Sit down first to calculate the cost

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There is only one way to achieve what is beyond our reach: when we are an ally of God. And there is also only one way to be an ally of God: when we manifest a conscious faith in Him and His Word. The impossible is no longer impossible before such Faith. Other beliefs, religions, and rituals cannot accomplish what it accomplishes, since they are not accompanied by sacrifice, because this draws us closer to the Most High.

This is why, for the impossible to happen, it is fundamental to exercise this Faith, by forsaking your thoughts, to absorb the thoughts of God. It is sacrificing a minimum to achieve the maximum.

And this could not be any different. Only God can accomplish the impossible, but He lends us His power to accomplish the impossible for His glory. This power is the gift of Faith, which comes from hearing His Word, and becomes effective if it is put into practice boldly through an act of sacrifice.

Therefore, only those who are truly His disciple can make use of this power. After all, a “disciple” is someone that receives instructions from another person and practices it. It is a person who adopts a doctrine, follows the ideas or imitates the examples of his master. So, whoever wants to adopt the teachings of Jesus as the standard of their behavior must renounce his own life. He made it very clear that to be His disciple, you must obey Him, renounce your will and everything that this world has to offer.

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Luke 14.27

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. Luke 14.33

It’s not by chance that He advises those who want to follow Him to sit down first and calculate the cost to seewhether he is willing to commit his obedience until the end, to pay the price of this decision. This is what we call conscious faith, rational faith, or intelligent faith. This faith compels us to use our reason to make a choice that we will truly honor, without emotions or imprudence, since we know what it requires of us.

The Most High does not impose His discipline on anyone, but He does not confer His Power to everyone either. He makes us aware of how we should act if we want this Power within us. We should analyze this proposal with our mind, not our heart – because it is a price to be paid, not a gratuitous grace.

 

Bishop Edir Macedo
www.bispomacedo.com.br/en
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