Have You Counted the Cost? What It Means to Truly Deny Yourself - Ep 11

Here's a 5-day Bible reading plan and devotional guide based on Episode 11 of the Milk to Meat Discipleship Podcast.
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5-Day Devotional: The Cost and Joy of Following Jesus

Day 1: Counting the Cost
Reading: Luke 14:25-33
Devotional: Jesus doesn't mince words when He tells us to count the cost of discipleship. Like a builder calculating materials before construction, we must honestly assess what following Christ requires. This isn't about discouraging us—it's about preparing us. Jesus sweated blood in Gethsemane as He counted the cost of our redemption. He understood the price and paid it willingly. Now He asks us to approach discipleship with the same clear-eyed determination. What dreams, relationships, or comforts might God be asking you to surrender? Remember, Jesus doesn't demand sacrifice to punish you, but to set you free. His hands are open in love, inviting you into something far better than you could orchestrate yourself.

Day 2: Priorities of the Heart
Reading: Matthew 6:19-24
Devotional: "No one can serve two masters." These words cut through our attempts to compartmentalize our lives. When we place anything—career, family, dreams, or comfort—on the throne of our hearts instead of Christ, we become slaves to lesser things. This doesn't mean neglecting responsibilities or relationships. Rather, it means loving God so completely that our love for others flows from Him. When Christ is first, we love our families better, serve more authentically, and lead with wisdom. The question isn't whether you love your spouse, children, or dreams—it's whether anything competes with God for supremacy in your heart. What sits on the throne today? Only Jesus deserves that place.

Day 3: Denying Self, Finding Life
Reading: Luke 9:23-25
Devotional: "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me." This isn't about religious performance or giving up harmless activities to appear spiritual. True self-denial means surrendering the things that genuinely compete for God's place in your life—the sin patterns, the controlling dreams, the relationships that pull you away. It's not cleaning yourself up before coming to Jesus; it's bringing your mess to Him and letting His strength work through your weakness. Like the prodigal who finally stopped trying to fix himself, we must recognize that transformation comes from Jesus changing us, not us changing for Jesus. What is the Holy Spirit revealing that needs to go? That's where real discipleship begins.

Day 4: The Wisdom of Accountability
Reading: Proverbs 27:17; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Devotional: Iron sharpens iron, but only through friction. Genuine discipleship requires accountability partners who love you enough to tell you hard truths. Not the friend who says "good try" when you fail, but the one who asks, "Really? Are we doing this again?" This isn't about judgment—it's about growth. Find someone of the same gender who knows Scripture, loves Jesus, and won't let you coast spiritually. Share your struggles honestly. Confess your failures. Celebrate your victories. God designed us for community because isolation breeds deception. We convince ourselves that sin isn't that bad or that we're doing fine when we're actually drifting. Who in your life has permission to speak truth, even when it stings?

Day 5: His Strength Made Perfect
Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Devotional: Paul's thorn in the flesh teaches us a counterintuitive truth: God's power works best through our weakness. We spend so much energy trying to be strong, capable, and self-sufficient. But discipleship often requires us to become weak enough that God's strength can finally shine through. This isn't about manufactured weakness or false humility—it's about genuine dependence. When you finally exhaust your resources, when you can't fix it yourself, when you're flat on your face—that's when God says, "Now you're ready for My strength." The journey of discipleship isn't about becoming stronger; it's about becoming increasingly aware of your need for Him. Where are you trying to be strong today? Surrender that weakness to Him and watch His power work.

For further discussion or questions about discipleship, contact: discipleship@cliffviewchurch.org