TOPIC: THIS MAN BEGAN TO BUILD AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FINISH. -WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THIS MATTER- And there went great multitudes with Him (Jesus): and He turned and said unto them, if any man come after Me, and hate not His Father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassador, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsake not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple. -WHAT GOD IS SAYING TODAY ABOUT THIS MATTER- I once read a book titled, “Finishing Strong”. But, sadly enough, I can no longer remember the name of the author. But one thing is certain: that book made a lasting impression in my mind, and that was in my mind. That book caused me to begin to strive to build a future that must be far better than my past – and I am still doing that even as I write this message. But, some few years after reading that book, and applying the principles I learnt therein, I began to understand that, indeed, that that book did not really address the real finish, the finish in terms of the end of our lives. Yes, the book dealt well on finishing, yet it was all about finishing here, even in this life. The end of all things, as far as that book is concerned is this – that we should aim to finish as people of honor, people of integrity, even people of substance, and all in this life. The writer believed that when we finished in such manner we had finished strong. And he is right, but yet one things was lacking, even the most vital thing of them all. That one thing which that writer did not address, and which thing is the most important of all – is that we must all strive to finish our course as true Disciples of Jesus Christ. Yes indeed, we may finish very strongly in all arrears of our lives here, but if all that we finished does not make us true disciples of Christ, we will become of all men and women most miserable. Those were the glorious revelation Apostle Paul received Ist Corinthians 15:19. (Please read). Men and brethren, it is very good for one to desire to become the best that this life can offer. It is equally desirable to be judged a good man or a good woman by the folks around us. But we must not lose sight of the truth, that the last judge of all things is Jesus Christ. He will judge us by His own standard – a sure and certain standard – the standard of a true disciple of His. And one of the marks of a true disciple of Christ is he or she who has left all to follow Him. Brethren, it is good enough to finish here as a great man or as a great woman. But then, only one thing is actually needful –and that thing is that we finish as true Disciples of Christ, as true heavenly soldiers, even as those chosen by the Lord. And as the scriptures put it, many will be called, but very few will eventually be chosen. Be sure you will be among them. Brethren, the glory of this life will eventually pass away. Whatever we will become here ends here. Whatever we will possess here also ends here. But there is a possession that has no end, and that is eternal life. And that is what all of us must strive to obtain. A life that ends in all glory but without eternal life is a wasted life. A life that ends without heaven at last is better that it was not lived at all. Therefore, as we struggle to finish as good husbands, as good fathers, as good leaders and people of note in the society, let us strive the more; to make sure that in all we do here that we not lose sight of our Master and Savior Jesus Christ. He is that Glory that is set before every believer. He is the Author and Finisher of our common faith. But, we can only remain focused on Christ when we are carrying our individual Crosses along, when we are following the narrow path that leads to Him, when we have forsaken all to gain all. We can only remain focused on Him if we are drinking the individual cups as believers. We can only remain focused on Him if we are walking in the righteousness and holiness that are in Him. Brethren, days are coming, says the Bible, when those that are married will be as if they are not, and even those that have children will be as if they have none. Brethren, days are fast approaching when even those that have the good things of this life will be as if they have none, for the glory of this life passeth away. All we see and touch here will melt under the fervent heat from God. And those that build their lives on things of this life will be utterly disappointed forever. Brethren, we can only claim to have truly finished strong, when we meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ face to face in heaven, and He will open His arms wide to welcome us as His disciples in truth and in deed. Keep walking.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 08:52:32 +0000
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