I’ve been discovering the weight of dead things, and the power of the content that we’re receiving and putting in our bodies. I’ve been listening to more secular music and watching  darker shows that are full of sin and death. In doing this, I’ve noticed the way it effects how I operate. I find myself being more prone to temptation and coveting the things of the world. I’m well aware that the way of the world produces brokenness and pain. I’ve tasted and seen the goodness of our Father and yet, I find myself still desiring the things of the this world and allowing myself to be bound by it. 

Freedom; comes at a cost. True joy is an action. The action, is choosing to pick up my cross daily, and die to myself. When I decide to indulge myself in the world I begin to feel empty. “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”Galatians? ?6:8?. It’s not that the Lord has left me, instead I’m putting up a wall, saying, “even though I’ve tasted and seen of the goodness of the Lord I’m choosing to hold onto what’s dead.” I’m a weak man, and at times I choose death because it looks more appetizing.  I’m choosing cheap grace over costly grace, an idea presented by Bonhoeffer in his book “Cost of Discipleship.” Cheap grace is taking advantage of the grace God has given us, and doing what we want because there is an abundance of grace. It is abuse. It’s the Lords supper without the confession. It’s choosing out of Jesus knowing that I can come back to Christ when I’m ready. 

But, what if I didn’t have that Grace? What if I lived by recognizing how much it cost God? I agree with Bonhoeffer in saying, costly grace is recognizing the the weight of the cross. It’s Christ sovereignty, for the sake where you tear your eye out if it causes you to stumble. It’s costly because it cost God so much. It cost God His son, we were bought with a price. Nothing should be cheap to us if it was costly to God. It’s grace when Jesus says, “my yoke is easy my burden is light.”

How much more disciplined would I be to follow Christ if I truly recognized the weight of the cross?

 “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:14

When will I recognize how much this grace cost Jesus for me to able to receive it as a gift. Did He die on the cross so I can indulge myself in the things of the world.

 “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!”

??Romans? ?6:15? ???

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

??Philippians? ?2:5-8? ??

Jesus came, died, and paid so much so that the Creator could have a relationship with me.  I imagine it hurts our Father’s heart when He sees us playing with things that are dead. I believe He’s watching me saying, “Cole I have so much better for you, and I want to give it all to you. Why are you turning away from me, can’t you see that route produces death, I’m the only way to abundant life, choose me.”

Let us run this race with endurance, recognizing how much it cost God and Jesus for us to be able to run this race. 

 “let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

??Hebrews? ?12:1-2? ?