Continue in the Word

Continue in the Word-Luke 14:23 "Go into the highways. Compell them to come in, that my house may be filled. In verse 25 multitudes were following. He turned and said ''If any man come to me and hate not his father,mother, wife, children, brethren, sisters, or his own life, he cannot be my disciple." What he has is a bunch of converts,(not disciples). When He mentions one's life, He is talking about possessions of life, and the details of life. Converts will be in heaven, but God is looking for those who'll be His disciples. "Whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." What is your cross to bear? Your cross is when other things rise up to say me first. The phrase "does not bear his cross and follow me" has been taken out of context  many times. Look what the passage is saying. He is speaking about what may be taking 1st place in my life. It could be my job,my wife,whatever. They are important, but what does the Word say? It says "Seek first the kingdom of God." Your cross to bear is not sickness. Your cancer,your bad marriage are not your cross to bear. Poverty is not your cross to bear either. Your cross to bear is those times you'd rather stay home because your'e too tired to go to church, too tired too pray etc. The kids have tests tommorrow. It's easier to sit down,pop corn, and watch a video. These kinds of things are your cross to bear, when you'd rather do those things and pick up your cross anyway. What comes after crucifixion? The answer is refreshing. Counting the cost and doing what it takes. There is always something you'd rather do, but God will always make up the difference. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." According to the Word, the "virtuous woman" wasn't called blessed by her children at first. The scriptures say "her children rise up and call her blessed." 80 percent of church growth are people who move from church to church. Luke 14:23 "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." Highways means within cities, and hedges means outside the walls. Luke 14:28-"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficent to finish it." He was going to build a tower. To do it one must count the cost. He couldn't finish the tower. He hadn't counted the cost.The point is that discipleship isn't built overnight. It takes a while to be a disciple. It has to be built. Discipleship comes with great opposition. Make your commitment and watch the opposition come against you, but do not make peace treaties with the enemy. To build a wall, to build discipleship, it takes time,commitment, and discipline. Verse 35-"He that has ears to hear, let him keep on hearing". Make it the center point in your family and in your life. I won't go halfway. I will pour my life into it. Mark 4 speaks of good ground. There should never be a moment to stop growing. Heaven? Why forever? The bible speaks of untold riches. Untold, because it is just too deep. Mark 4:20-Some receive and bring forth 30,some 60, and some 100 fold. Notice that there is still satan's opposition, no matter what state you are in. Verse 21-"And he said to them, nothing is kept secret." At 100 fold one has been brought to a place in his life where there is great discipleship. He is good ground (100 fold). He is saying "Do not put your candle under a bushel." There will always be things you don't understand. God is saying "The first time you pray and one doesn't get healed, you get questioned by Satan, who tells you that you've been living a lie." Satan will tell you that you've been part of a cult. You won't always have the answer, but don't put your lamp under a bed where it won't do  any good. You pray for someone to get healed and they die anyway. Did you know what was in their mind? They may say they agree, but you don't really know, do you? We don't have all the answers, but God's Word is still true. God's word says nothing is hidden that won't be revealed. 23d verse says "If  any man has ears to hear, let him keep on hearing." Question: What brings 100 fold? Answer: keep on hearing. Disciples don't stick out with buttons on their shirt, or a drive a car with a license tag that says disciple. They blend in and come because they love God. They are at church. Theyv'e been tested and have come thru adversity. Disciples have been built one brick at a time. He doesn't just come to church. He gets involved. We war against principalities, not flesh. Psalm 84-"How amiable (loved) are your tabernacles, Oh Lord of hosts. He missed being in church.