Link to devotionals - https://cliffviewchurch.org/devotionals

Discipleship is costly—but it is also profoundly rewarding. In this Milk to Meat episode, we walk through the life of Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, a man who had everything the world could offer: wealth, power, success, pleasure, and influence. And yet, after experiencing it all, Solomon comes to a sobering conclusion in Ecclesiastes: it was all vanity—striving after wind.

We unpack key passages from Ecclesiastes and the Life of Solomon to see how even the greatest earthly blessings failed to satisfy apart from a right relationship with God. In the end, Solomon reminds us of the true purpose of life: to fear God and keep His commandments.

From there, we talk honestly about the cost of discipleship—what it means to give up the things that pull our hearts away from the Lord—and why that cost will always be present. Through personal story and reflection, we contrast that cost with the far greater reward: contentment, blessing, intimacy with God, and the deep fulfillment our souls are longing for.

We explore why humans are created to worship, why everyone worships something, and why only God can fill the place in our hearts He designed for Himself. As we draw closer to the Lord through Scripture, prayer, and obedience, our priorities begin to align with His—and transformation follows.

We also reflect on those rare believers whose walk with God is so real and so close that you can sense the presence of the Lord just being near them. Their lives testify to what it looks like to deny self, take up the cross, and truly walk as disciples.

If you’ve ever felt the emptiness of “having it all” or wondered if the cost of following Jesus is worth it, this episode points to the clear biblical answer: nothing compares to knowing Him.

Link to devotionals - https://cliffviewchurch.org/devotionals

What did Jesus really mean when He said, “deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Me”?

In this powerful Milk to Meat episode, we dive deep into Luke 9:23–25 to uncover the meaning, context, and true weight of discipleship.

We unpack Jesus’ call to:

• Deny yourself — rejecting self-rule, ego, comfort, and the old life

• Take up your cross daily — a lifestyle of surrender, obedience, and dying to self-will

• Follow Him — aligning your life with Jesus, His mission, and His ways

You’ll learn how:

– Clinging to your own plans leads to spiritual loss

– Surrendering your life to Jesus leads to true life

– No amount of worldly success can save your soul

– The cross isn’t a moment—it’s a daily posture

– Discipleship is costly, but deeply freeing

This episode brings clarity, challenge, and encouragement for anyone serious about spiritual growth and walking as a true disciple of Jesus.