|
To live for Christ, I must die to self
Do I desire to live for Christ?
If so, how will that desire be reflected?
Luke 9:23-25 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25“For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
Matthew 10:38-39 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25“For whoever wishes to 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 will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark 8:34-36 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
Luke 14:27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
- What does this mean to me? What am I to do? Be dead yet alive?
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Thoughts and questions to ask yourself:
- To drop my agenda and seek out and do what God’s will if for me?
- Where would Jesus have me go?
- What would Jesus have me speak?
- What would Jesus have me listen to?
- What would Jesus have me watch?
- How would Jesus have me respond?
- How would Jesus have me serve others?
- When would Jesus have me speak, respond?
Our example is Jesus himself, so let us study more about Jesus so we can understand how to live by dying to self!!
Not much information is given about the attitude Simon of Cyrenne had about carrying Jesus’ cross in Luke 23:26 When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.
But, let us ask this question to our self: Am I willing to carry this cross and die to self?
Remembering 1 Corinthians 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
John the Baptist understood: John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
|
