A Dead Dog

(Inspired by Mephibosheth and King David. 2 Samuel 9)

The rain pelted the windowpane as I sat gazing out through the haze

Wondering if this would be the day

The day I would be found

The day I would be condemned

The day that my shadows would be brought into the open

The storm raged on without a care to my depression

In the light of the storm, my deformities were laid bare

Crippled by my lust

My anger

My fear

My pride

My sin

I was an enemy of the King, a fugitive hiding from the Truth

A run away trying to find shelter from the Omnipotent

I was Jonah looking for my way out

I was Peter denying the reality staring me in the face

I was Paul fighting for the wrong side

I lifted my eyes to the hills, Where does my help come from?

“Come salvation. Save me.”

A knock came.

The lights were turned on.

A voice spoke.

“Come, you who are the enemy, who have been running away, who have been burdened, who are crippled by your sins and infirmities, gather yourself and your belongings.

The King wishes to speak to you.”

The time had come.

Judgment was upon me.

No turning back.

Escorted into his presence by the voice, I fell to the floor in fear.

My shame weighed heavy on me.

My eyes could not meet his gaze.

Like the raindrops of the storm, tears flooded my face and clumped into a puddle.

An embodiment of my self loathing.

“I am your servant, King”

Silence.

Was he preparing his assault?

My execution?

He spoke

“Child,”

“I am not here to harm you. Lift up your eyes.”

There He stood, robed in majesty, as I heard so often.

Could it be?

Had salvation come?

“Because of my Son, I am here to offer you grace and mercy. To bless you as my heir. To heal your diseases. To become a part of my family.”

Disbelief.

Shame.

Why me?

I’m crippled

Ruined.

I didn’t deserve this.

“What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

He picked me up.

“From now on, you will eat in my presence. Drink from my cup. Taste living water. Experience eternal life.”

Salvation had come.

Grace had come.

Judgment had not come.

Love had.

Love conquered the storm.

Crippled I am but for a short time

Saved I will always be.

__________________________________________

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10) 

A Stroll through the Garden

Imagine for a moment: a garden, as big as your imagination.

Entering through the rocky opening, the luscious greens, violets, reds, blues, yellows rush to meet your eyes

A freshness and vibrancy are in the air as you take a stroll through it

The design, the spectacle, the uniformity: so crisply clean to gaze upon

You see a bird: perhaps, a blue jay, or a robin. They hum a melody so sweet and majestic.

The wind lightly combs your hair with its gentle gusts and breezes

You take a deep breath.

(larger-than-life inhale)

(a dramatic exhale)

Yes.

This is your life.

What isn’t there to love?

It is your hard work on display.

You scan the scenery.

Searching with anticipation

Firmly rooted in the center of the garden: the Redwood tree of your wisdom and knowledge.

Ah, yes. 

How thoroughly you enjoy looking upon its massiveness and beauty.

For, after all, it has taken years of schooling and living on the “streets” to see it grow.

It took sitting through boring teachers, talkative pastors, overbearing parents, and unsympathetic friends to finally reach its incredible height. Though you know it’s growth has sometimes little to do with you, you take pride in it as if you did it alone.

You follow the bark of the tree to the ground and notice that you are surrounded by the tall grass of your kindness and gentleness

How joyous and abundant it is.

You run and play with it and trust your safety in it.

There can be no harm in grass such as this.

Not a snake lurking somewhere, waiting to strike right?…

No.

This is my life.

My garden.

Nothing catches me by surprise…

Through the tall grass you gallop speedily on a hidden path you have run many times before

Excitement

Anticipation

It’s just around the corner

You burst into a secret clearing full of daisies and lilies, the mark of your good deeds seen and unseen.

Here you have spent hours, arranging them in rows and by size.

You count their exceedingly growing number and find satisfaction and self-importance in how well they have grown.

You count them again.

And again.

And again.

How wonderful they are.

How wonderful you are.

This must be how life is done right.

But…

Something catches your eye, nestled in the corner of the garden.

You rub your eyes to make sure it isn’t a mirage

No, it’s there.

A grouping of weeds.

Bitterness, self-righteousness, jealousy, selfishness, hate, anger.

“It’s not too, too big,” you think to yourself.

But the size of them definitely alarms you.

…

And what is this?

You see the ground.

A darkish color has formed underneath, unlike anything else you have seen in the garden.

 Was this rotten foundation here when you first strolled through the garden?

You try to remember… you don’t remember seeing it before.

You think.

You decide to take a more thorough stroll through of the garden.

You find other patches with weeds and stuff just like it

Confused

Puzzled

Where did they come from?…

You have never noticed them before….

Perhaps, You were too busy staring at your favorite plants, not paying attention to the rest.

What should you do?

You decide that it isn’t that big of a deal and that you can come back in a few days or so to fix it

You leave.

…

…

Time passes, much faster than you expected.

It’s a year later.

You are strolling through the garden.

Disbelief.

Distraught.

Dreary.

The rotten foundation and the weeds have overrun your beautiful garden.

…

Like the fool who built his house upon the sands,

Like the Pharisee who put his faith in his own hands,

Don’t get caught up in your “goodness” and “good sensations”,

That you disregard the roots of life, the only foundation

Who gave you life, breath, meaning, flesh and bone

He’s the wellspring of life; he is Jesus Christ, alone.

 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. ³ You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

 ⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. ⁷ But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! ⁸ When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” (John 15: 1-8)

A Paradoxical Reality

Imagine a college party and everything involved.

Booze. Excessive

Dancing. Explicit.

Laughter. Ear-bursting.

Music. Enchanting

Drugs. Exotic

An environment intimately and intricately wrapped up in literal darkness. (No metaphor here.)

Indulge, indulge, indulge is the motto of the night.

Don’t hold back. Grab it while you can.

As the clock slowly ticks, the room is packed with anxious explorers to this euphoric atmosphere.

The energy surges.

But in the midst of the chaos and frenzy…

The lights are turned on.

The mood is destroyed.

In a sudden burst of reality, the partiers look at each other in disbelief

“Was I really just doing that?”

Embarrassment is felt as people notice the stains on their clothes.

The stupidity of their conversation

The shock that they are in a room full of strangers

What bothers them more is when they realize the danger that they put themselves in

Something bad could have happened

I could have died.

Been taken advantage of.

“But” one would say “I felt completely comfortable when it was the music was bumping, and the conversation was flowing and everyone seemed friendly and the lights were down…”

So what happens next?

The lights are turned off and the party rages on…

What is it about darkness that brings comfort?

What is it about blindness that seems so compelling?

In any other situation, we crave truth.

Sight.

Light.

But in those moments of indulgence or ignorance, is it not easier to just turn off the lights and move forward?

…

What is it about the light that frightens us?

Maybe then it’s not the truth we crave then, for light reveals truth.

Maybe it’s not clarity that we really want, for light brings clarity.

Maybe it’s not help we really want, for light is a guide.

Many Christians would read this and think they are safe from this analogy…

Are we?

Think of modern church services.

The lights are low.

The music is bumping.

There is conversation in the air aplenty. Even laughter.

Maybe there isn’t the drugs or booze we are thinking of… but maybe it’s the drugs of self-righteousness that we are hitting up…

Maybe it’s the cup of pride that we are gulping down.

Maybe we are like the Pharisee and dancing to the tune of our own song, praising God that we aren’t like the tax collector who is for sure a sinner…

And then, the light turns on.

The Word is open and read.

The Holy Spirit moves us.

Convicts us

Shows the stupidity of our ways.

Shows us that we are just as much sinners as the partier.

Urges us to turn to God and repent.

To believe in Jesus, to believe in his work on the cross

That He came for you to save you.

So that you could be a new creature.

So that you could do good works.

So that you could love.

So that you could be a light of the world.

But you say, “I felt completely comfortable when it was the music was bumping, and the conversation was flowing and everyone seemed friendly and the lights were down…”

What do we do?

Turn off the lights and say, “That was a good service.” And continue living the same.

…

"This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is." (John 3:19-21)

It’s a paradox.

Walking in darkness causes:

Pride that is rooted on nothing stable

Self-inflicted Ignorance with complete knowledge of our depravity

Hatred of light though you know the light holds truth.

Walking towards light will cause:

Humility… in the light of God’s truth, grace, and mercy

Exposure… in the light of God’s Son

Vulnerability… in the light of God’s holiness

Repentance… in the light of God’s forgiveness

Praise of God… in the light of His majesty.

What should we do?

Walk to the light.

A Love Affair

“All you need is love.” – The Beatles

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” – Jackie Deshannon

“Who, being loved, is poor?” – Oscar Wilde

“Where there is love there is life.” – Mohandas K. Gandhi

“When you are in love you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”- Dr. Seuss

“Love is something eternal; the aspect may change, but not the essence.”

– Vincent van Gogh 

“Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.”- C.S. Lewis

From the greatest to the least significant

From the wealthy to the poor

From the oldest to the youngest

We search for it.

It is what keeps us running when nothing else will.

It is the variable in a somewhat systematic and mathematical life.

It will make smile.

It will make you cry.

It will cause you to do stupid things.

It will cause you to risk anything.

Love.

We are like pirates, on a never-ending treasure hunt to find it.

We are like explorers, always trying to chart it.

We are like scientists, always trying to define it.

 But have we really discovered it? Or are we still trying to wrap our minds around it?

Sometimes, we explain it in words.

Sometimes, in actions.

Sometimes, in silence.

All we know is that we need it to survive. Without it, we drown in this world of meaninglessness. We see no reason to wake up tomorrow.

Where is it? Can I find it? Does it come to me or I to it? Do I selfishly absorb it or offer my own in return?

Along comes a being. From somewhere out beyond the billions of galaxies in our expansive universe.

Contact is made.

And in that transmission, the message was and still is clear.

He loves you.

He created you.

He desperately wants you to spend eternal life with Him.

You ask for clarity. “What kind of love are you talking about?”

He answers with a book.

In it, are His words to you. Revealing Himself and revealing you.

 You flip through the book and ask what does this mean.

He answers. I am.

I will be honored.

I will be worshiped and glorified.

But also

I love you.

Here is my love:

I am faithful. Just look at Abraham and his offspring.

I am forgiving and gracious. Just ask adulterous King David.

I am patient. Just ask the Israelites in the wilderness.

I love you like a father to his son.

I love you like a groom looking after his bride.

I love you like a shepherd protecting his sheep.

I love you as a potter does his pot.

I have given you life, but you have used it for your own purposes.

I have given you reign over the Earth, but you have let it go to waste.

I have given you other people as companions, not as obstacles.

I have given you my Son, but you killed him.

Without me, you would be lost.

Without me, you would be blind.

Because of what My Son did, we can be friends again.

Because of what My Son did, I don’t have to punish you.

Because of what My Son did, we can live together in harmony.

Please. Just believe in what I have said, what my Son did, and accept my invitation.

Believe me. I love you.

Our response: I love you too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! J lol

So I will meet up with you one day a week and talk.

We will talk in the quiet of my bedroom and keep our love to ourselves.

We will talk 5 seconds before eating and then not again til about 5 five minutes before sleeping where I will fall asleep in the middle of talking.

I have will give you secret mental signals to signal that I love you but won’t disturb others with it.

Thank you for the book you gave me. I really appreciate it. I am just going to keep it in my closet so that it can collect dust. I may never use it again or remember the words that you wrote to me but just the sight of it will give me a smile and that is all I need.

I want to keep you all to myself so I won’t tell any of my other friends how much you love them J lol

I really don’t want to have to do anything or listen to you but I want you to be always at my side. Deal?

……………………..

Is there something wrong with this picture?

If this were a relationship with another person, how would you look at this?

God has given everything. And, fairly and rightfully so, He expects everything in return.

Us: We give the leftovers. And expect to be given everything.

I am going to steal a line from the Black-Eyed Peas.

Where is the love?

This looks more like an affair than a love relationship.

It looks like a marriage gone wrong.

And yet, this is what we would call love:

Lopsided affection

A provider and an absorber.

Self-serving not self-sacrificing.

You say I’m wrong?

Ask Hollywood.

Ask politicians.

Ask your friends.

This is “love” to us?

We need to redefine it.

1 Corinthians 13. 

Insured

Here is a story of a boyfriend.

He was preparing a romantic night for he and his girlfriend.

He wanted to show just how much he loved her. How much he cared.

So he got reservations at a classy restaurant, bought her a diamond necklace, got a haircut, dressed up in his best suit.

He was prepared to drop down on one knee and pop the question.

He arrived perfectly on time to pick her up in his recently cleaned out and newly scented car.

He remembered to open every door for her that she walked through and even pulled out her chair at the table.

He told her “Get whatever you want, baby. This night is about you.”

The food: perfect.

The conversation: joyful

The gift: spot on.

Everything was going just as planned… or so he thought…

Just when he was about to make his final move and insure his spot in her heart forever, something unexpected comes…

She says, “ This night has been absolutely wonderful. I never expected this and am so happy to be sitting here with you. I love you.”

It seems ok at first.

But it doesn’t stop there.

“ I do have one question though. What is my middle name?”

An unexpected blow to the gut for him. A bead of sweat runs down his forehead as he furiously scrambles to cover for himself. (Leave to a girl to ask the most random and most mind blowing question at the worst possible time.)

He tries to play it off as if it is a silly question, but again, she poses it to him.

He tries to change to topic, but now, she can see him shifting in his seat, nervous.

So she poses another question.

“Do you at least know my birthday?”

A blind-sided attack to the chest.

Now, he is getting upset. Here he is, having spent all of this money on her, waited on her hand and foot, been the best he could ever be, even has a ring ready to put on her finger, she would be lucky to be with him and yet she is almost throwing it all away because of some stupid mind game. He asks why all of this “nonsense” is so important.

She says, “ Well babe, all of these other things are worthless to me if you don’t really know me.”

He attacks back with his frustration.

“Well, then I guess all of these things you supposedly did for me were really about you and how it made you look and not really about me at all.”

He is pinned down.

“It’s over.”

The final blow.

She leaves. He sits there, trying to understand the series of events that took place.

What did I do wrong?

I had done everything for her.

And now, it’s over.

(The end.)

"Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance— isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Go to any doctor, dentist, auto shop, and you will soon realize how valuable or invaluable your insurance is.

You may think that your insurance will cover your next hospital bill but you could also be deceived and you are actually forking over more money then you ever imagined.

Are you insured eternal life?

Some people believe their eternal destination is insured because they think are good people.

Some people believe their eternal destination is insured because they attend church.

Some people believe their eternal destination is insured because others look at them as a good person.

Some people believe their eternal destination is insured because they are doing good for other people and that they are moral.

Some people believe their eternal destination is insured because God loves everyone, even if they don’t listen to Him.

Some believe their eternal destination is insured based on their faith and love in one man, his teachings and what he did on this earth.

His name is Jesus.

Only one of these is valuable. The others’ are garbage. Worthless.

“Heaven is a place, not for those that are afraid of going to hell, but those that are in love with God.”- Matt Chandler

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

What motivates you to seek God? Religion, habit, love?

When you realize that you have grown apart from a friend, what do you do? Buy them gifts to win their friendship back, impress them, or talk to them?

Do you know God or have you been too busy doing things that will make you look good in His eyes?

What have you banked your eternal destination on?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

One. Two Three. All Eyes On Me.

In the land of the free and the home of the brave, one thing rings true: the individual reigns supreme over their life.

It doesn’t matter what the government claims as legal or illegal.

It doesn’t matter what our pastors remind us of.

It doesn’t matter what our coaches scream at us.

It doesn’t matter what our parents teach us.

It doesn’t matter what common sense would tell us.

The fact of the matter is that we bought into the self-righteous (spiritual or not) notion:

We are in charge.

We own our bodies.

We deserve only the best for ourselves.

We choose our own path.

We rule our own worlds.

We call the shots.

The world revolves around us.

We claim that we don’t know where it comes from. But in our hearts and minds we know that it’s fed to us every day.

From McDonald’s slogan “Have It Your Way”

To the iPhones that bring us entertainment in an instant

From the fast food drive thrus

To the commercials that are fitted for our every pleasure

From the mail man

To the remote control

From the malls

To the gyms

It’s about us.

Decisions based on individual feelings rather than transcendent, universal truth

Lives lived for the sake of self rather than the sake of others.

And yet in all of this… who do we not blame for accepting this silly myth?

Us.

We are the innocent bystander.

We are the martyr.

The victim of an egotistical culture.

We have been brainwashed.

Yet, if we knew that all this was false, why did we fall prey to the trap?

Because we loved the idea that all eyes are on us.

Because we loved that we are in control.

That we are the kings.

That we are gods.

How then can we even perceive anything other than through the lenses of self-seeking?

We read the Bible and understand it as a bunch of good stories with good morals.

But in the end, we don’t have to obey everything or accept everything as truth because after all, truth is relevant to everyone right? After all, we know what’s best for ourselves.

We pray and ask that our will be done on earth and also in heaven

But we laugh at the notion that God would claim supreme authority over everything. Even us. After all, he is an American and the divine government is democracy right? A government by the people and for the people

We stand and sing songs about God, not for God

In our minds, we deserve the praise and honor.

No, no and no.

What’s the problem with all of this: us.

We are the sinners that claim that we can save ourselves.

We are the sick that claim we are healed.

We are the blind that claim we can see.

We are the fools that claim to be wise.

And in this disillusion, the cancer of sin eats away at our emotions, our thoughts, our eyes, our ears, our families, our friends, our life.

And after sin has had its way and driven its path of destruction through our existence, what are we left with?

Ourselves.

Which is what we wanted, right?

May we see our lives as the Bible actually reveals us to be:

creatures wonderfully and fearfully made by a loving Creator

pots shaped to fit and form by the Potter

helpless sheep in need of a Guiding Shepherd

humans on earth in desperate need of God.

May we get up off our thrones and couches of individualism to seek the Lord in spirit and in truth.

May we repent.

May we despise the sin within us.

May we stop putting ourselves at the center of this universe.

God is waiting for us, waiting for us to get out of our own way and come home to His arms. What will you do?

“Therefore the LORD⁽waits to be gracious to you,
   and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
   blessed are all those who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18)

Refer to the Syllabus

In my possession: New paper (with new-paper-smell), Unsharpened #2 pencils, a variety of pens with different colors (which will end up being more than enough for the year), binders, a sling bag or backpack (depending on how cool I want to be that year), new clothes (to impress the adults and to get the ladies looking), anxiety, excitement, hope.

Oh, the first day of school.

One of the most slow-going and monotonous days of the year.

Let’s not pretend that we look forward to this day.

Yes, we get to see our friends. Yes, there is excitement that we actually get to do something with our lives other than wear out the couch cushions, which is the result of too much summer television watching. The newness is the most exciting part. It thrills us because it is something to do.

Then… you walk into the classroom… sit at your desk…and the same terror and anxiety that had consumed your mind only a few short months before comes screaming back. It is funny how are minds completely forget this stress in the enjoyment and laziness of summer. But with one rude sound of a school bell, or the simple phrase “Welcome Back to School”, your mind is sent into a downward plunge… inevitably into the thought, “I wish it was still summer.”

And yet, the first day of school is also one of the most important days of the year. So while your mind is having déjà vu and rediscovering a whole new world again, you must sit up and pay attention because the next few hours could make or break you.

This day is the day of the syllabus. (You know, that thing that you usually look at once in the classroom and pretend that you are paying attention to while the teacher goes over it. But really, you are thinking how wonderful this will be to throw away after class. You don’t even think twice about keeping it just in case you need it. That syllabus.)

The idea of a syllabus is simple:

Explains what you will do in a certain class during the semester/year.

Explains the goals and things that you should know how to do after taking the class

Lists class rules

List tests dates (usually. Some Teachers like to keep you guessing and don’t provide this portion.)

Lists projects

List contact information

Basically, anything that you need to know about succeeding in this class is put right in front of you. You are given all of the information that you need. This leaves little to no room for excuses.

And yet, we find those times and means to do so.

There will come time during that class where a Test or assignment will come up that no one apparently knew about and the teacher’s simple words will be:

“If you kept the syllabus, which I handed out on the first day of school, you would not be surprised by this. So I would suggest you refer to the syllabus.”

And usually, you look. And there it is. Black and white. Can’t be mistaken. So now the question in your mind is: Have I been missing something all along in this class? Is it really what I have thought it was all this time?

Similarly:

I am at church, a child. Down on my knees. Praying. Asking God to forgive me. Asking Him to be my friend. Asking Him to save me. Asking him to make me new.

I pray the prayer. I walk back to my seat next to my friends. The church service ends. I walk out and continue on with my day…

As the years pass, I notice things in my life that started to frighten and alarm me.

I realize how much more is wicked about me.

I realize that everything that about me is changing.

I realize that I am being pressed in my heart and mind to do things that aren’t comforting or necessarily enjoyable.

I realize that I am being asked to give up everything. Not just mentally and spiritually, but physically as well.

This is not what I signed up for…

Or is it?

I bring my complaints to God. His response: Refer to the syllabus (His Word).

Maybe I am the only one. But growing up, the way that my brain processed believing in Jesus was not this deny yourself, take up your cross daily kind of life.

It was the distorted version of Jesus (which isn’t Jesus at all).

It was the: Pray to God and he will heal your sicknesses.

Obey God and He will give you money.

Obey God and everything in this life will turn out alright.

And then there were the things you did just so that you were still in the club:

Read your Bible.

Pray.

Sing songs.

Make sure not to cuss.

But when I looked back at the Bible, it was clear that I had deceived myself for it is written in black and white and sometimes, red. Couldn’t be mistaken.

In the end:

A transformed heart

Receive the truth

A life that glorifies God

Experiencing true love

Eternal life with God

Etc.

The journey to these:

Love God with my whole being

Love my neighbor as myself (including my enemies)

Denying myself and taking up my cross daily

Give to the poor

Go into all the world and make disciples

Purity (in all its forms)

Be gracious, merciful and giving

Etc.

Stipulations:

Cannot love both God and money

You will suffer for following Jesus

People will most likely hate you and persecute you if you follow Jesus with everything you have.

It should look like you hate your family in comparison to how much you love God

You must let go of everything that would stop you from obtaining the prize, reward, or whatever you want to call it.

You must be willing to speak the truth, whether times are fair or not.

Etc.

It was clear. I wasn’t living for myself or my desires anymore. But His. This is what I had signed up for. Or rather, this is what God gave me the privilege of being a part of.

What I realized in the end: It is all worth it in the end.

You see, I may have been deceived. But Jesus wasn’t the one that had told me the lies.

In fact, he gives warning to all those that would follow him:

If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

 ²⁸ “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? ²⁹ Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. ³⁰ They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’
 ³¹ “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? ³² And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. ³³ So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” (Luke 14:26-32)


Count the cost. This is not a one and done thing. This is a fight to the finish. We are at war with things we cannot see.


Keep up the good fight. Take heart.