Luke 9:23-24 says, "If any of you want to walk My path, you’re going to have to deny yourself. You’ll have to take up your cross every day and follow Me. If you try to avoid danger and risk, then you’ll lose everything. If you let go of your life and risk all for My sake, then your life will be rescued, healed, made whole and full."(Voice)
Deny means to refuse to give something to someone, or to prevent someone from having something. It sounds so simple. We have just come out of the season of Lent. Christians as well as non-christians denied themselves things in an attempt to show reverence for the Lord. Jesus told his disciples to "deny" themselves daily! Daily? How can I do that? So glad you asked!
Jesus was telling his disciples, that in order to take up your cross daily you must be willing to kill yourself daily in front of other people. Don't get me wrong. Jesus was not suggesting, or encouraging suicide. Suicide is the ultimate act of selfishness! He was comparing the daily love walk with the most extreme torture of his day. Being unselfish, and considering others over ourselves is taking up the cross daily. Dr. Leroy Thompson, Jr. said, "We cannot be so in love with ourselves that we are not willing to lose our identity for the identity of Christ!" True denial of self, is allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us daily in every situation. It's denying ourselves in traffic, at work, in our family relationships, with unreasonable people, and most importantly with those outside of the Body of Christ. Jesus said, "our strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 (TLB) Did you get that? If you want to prove that you are truly a Christian, then it will be evident in the way you LOVE! It's not easy, but it's possible. It is only possible however, by LOVE.
1 John 4:6-7 says, "We come from God, and those who know God hear us. Whoever is not from God will not listen to us. This is the way we discern the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. My loved ones, let us devote ourselves to loving one another.Love comes straight from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and truly knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."(Voice)
Love and prayers, Cynthia
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