Luke 14:28-30 (NLT) says, “28But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’”

Have you ever worked on or have been a part of a house building project? Maybe even a renovation? One thing is for certain:  there will come a moment where you will face an unexpected expense. It can be overwhelming at times with all of the decision-making, but it is necessary to put into place your dream home. In order to make everything happen, you have to have a budget, or, in other words, “count the cost.” You have to break down where your money is going or your money will do it for you, and, before you know it, you are out of it! Anyone can start such a project, but what is important is that you finish!

 

Have you count the cost and paid the price necessary to be completely sold out to Jesus? It is not about how you start, but how you finish! Those who endure to the end the same shall be saved (Matthew 24:13)! It is more than having a vision and working towards that vision, but it is about budgeting and putting into perspective everything necessary to complete it. It is more than having good ideas, but what is God’s idea? This is what we are to aim and strive for. We cannot afford not to finish what God has given us to do in this life! We have one chance at this. We have to make the most of it!

 

Christ is the chief cornerstone, and the foundation is built upon the apostles and prophets, but how we build matters! Your life means nothing without the foundation of Christ, as the storms of life will destroy it, and how you construct your life also matters! You can believe in Christ, but what are you doing with it? You may have confessed with your mouth Christ’s name and believe Jesus resurrected from the grave, but how are we building our lives on such a firm foundation? From marriage and family to business and career, from academia to sport, we must build our lives on the foundation of God’s Word. We are to honor Him one everything that we do!