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“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see 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, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
Luke 14:26-33
“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12&13
These past few months have been a roller coaster of events and utter wreckage. Honestly, I’m not sure of the exact direction God wants to take this story but one thing I am sure of is the theme of, are/am – we/I, truly counting the cost of what it truly means to actually be a follower and disciple of Christ more so than one whom simply believes? How honest and deep are we willing to go with ourselves about our relationship with God and the conditions of our hearts? Can you truly say, with absolute full confidence while staring death itself square in the eyes, that you will not deny Christ but instead wholeheartedly die for His namesake? Let me go ahead and give an honest answer. Yes…would be the most expected answer but I’m not a hundred percent sure I can confidently say I would actually die for the name of Jesus currently. That’s not a bad place to be it’s simply a healthy tussle within myself by sitting and counting the cost of what it truly means to choose Jesus. I can’t deny Him, of course, He’s been way too good to me but losing my life? That’s a whole other depth that, by God’s grace, I’m gradually diving toward more so that my answer will have a more confident yes but for now I just sit with Him as He wrecks me with hard deep truths and convictions.
I bring this up because I wonder if we, specifically the western church, truly pay attention to the sheer gravity and weight of the words we loosely proclaim at the moment when it sounds all nice. When we choose to actually live and follow Jesus that means we choose death (physically) and the ways of the world no longer matter because the way and teachings of Jesus are a hundred percent hostile, offensive, and opposing of the totality of the world system and secular views. But, with that physical death, we gain absolute eternal life with God in His kingdom. So, is it worth it? Is it worth dying to yourself every day? Surrendering your thoughts, opinions, beliefs, political party, what you think you know? Losing your family, friends, possessions, and career while risking public shame and ridicule because you choose not to follow modern ideologies, trends, and social standings? What’s your price?
The point I’m driving at is that the cost and price are extremely high once you actually choose and follow Jesus. People at this very moment across the world are actually dying and being persecuted to the highest degrees all because they follow Jesus. What about you? Will you forever be comfortable as a pew sitter or will you get in the game and become a priest walker? Here’s the present growing reality. We can not escape persecution because as Christians it’s inevitable. At some point in the near future, we will suffer for Christ. The question is when that time comes will you deny Him to lose your life or will you choose Him to save your life?
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.”
Luke 9:24
Let me interject real quick.
For those who are actually living out the life and standard Christ set up for us and have faced persecution to some extent, this is for you. For those who comfortably sit in on a Sunday service and think that’s it and enough then this isn’t for you. I say this out of love because honestly all this is fresh for me as well and I’ve mostly been on the side of a Sunday Christian that lived no differently than a normal person who didn’t live for or acknowledge God. To say ‘we’ means those who are really living the life Jesus call’s us to because going to church every Sunday only is not it. Honestly, I’ll go as far and say that’s not what scripture says or tells us to do anyway. We are called to go and make disciples proclaiming the good news of Jesus not sitting stagnant receiving a good word and going about our day with our feel-good Jesus fix. No, it’s so much more than that. So much more freeing and lively that God invites us into it but will you acknowledge it and answer the call?
I’ve been sitting with these thoughts and harsh realities for the past few months. God has utterly been destroying the things I think I know and graciously showing me how much His heart grieves for His people. For all of us.
I learned about the Armenian genocide while in Armenia and the fact that World War I was basically started as a cover-up to strategically slaughter the Armenian people because of who they were as a people group and also mainly because they were Christian. This was initiated by the then Turkish leaders, which were known as the Ottoman Empire, who struck a deal and alliance with Germany which eventually turned into what we all know today. The Holocaust of the Jews, by Hitler, was inspired by the Armenian genocide which took place beforehand in which they practically got away with. So, basically both World Wars were motivated in the target elimination of those who were Jew, Christian, and anyone else deemed an unworthy minority. Essentially a war motivated by religion, specifically the Islamic state, but I won’t stir the pot with that issue yet. Turkey still denies this to this day. Actually, the people grow up being taught that the ones who committed this act were heroes who established and founded Turkey as a nation by saving its people after World War II. Which is partial truth but not the whole story.
I also learned the depths of apathy that lingers in Armenia because of this. They’re surrounded by all their enemies with almost zero support from anyone so the people and nation as a whole are tired and plain done with all the conflict. They haven’t been at rest or at peace for a long time because war is always encroaching on their doorstep. Which leads to the arid death within the Orthodox Church. There just isn’t much life or hope there. But honestly, do you blame them? They literally chose to join the USSR simply for protection during that time so they wouldn’t be eradicated and the cost of that was being under Stalin’s rule which wasn’t much of a win for them either. A nation that became Christian suffers persecution from all sides but that barely scratches the surface.
Count the cost.
Weigh the scales of your life and decide if Jesus is worth it.
I’m currently wrestling with these things right now. I know what I want my answer to be but I’m also being completely honest and real with myself. What benefit is it to you or anyone if we keep sugar coating and glossing over the true gospel of Jesus that’s been watered down? These scriptures I’ve posted on here sound and are offensive and harsh but it’s a graceful reality that Jesus sets before us to make an honest assessment within ourselves. Do the day to day ways of the world hold more value and importance than the true freedom and salvation that Jesus offers and died for? There are no buts in the Kingdom of God only yes or no. With that He doesn’t force anything on us because at the end of the day it’s still our choice to choose Him or not. But, regardless what we choose, He first and always will still choose us. Because He absolutely loves us so much that He chose to reject the ways of the world for true authentic, everlasting, relationship with His children and knowing how wicked the world is He sets the standard high for our sake.
He is loving, just, gracious, and merciful but at the same time savagely offensive to the current day and age. Why? Because He’s not of this world and calls us higher in how we should live and love one another while also extending an eternal invitation into His Kingdom as fellow heirs, sons and daughters forever reigning with Him in heaven. The true reality and absolute abundant life. Nothing on this Earth or in our finite life span can ever compare or hold a candle to who Jesus is and what He actually did for us. Period. It’s something so simple and yet so profound that my brain hurts trying to comprehend it.
We are no longer our own and in the midst of the most horrendous acts, we are called to love and forgive those who persecute us no matter how vile or extreme. Because it’s exactly what Jesus did to those who crucified Him.
Will you do it?
Here is a snippet of a movie I highly recommend watching if you haven’t already that will wreck and challenge you. It defiantly did me. This is where the inspiration for the blog came from.
F.Y.I:
The content in this video is pretty rough with its verbal imagery so it’s not for the lighthearted or a young audience.
This clip is from the documentary “Sheep Among Wolves Pt.1”
Here are links to where you can watch both parts of “Sheep Among Wolves”.
I highly recommend watching them.
Also, I recommend watching the documentary
I hope you were challenged by this not condemned by it. It’s that time to be completely honest and real with ourselves and before God because there isn’t much time left to waste. You are loved and cherished so much and God has a specific plan and purpose for you. All He wants is your yes and simple obedience and He will and already has taken care of the rest. You are enough so be blessed and just sit and be still before our Father.
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:10-12
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Romans 12:1
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Philippians 1:21
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Matthew 16:26
“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Matthew 10:28
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”
Matthew 10:37-39
Son, this is deep but so TRUE! It’s like I told some, if we give in to small things (I want mentioned in public because I don’t want to come across judging) that we know that we know is not right or not comfortable, what else will we give into? What sacrifice are we willing to take? FAITH is our Heavenly Father is what we need to rely on. I know we aren’t perfect but we are to do our best to live out our lives everyday in His presence. Thank you for sharing such depth of truth. Hey, honestly I battle with this at times. God reminders are glorious even when I try to run and turn the way because I just want to things to be easy and smooth. But God says there will be trials. That is where we decide to trust Him or not. Our life is what we make of it.
I love you son and very proud of you.
Thought: Would you/we die for your parents, family member, friends or even a stranger if lives were threatened or in harms way? I know I would die for you, your dad, family or friends. SO WHY NOT JESUS!? Why can’t the YES be a definite YES? This is for any of us to search ourselves with.
This was deep. Thanks for sharing these words. You are brave for writing these words. Prayers are continuing going out for you and your team.
This is so good, courageous, and Biblically sound. Thank you for bringing light to something often said without truly considering what the words mean!!