The Cost of Discipleship

We live in a world cluttered with noise. Some of us cannot sleep without noise. God sometimes uses a still small voice to grasp our attention. If you ever want to hear, you lower your voice. When you lower your voice, people lean in to listen to what you are saying. God speaks through an auction.

Each of us has a different call on our lives. Believers are called to discipleship. God called you despite what you think about yourself. You were not designed to sit in the church. You were designed to be a disciple. God has given us the power of choice. You can choose to follow God’s voice or ignore the voice of God. God is conscience of where you are, even when you think you can hide from Him. The oil does not run if you are not fully committed.

You cannot walk with God unless you have a clean hand and a clean heart. Sanctification is two-sided. It means you are set apart from something to be set aside for something. When we were called, sanctification came with it. God’s word reveals who you are. Sanctification is a process. We were called to be set apart. A part of our sanctification is to be consecrated. To be consecrated means to fill our hands with God. God must be the number one priority of your life. You cannot love anything more than your love for God. We have to align with what God has said.

There are three things you must realize; Commitment to self-denial. We must deny ourselves. Commitment to sacrifice, you have to be willing to give up whatever God asks you to give up. Commitment to obedience. We must obey God’s commandment no matter the cost.

When you belong to God, your life is in His hands. King Saul represents partial obedience. His action caused him to be rejected from being the king. You cannot substitute activity for the real thing. Failure is a setup for success. Joseph is an illustration of failure turning into success. God is setting us up for success.

When the disciples encountered failure, they stayed committed. They were on the ship cleaning and mending their nets. They did not allow failure to stop them from fishing. A carpenter instructed fishermen on how they fish. When Jesus instructed Simon Peter to cast his net. Simon Peter called Jesus Master, which displayed a level of respect. The Lord said Cast your nets. Peter cast a net. The miracle is that Jesus commanded the fish to come into the net.

God is calling you to serve. To serve, you have to commit your will.