Cost Of Discipleship; Luke 14:28-33

Church History: 28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' 31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Christ used two parables to advise all his followers to sit down and consider, beforehand, what it is likely to cost them to go through with their profession of faith: He tells us, common prudence will direct men in their endeavors; particularly when they either go to build or fight; A man that intends to build, will consult whether he is able to defray the charges; and a king that goes forth to war, will consider what strength he has to make opposition. In a similar manner, how should persons engage in religious activities? Not headlong, but advisedly, with consideration and judgment.
It is good to remember the issues of action, before we act; before we engage in the spiritual combat, to consider the difficulty of the battle; what established paradigms we may come up against and have to deal with; worldly pleasures which control lives and become idols, more important than Christianity. But then we must take great care that our deliberation and consideration of difficulties and dangers may not deter us from, but work in us, a steady resolution for the combat, looking up to Christ for his auxiliary aid and strength to render us victorious, who thought of ourselves we can do nothing, yet we may do all things through Christ that strengthens us. Philippians 4:13
Those take up a profession of Christianity, without considering the dangers and difficulties, the trials and troubles, the afflictions and temptations, which may accompany it, will never hold out in the spiritual warfare, but either fall in it, or run from it.5