The Ballestero Blog

It’ll Cost You Everything To Live For God!

 Luke 14:26 If any man come to 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.

Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

The word hate used here simply means to love less. It is necessary to love everything and everyone less than we love Him, if we will truly be his disciple.

Some have had to walk away from jobs, sports, positions, fame, and  had to leave their old friends as well. There are those that have even had to walk away from family.

But, Now Days Folks Don’t Want To Give Up Much To Follow Jesus.

Do you remember some of the songs the old saints used to sing? Songs like:

I’m Leaving All To Follow Jesus,

Ida M. Budd, 1898.

Leaving all to follow Jesus,
Turning from the world away,
Stepping out upon the promise,
All I have is His today.

Refrain

Leaving all to follow Jesus,
Turning from the world away,
Stepping out upon His promise,
All I have is His today.

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It’ll Cost You Everything To Live For God!

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Or,

Take This Whole World, But Give Me Jesus

Author: Unknown.

(Chorus)

Take this whole world, but give me Jesus

Take this whole world, but give me Jesus

Take this whole world, but give me Jesus

I won’t turn back, I won’t turn back

Take this whole world, but give me Jesus

Take this whole world, but give me Jesus

Take this whole world, but give me Jesus

I won’t turn back, I won’t turn back

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It’ll Cost You Everything To Live For God!

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The Rich Young Ruler Wanted To Hang On To His Possessions.

Mt 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Not only was his possessions a problem, but he also ignored the invitation to take up the cross and follow Jesus.

Some just can’t say goodbye to the world.

A Potential Preacher Didn’t Want To Leave His Home Or Family.

Luke 9:57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

Luke 9:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Luke 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

Luke 9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

Elisha Had To Get A “Leave It All Behind” Mindset.

1Ki 19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

1Ki 19:20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

1Ki 19:21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

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It’ll Cost You Everything To Live For God!

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Living For God Is An All Or Nothing Lifestyle

• The most miserable people in the church are those trying to live in both worlds
• The least spiritual people in the church are those trying to live in both worlds.
• The least likely people to be saved are those trying to live in both worlds.
• Don’t even expect God to use you if you are still in love with the world.

There Is Nothing Worth Hanging On To, If It Means Losing Your Own Soul.

Mt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Please Note:

If I ever plan on being saved, I must choose to say goodbye to the things of the world and the things of the flesh, and then love God and live for God with all my heart!

Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Deut 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deut 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

Deut 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Deut 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Deut 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

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It’ll Cost You Everything To Live For God!

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Mk 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Mk 10:28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

Mk 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,

Mk 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.