more than some think is practical. Forget more than some think is possible. I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience.”
Simon Rattray of Project 114, my Aussie mate in his Facebook post dated 13 December 2021.
When I planned this trip to South Africa in the heart of the Covid Omichron variant outbreak, people told me I was crazy, insensible, and unwise. But I felt strongly that Jesus wanted me to go.
The ministry that has unfolded and relationships that have formed have far exceeded our expectations. The highs have been high, and the lows have also been low. Listen to this testimony from Malawi:
“Thank you so much for your coming you have add more knowledge to my ministry. I have been challenged that its good to use what we have, and we should not look down ourselves.”
We have celebrated spiritual victories and gotten a clear unified vision for growing local giving, but like Paul and Silas, we have endured hardship and abuse. The experience has stretched me to my limit.
So why do it? Obedience. Generous service to our Lord Jesus Christ counts the cost and always pays the price. What is the price? Give up everything to follow Jesus.
Only on the way as a disciple do you discover that in surrendering what you cannot keep, you gain what you can never lose. And you never gain anything in the Kingdom until you risk everything.
Please pray for me and Chris Maphosa tomorrow as we co-facilitate a seminar tomorrow, “Stengthening Churches and Ministries for Sustainability,” in Maputo, Mozambique (pictured above on the Indian Ocean).
Thank you so much. Remember to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus wherever He leads, no matter the cost. This following is the doorway to generous living, giving, serving, and loving.