Have you counted the cost?

Luk 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

Soon 10 years ago, I had a brain stroke. In a matter of seconds I lost my ability to talk, and walk. The right side of my body was paralyzed, and when I tried to talk, I was not able to form the words. The Ambulance took me to the Hospital with full sirens. In the next few hours I had people praying for me all over the world. 10 000 people stood up at the Louisiana Camp meeting and prayed for me. Prayer teams in our local church as well as other places prayed for me. The stroke hit me on a Friday, and I was back in church preaching on Sunday, completely healed. That Sunday I preached from this text. What a miracle God had performed in my life. I realized the cost of living for God was small compare to the benefits.

The Norwegian Insurance company IF, had a campaign years ago. The slogan was: “You don’t know the cost until you need us.” The day I had the stroke, I realized that truth. But it is even truer after we die. When you compare eternity to your life here, you will see that the cost of living for God is small when compared to the reward. They that died in the arenas under Neros persecution had seen that truth.

If you flip the coin and ask: Have you counted the cost of NOT living for God? There are consequences in both this life and the life to come. Ask anyone smoking today: Was it worth the first smoke? Ask any drug addict: Was it worth the first trip? Or you may ask any person in Hell, was it worth it? The unanimous answer you will get is NO. IT was NOT worth it.

When you calculate your life and decides whether to live for God or not, you may think over the benefits and the consequences.