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SEPTEMBER 2025 LETTER
Luke 14:25-33 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “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. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.28 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— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? 31 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? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
Jesus was emphasizing the evidence of a person who chooses to follow after Him. He identifies those individuals as His disciples. By no means was Jesus saying that you must hate your father, mother, wife, children, brothers and or sisters, and or your own life also. What he was saying was to not allow anyone to affect your pursuing or going after Him, not even your life. Meaning to not put anything above Him. A true disciple is one who follows the Teacher and His teachings, and chooses to obey despite the cost. This individual understands the cost of being a true disciple which is to deny self! No one needs to pump up this individual because this individual lives by the conviction of the word of God. As believers we must be established in the truth. If we as believers are not living according to the word of God, then we are not one who is a follower of Christ. The follower of Jesus always follows Him and his/or her fruit is obedience to the word of the Master. This signifies that the things you seek after is to conduct the will of our Father. Jesus had this very clear, He was to do the will of the Father. As believers, we must have this clear and have this settled in our hearts.
Often, people do not truly understand the cost of what it means to forsake all and follow Jesus. At times, people are moved by emotionalism and not by conviction. There is a difference with this. Emotionalism will make you feel good in the moment. I don't understand why believers have the need to feel something before they choose to move in action to obey. When it’s settled in our hearts, we have the conviction and because of this, our conviction will carry us through despite what we feel or face because we chose to be a follower of Jesus. We must comprehend that following Jesus requires us to prioritize the things of the Kingdom first and our calling before anything else. A follower of Jesus is one that denies himself, desires, and prioritizes the things of the Kingdom first. When we have this conviction, the things of this world will not have any strings on us to pull us here or there. Our focus is the Kingdom and nothing will move us. Whatever the Lord asks from us, we say, yes Lord, and do it right away, without any hesitation.
Enrique and I have this very clear, and nothing will detour us from doing the will of God. One, because our priority is to follow Him and do His will, we do not have any hidden agenda. We are not going after material things; we have this very clear. We fully understand what it is to forsake all. If the Lord says jump, we say, “how high?”, without any hesitation. We go where He wants us to go and do. That is what the Lord requires from us as disciples. Understanding the cost of being a true disciple means denying ourselves. As believers, we must examine our hearts everyday to see where we are and what our priorities are. When we examine our lives according to the word, then we can see where we are. This is a good thing, because if your focus has been on the wrong things, you have time to get back on the right path. If we proclaim to be a follower of Jesus, we must pay the price that comes with that calling.
For many, it is hard to truly comprehend what the Lord requires, because it seems hard to do. Some are putting other things above Him. Some people start well, but along the way, they get discouraged because things are not what they thought they would be. That's where you have to press forward. Don't let anything derail you. Some are giving only a portion of themselves. I know this must be hard to swallow, but this is the truth. Some are not counting the cost of being a true disciple. He wants all of us!
What you are putting first, other than seeking Him first. What the Lord requires of us, is leaving behind anything that hinders our pursuit in Him, leaving behind any attachments and distractions from denying self. We must truly be dedicated to the mission of the Kingdom. Remember, this is a personal journey, you and Him, by His grace!
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
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