"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34, NIV)
This is only a, "hard saying," to those who know not Jesus. When one knows Jesus, this is a welcomed and embraced command.
Consider Jesus for a moment. Earlier in the chapter we read, "Jesus...said, 'I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.'" He is Jesus of, "compassion for these people," which includes you and me. Jesus came to me when I had, "nothing to eat," and said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst"? What a "no -brainer" choice day by day, my "bread" or Jesus. Is Jesus not worth, "....deny...cross and follow"?
Later in the chapter we read of Jesus' encounter with the blind man. The first touch produced, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." But our Lord did not settle for, "they look like trees walking around." That is the sight of those who have a religious experience, but never go on to, "bring fruit to perfection." Jesus does not have this for any of us. He only has, "Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly." Only a continual "touch" of Jesus will enable us to see, "everything clearly." Can you remember when Jesus opened your spiritual eyes, so that you could say, "....his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly"?
I challenge you today to reconsider those Biblical passages which, as our text, seem like, "a hard saying." Can Jesus really say anything which is, "a hard saying"? Jesus said to Peter when Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand"--- what an absolutely foundational life principle. Are we willing to wait for the, "later you will understand"?
"Thought for the Day:" If you and I read every word in the Bible with the attitude, "....deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me," we will never stop reading every word in the Bible.
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much that you called me to deny myself. Denying me to have You is the greatest decision I can make. Amen.
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FALL MISSION: SEPTEMBER 14-21
This is only a, "hard saying," to those who know not Jesus. When one knows Jesus, this is a welcomed and embraced command.
Consider Jesus for a moment. Earlier in the chapter we read, "Jesus...said, 'I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.'" He is Jesus of, "compassion for these people," which includes you and me. Jesus came to me when I had, "nothing to eat," and said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst"? What a "no -brainer" choice day by day, my "bread" or Jesus. Is Jesus not worth, "....deny...cross and follow"?
Later in the chapter we read of Jesus' encounter with the blind man. The first touch produced, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." But our Lord did not settle for, "they look like trees walking around." That is the sight of those who have a religious experience, but never go on to, "bring fruit to perfection." Jesus does not have this for any of us. He only has, "Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly." Only a continual "touch" of Jesus will enable us to see, "everything clearly." Can you remember when Jesus opened your spiritual eyes, so that you could say, "....his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly"?
I challenge you today to reconsider those Biblical passages which, as our text, seem like, "a hard saying." Can Jesus really say anything which is, "a hard saying"? Jesus said to Peter when Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand"--- what an absolutely foundational life principle. Are we willing to wait for the, "later you will understand"?
"Thought for the Day:" If you and I read every word in the Bible with the attitude, "....deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me," we will never stop reading every word in the Bible.
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much that you called me to deny myself. Denying me to have You is the greatest decision I can make. Amen.
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FALL MISSION: SEPTEMBER 14-21
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
