Tag Archives: Christianity

Deny Yourself and Take Up Your Cross Daily

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And “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in the adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:14-18

This scripture presents a critical directive, two dire warnings, and a paradoxical promise. It speaks of the cost of discipleship and the exponentially greater cost of failure to “come after Christ.”

The Command – Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me – To follow Jesus, you must deny yourself – acknowledge that you are not capable of righteousness on your own and to resist worldly desires of immorality. And you also must take up your cross – willing to suffer, even martyrdom, for Jesus. It is also seen as crucifying your old corrupt self and instead pursuing the will of God as a reborn child of God. To follow Jesus is complete obedience to his will. To “deny yourself,” “take up your cross” and “follow me” is something that we must do daily. Our instinct is to serve ourselves and we will struggle with this all our days here on earth.

Warning #1 – Whosoever will save his life shall lose it – this is the great warning – hold on tight to your life, pursue your desires and things of the world and you will perish.

Warning #2 – Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. – Reject Christ and he will reject you. To dismiss the one who made the ultimate sacrifice for our sin will not end well. Without Christ’s substitutionary atonement, fools will rely on their own righteousness when they face God’s judgment. The result will be condemnation. In retrospect, when the influence of the world and the lies of Satan have passed away, that choice to reject Jesus will surely be deemed insanity. 

A Promise – Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake (Jesus) and the gospel’s sake will save it. – Give your life to Christ, and you will be saved from the wrath of God that is coming. This is the dramatic paradox in God’s word. Those who love their life and live for their own desire will perish, those who surrender their life to God will enjoy eternal life.  

A Rhetorical Question – For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? What a terrible, tragic choice it is to hear and reject the gospel of Jesus Christ, to instead live for yourself, even if you attain all that you want in this brief life, and then spend an eternity of agony in hell.  

Our Continual Struggle with Sin

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I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:21-25

When we are saved, we are justified in the eyes of God. Our sin is forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. We are transformed into a new life and the old, dead sinful man is left behind. We are in Christ and a new creation by the grace of God. The Christian’s inner person is holy and ready for heaven. We are ready to stand blameless before God and our Lord Jesus.

But, while here on Earth, that inner person is still in sinful flesh. We will struggle with the sin and wickedness of our humanity for all our days; until we meet Jesus. Our brief time here is a grand test and though sin no longer owns us, it is still present and working against our spirit providing the opportunity for faithful obedience or failure. When believers sin we do not lose our salvation, but diminish our relationship with God. I do think that those who habitually sin, enjoying forgiveness and then returning right back to sinful pleasure bring into question the validity of their salvation.

For if after they have escaped the pollutions (defilements) of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:20-22

If you struggle with sin, then know that the Holy Spirit is at work in you. Those without Christ seek the pleasure of sin and there is no struggle. Our sanctification by the Holy Spirit is a work in progress throughout our life, and it is through Jesus Christ that we will be finally delivered. Until then, we go on serving the will of God, as our flesh struggles against us. Thankfully, though we are “wretched men,” the mercy of God does not end and is fresh every morning. Read Lamentations 3:22-23 For us, there is no condemnation.

Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

Work as Unto the Lord

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And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. Colossians 3:23 

We are to demonstrate an excellent work ethic! Whatever your lot in life, you are to work like you are working for God – because you are. Even if you have a bad boss, a rotten situation, or a time of tedious boredom, you should work hard to be the very best that you can be. God put you where you are for a reason, and you should strive to be an exemplary resource, even if, at that moment, hard work does not appear to be to your advantage. You should always look to improve your situation, but be a responsible steward of the work before you.  We do this to have a mark of excellence so that the gospel can be seen and that our testimony is effective. How can a sloppy, lazy, irresponsible, apathetic, negative, gossipy, rebellious, or subversive presence in the workplace speak well of your faith? Do your best, and you will reap benefits while giving glory to God.

Generously Give Back to God

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Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10

A man says, “show me and I will believe” while God says, “believe and I will show you”. There is no better demonstration of this than in our tithes to God. We are told when we generously give out of love and gratitude, our gifts to God will be returned to us many times over.  There is a wise saying, “You cannot out give God!” and I can attest that is true. The purpose of giving is to glorify God in the thanksgivings of those who received your gift. If you require financial blessing before you give, then you will consistently be disappointed, and so will God. God does not need your money; a generous tithe is truly a test of faith.

Your gift to him is to your credit so trust, give, relax, and see what happens. Whatever you give, it should be meaningful to you or I doubt it will be meaningful to God. If your gift causes you to flinch just a bit, then I think you are doing well!

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6

Still, a Life of Trouble

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My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (various trials); Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work (effect), that ye may be perfect and entire (complete), wanting (lacking) nothing. James 1:2-4

Life with Christ isn’t free of trouble. You’ll still face trials that often cause emotional or physical pain, misery, grief, or suffering. The difference is attitude, resolve, and response will be rooted in Christian principles and character.

God tests us with difficult times to build endurance and strengthen our faith. Testing fosters maturity and shapes us to be more like Christ. Trials humble us, deepen our reliance on God, and reveal the state of our faith. The true depth of an untested Christian’s conviction is often unknown, even to themselves. Untested faith may be no faith at all, but faith that has endured and blossomed in adversity is a very precious thing to possess.

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10

James encourages us to face life’s trials with calm, confident competence, steady in the face of challenges. We can do this when we trust that God is in control and that he works everything together for our ultimate good. With him, we can successfully navigate trials and become a strong testimony to his perfect will. Conversely, a person without faith is often driven by emotions like anger, fear, or distrust. They tend to respond with self-serving, expedient solutions that prioritize their own interests.

We trust that our heavenly Father will lead and protect us, allowing us to face each day with joy and gratitude. Those who live without Christ are left to navigate life on their own. For them, enduring trials may help build character, but there is no benefit beyond the grave. For Christians, trials provide opportunities to serve God and demonstrate our peace through faith in Christ to the world.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Fill Your Mind with Good Things

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Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

Do not fill your head with the garbage of the world! Access to everything has never been easier than today. With a click of the mouse or turn on the TV and you can enjoy wholesome entertainment and good things that can build you up. Or you can enjoy the filth of pornography, murder, perversion, and an endless array of depravity. Know that there are things that you cannot unsee.

Today’s entertainment and media venues provide a perfect platform for overtly sinful content. It also consistently delivers subtle, corrupt narratives and philosophies that poison the mind and deteriorate society. This is especially damaging to the impressionable minds of the young. The normalization and glorification of debauchery and depravity along with the vitriolic rejection of God are often clear objectives.

Be discerning in what you watch, read, and what you listen to. This stuff impacts what you think more than you know, and it will affect your walk with God. Dwell on good things and seek out quality people that build you up in the faith.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psalm 1:1-2

Submit to Authority

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Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 1 Peter 2:13-15

Be exemplary, be a good citizen, be a good employee, be a good servant. Be a testimony to the extraordinary character of a Christian. Submit to the authority of government unless its requirements conflict with the requirements of God. This becomes more troublesome as our country’s leadership grows more profane and divergent from the godly principles that made our country great.

Walking in Faith 

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. . . and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

Convicted by the word of God and saved from the wrath to come, we serve in faith as we wait for our redeemer. This compels us to pursue the following during our brief time here on Earth:

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A Witness to the World

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Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Luke 10:2

The Bible repeatedly tells us that our purpose here on earth is to glorify God. What does it mean to “glorify God”? To glorify means to give weight, importance, relevance, and priority, the opposite of trivializing and dismissing. We glorify God by worship, praise, and obedience; but the most consequential way to glorify God is to impress upon the world the incomprehensible magnificence of his love toward us and the critically important message of salvation by faith in his son Jesus Christ. Working to make God the most important thing in the lives of others is to dramatically glorify God. We do this by being a witness to the world of his perfect will

Salt and Light

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Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

We are the salt and light to reach the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ. These metaphors depict the impact and influence of Christians on an increasingly ignorant and immoral world.

As salt, the effect of the Christian character is as a preservative to slow societal decay. This silent testimony, evident by how we live, is a bulwark against the corruption and evil thriving in our increasingly godless society. We are an agency for the delay of God’s inevitable judgment. Read Genesis 18:23-33 Watch what happens when the church is removed from the world.

As light, we are the visible communication of the content of the gospel. We are to be an overt and blatant influence by boldly presenting the light of hope and salvation in the word of God. But we must be salt first, living a life that demonstrates Christian character, before we can be light. Otherwise, our story is not believable. Light is good only when seen. If the gospel is kept to yourself or shared only among the saved, then the lost will stay lost. Jesus tells us to teach all nations, Read Matthew 28:19-20 so let your light shine to the world, be an effective witness and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew warns us that failure to be salt and light is possible, if not probable. If sin controls our lives because we do not live in the spirit, then we will not be salt or light. Submit to God, resist Satan, live a holy life, and you will be the salt and light of the earth.