DENY Myself, Take Up The CROSS, FOLLOW Him.

Hi there beloved. :)
You're going to love this one..

We are on Matthew Chapter 16:
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Everytime I come across these verses, or I hear someone mention them, I get this feeling in my heart. That feeling you get when you are so much in the spirit, you know. Or when you read a verse that you resonate well with.
But today, a deeper understanding was planted in my heart.

Much emphasis will go to verse 24.
Discipleship (going after Jesus) calls for three things, one: self-denial, two: cross-bearing, three: loyal obedience.
Going after Jesus is in His terms, not ours.
That's why He says, "if anyone...."


°Deny Yourself.
That to go after Christ, I have to deny myself? Hmm.. to mean what exactly?
That I should fast every once in a while? That I should sacrifice my leisure time to do His work? Well,that could work too..but here is the thing.
Denying yourself, means, to completely disown.. utterly separate yourself from yourself.
Huh? What did I just say....
That it's ALL about Him.
(Let me use an example I very much relate with..)
That when you go up on stage to perform your song, or spoken word piece, or present any kind of artwork with the message of Christ in it, it is ALL about the Father and NOTHING about you. NOTHING about who you are, what kind of background you trace back to, what brand of clothes you are in, or the number of fans who will scream your name.
How amazing it would be, if they would scream and shout, "Jesus!" "Lord You are Mighty!".. And not "Laura! Gurl, you are so talented!"
Don't you think?!

Jesus proclaimed that the first requirement for entering the kingdom is to be “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3 ), to have the spirit of utter poverty in regard to one’s own goodness, righteousness, worth, and merit. It is to humbly recognize one’s spiritual destitution.
It is only the person who realizes how poor he is who will ever know the riches of Christ. It is only the person who realizes how sinful and damned he is who will ever come to know how precious the forgiveness of God is.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalms 34:18 ).
It is the broken and contrite heart that God loves and will never despise (Psalms 51:17 ).
It is not the self-righteous and self-satisfied but the penitent and humble whom God saves.
It was not the proud Pharisee who had such a high image of himself, but the brokenhearted tax collector who asked God for mercy, who Jesus said “went down to his house justified” (Luke 18:14 ).

Oh Lord help us to always keep this in mind..


“Growth in grace is growth downward; it is the forming of a lower estimate of ourselves; it is a deepening realization of our nothingness; it is a heartfelt recognition that we are not worthy of the least of God’s mercies.”
~Arthur Pink


°Take Up The Cross.
To take up one’s cross is simply to be willing to pay any price for Christ’s sake. It is the willingness to endure shame, embarrassment, reproach, rejection, persecution, and even martyrdom for His sake.

I was listening to a radio show a while before the inspiration to post this landed so heavily in my heart. And the lady was saying that, the cross is heavy to bear. Taking it literally, in whichever position you place it, it will remain difficult to carry.
Sometimes studying the word actually requires literal reasoning. Only until we take it literally will we realize the weight of the message.

The walk of salvation is not an easy one. Speaking for myself, at a time and age where 19-year olds like me would rather be in a club or at a 'weed' joint, being a staunch Christian is difficult. Friends desert you. The world mocks you. Mean words are hurled at you. More often than not, people misunderstand you.. I could go on and on.

Beloved, all these struggles are part of taking up the cross. This idea has profound meaning which must be understood. Taking up one’s cross is not some mystical level of selfless “deeper spiritual life” that only the religious elite can hope to achieve. Nor is it the common trials and hardships that all persons experience sometime in life like a sick relative, or betrayal by your better half.

Needless to say, if you haven't or aren't facing any of this, you are probably not taking up the cross rightfully. (Ahem.. Living a 50/50 kinda life?I might be hinting at you)
Sorry, sometimes ministry takes stepping on someone's toes.

During Jesus' time, a cross was an instrument of execution. Hence, part of following Christ is like carrying the very beam on which you will hang.
You will be hung from time to time. But hang in there.
It's a journey worth taking.

°Follow Him.
It's simple.
1 John 2:6 says..
“The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked”

When you look up to someone, you desire and actually strive to be like them. When you follow someone..you can't afford to walk in a manner less than that which they walk in.
Remember,
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus declared; “but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 ).

To continue in His Word is to be His true disciple. See John 8:31.

Wow.
Amazing, eh?

Let's completely deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow Him.
Our reward awaits us in heaven:)

I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown:)
Love,
Laura.