1d • General discussion
Kingdom Key - Point 91
I Count the Cost and Follow Christ Wholeheartedly
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” — Luke 14:28 (KJV)
Kingdom Lesson
To follow Jesus Christ wholeheartedly is not a casual decision. It is the greatest decision a person will ever make, and it deserves to be made with open eyes and a surrendered heart. Jesus never minimized the demands of discipleship in order to gain followers. He never promised that following Him would be easy, popular, or without sacrifice. Instead, He invited people to count the cost before they committed. He wanted disciples, not merely admirers. The Kingdom of God is not built upon emotional moments of excitement, but upon men and women who have settled in their hearts that Jesus Christ is worthy of everything.
The illustration Jesus used is striking. Before a man begins building a tower, he first sits down and carefully considers what the finished project will require. He counts the cost because he intends to finish what he starts. No one wants to become the person who lays a foundation only to abandon the work halfway through. Jesus is teaching far more than wise financial planning. He is revealing a Kingdom principle that applies to every area of life. Great beginnings are admirable, but Heaven celebrates faithful finishers. God is not looking for people who begin with enthusiasm only to abandon the assignment when difficulties arise. He is looking for men and women who have counted the cost and resolved to remain faithful until the work is complete.
Throughout Scripture, every great Kingdom assignment began with a blueprint from God. Noah did not design the ark according to his own imagination. God gave him the exact measurements, the exact materials, and the exact pattern. Then God entrusted Noah with the responsibility of building it. Scripture never records God returning every few weeks to inspect the progress or revise the plans. Noah simply trusted God’s blueprint and continued building year after year while the world mocked him. Every hammer strike was an act of faith. Every board he fastened declared that he believed God’s Word more than the opinions of those around him. Noah had already counted the cost long before the rain ever began to fall.
The same pattern appears in the life of Moses. God did not merely tell Moses to build a tabernacle; He gave him an exact pattern for every board, every curtain, every piece of furniture, and every detail of worship. Exodus repeatedly reminds us that Moses built “according to all that the LORD commanded him.” God’s blessing was found in obedience to His blueprint, not in human creativity. The assignment was never to improve God’s design but to faithfully carry it out.
David understood this principle as well. Although God told him he would not be the one to build the Temple, David did not become discouraged or bitter. Instead, he spent years gathering materials, organizing the priests, preparing the finances, and receiving the pattern that God would later entrust to Solomon. David counted the cost of a vision he would never personally see completed. He invested his life preparing another generation to finish what God had placed in his heart. That is Kingdom leadership. Solomon simply executed the blueprint his father had faithfully prepared under God’s direction.
Perhaps no Old Testament leader illustrates this principle more clearly than Nehemiah. Before a single stone was laid upon another, Nehemiah prayed, fasted, sought God’s favor, surveyed the broken walls, developed a plan, secured the king’s permission, gathered resources, organized workers, and prepared for opposition. Only then did the rebuilding begin. The wall was completed in fifty-two days because the preparation had been completed long before the construction started. Great accomplishments rarely happen by accident. They are usually the result of people who first counted the cost and then refused to quit.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that every life must also have a proper foundation. Hebrews 6 speaks of the foundational principles of the Christian life—repentance, faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. A wise builder does not continually rebuild the foundation. Once the foundation is laid, he builds upon it. Many believers spend years asking God for a new blueprint while neglecting the one He has already given them. God is not looking for people constantly searching for a different assignment. He is looking for people who will faithfully build according to the truth He has already revealed.
Following Christ wholeheartedly means surrendering every area of life to His Lordship. It means that our family belongs to Him. Our business belongs to Him. Our finances belong to Him. Our dreams belong to Him. Our reputation belongs to Him. It means saying with complete confidence, “Lord, whatever You ask of me, my answer is already yes.” That kind of surrender is costly, but it is also liberating because we no longer carry the burden of directing our own lives. We simply follow the Master Builder.
One of the greatest mistakes believers make is assuming that following Christ wholeheartedly happens accidentally. It does not. It requires intentionality. If we truly desire to be used by God, we must create room in our lives for Him to interrupt our schedules. During one of our Friday evening prayer meetings, we prayed specifically that God would open doors for us to witness to someone. We did not know where, when, or how He would answer that prayer, but we intentionally included His purpose in our plans and expected Him to work.
The very next day my brother Ron and I stopped at Home Depot to purchase materials for a home project. We needed help with a unique carpentry issue, and an employee came over to assist us. After answering our questions, he lingered, and quite interestingly, the conversation turned to music. To this day, I honestly cannot tell you how we arrived at that subject, but both my brother and this Home Depot employee happened to be serious musicians. Looking back, I know that was no coincidence. The night before, we had prayed specifically that God would open doors for us to witness, and this was His answer. God opened the door, and all we had to do was walk through it. My brother then asked him, “Have you ever considered using your musical talents for the Lord?” That one question opened a conversation neither of us could have planned. Within minutes he was sharing deep struggles in his marriage and home. We were able to encourage him, pray with him, and begin what I believe will become an ongoing discipleship relationship. What began as a trip to purchase building materials became an opportunity for God to begin rebuilding a life.
Experiences like that remind me that counting the cost is not only about what we are willing to give up; it is also about what we are willing to make room for. We often ask God to bless our plans, while He is waiting for us to build our plans around His purposes. When we intentionally seek opportunities to serve Him, He delights in opening doors we never could have imagined. As Ephesians 3:20 (KJV) reminds us, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” When we count the cost and choose Christ first, we discover that the greatest adventures of life are often the ones we never planned.
The rich young ruler counted the cost and walked away sorrowful because he loved his possessions more than he loved Christ. Caleb counted the cost and spent forty-five years believing God for the mountain God had promised him. One walked away from his calling. The other finished with strength and victory. Every believer must eventually decide which example they will follow.
The cost of following Christ is real. It may cost comfort, popularity, personal ambition, convenience, and at times even relationships. Yet every sacrifice we make for Christ is temporary, while every reward He promises is eternal. The One who calls us to surrender everything also promises that no one who leaves anything for His sake will fail to receive abundantly more both now and in the life to come.
So sit down. Count the cost honestly. Receive God’s blueprint for your life. Lay the proper foundation. Then rise with unwavering conviction and build everything He has entrusted to you according to His design. Do not be distracted by the opinions of others or discouraged by the length of the journey. The Master Builder knows exactly what He is constructing through your obedience.
The cost of following Christ wholeheartedly is great. But the cost of following Him halfway is infinitely greater.
Kingdom Thought
Following Christ wholeheartedly is not about making a one-time emotional decision—it is about making a lifetime commitment. The greatest lives are not built by those who occasionally obey God, but by those who count the cost, trust God’s blueprint, and faithfully build according to His design until the very end.
Kingdom Prayer
Father, thank You for calling me to follow You. I recognize that true discipleship requires more than good intentions—it requires a surrendered heart and a steadfast commitment. Help me to count the cost honestly and choose You above every comfort, ambition, possession, and earthly pursuit. Give me the courage to trust Your blueprint even when I cannot see the finished work. Teach me to build my life, my family, my business, my ministry, and every assignment You have entrusted to me according to Your Word. Open my eyes to the divine appointments You place before me each day, and give me the boldness to walk through every door You open. Keep me from growing weary, distracted, or discouraged, and strengthen me to remain faithful until the work You have begun in me is complete. May my life bring glory to Your name and leave a lasting Kingdom impact for generations to come. In Jesus’ name, amen
Pastor Robert E. Hardy
If these Kingdom Key Points have been a blessing to you and you want to see them go across the world in different languages — we invite you to pray about sowing a one time seed and or becoming a monthly ministry partner with us at www.wordoflifehouston.org. Together we can take these Kingdom principles to every nation, every language, and every generation. Thank you for believing in this mission.
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Kingdom Key - Point 91
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