Jesus Took Up His Cross - We Must Too! (Part 1)

 “…he who does not take his cross 

and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” 

(Matthew 10:38 NKJV)

     Taking up one’s cross was a significant and instantly understood concept in Jesus’ time. Under Roman rule, death by crucifixion became a terrifying reality for those convicted; when one had to take up his own cross it was known by all that he would not be coming back.

     Are you willing to take up your cross, turn away from your former life, never to return to it, to follow Jesus?

 “No one, having put his hand to the plow, 

and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” 

(Luke 9:62 NKJV)

    Jesus wants us to commit wholly to Him. He wants us to have a willingness to die to self, to die to the world and its ways, to “put to death the old man of sin” (Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:22-24, Romans 6:3-8), and walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4) by carefully following His example in righteousness and obedience (Ephesians 5:1-21, 1 Peter 2:21-24). 

 

 “”But if anyone draws back, 

My soul has no pleasure in him.” 

But we are not of those who 

draw back to destruction, 

but of those who believe 

to the saving of the soul.” 

(Hebrews 10:38-39 NKJV)

     If you are still considering the cost of following Christ, if you are still trying to figure a way to keep a foot in the world while ‘exploring’ a life with Christ, I beg you to let go and simply trust that God’s way IS the best way. What He has in store for His children in this life and beyond this life is SO much better than anything the world could ever offer us! God’s way is lasting and eternal, the world can only offer momentary pleasure – don’t forfeit your soul for a moment’s pleasure – find lasting peace, contentment, and joy in following Christ! Let today be the day!! 

    If you have taken up your cross and are following Christ – keep going! Don’t look back! What is ahead of you is SO much better than anything you left behind! Do all that is necessary to stay the course, keep your hand to the plow, and walk worthy of Christ! We are not of those who look back nor draw back to the old ways that lead to destruction. Let’s keep pressing forward, growing in resolve to follow Jesus!!

You can do it! So can I!

 

Jesus Denied Self - We Must Too!

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24 NKJV)

    Jesus spent His time here in doing the Father's will (consider His determination at age twelve, Luke 2:49). He did not seek after earthly things like fame/prestige (consider Matthew 9:30-31), houses (Matthew 8:20), or riches (2 Corinthians 8:9). His very food (what nourished Him and kept Him going) was to do His Father's will AND finish it (John 4:31-34)!  

    Jesus did not come with His own words, but the Father's - so all glory and reverence would be to His Father (John 12:49; 14:23-24).

"...not My will, but Yours, be done." 

 (Luke 22:42 NKJV)

    Jesus did not come to do His own will, but the Father's (John 6:38) - so that God's plan from eternity would be accomplished - and our faith and hope would be in the Father (1 Peter 1:18-21).

    We too, must deny our own self - our earthly desires/pursuits that can distract and consume us (2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Timothy 6:6-19) - and instead submit wholly to God; His Word, His will, His way! Jesus said that "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternity." (John 12:25 NKJV) Note: "hate" in this verse means to 'love [our own life] less than we love the Lord.'  - we must love God more than life (Psalm 63:1-5)!!

 

"Do not love the world of the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life - is not of the Father but of the world. and the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17 NKJV)  

 

       Jesus came, He lived for God, and He died for us - why? The answer is found in 2 Corinthians 5:15: "...He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."

 

    Are you willing to give up your preconceived ideas and notions and instead submit to God's word and will? Are you willing to exchange your pursuits for worldly gain for a pursuit of righteousness? Are you willing to get out of your own comfort zone and follow Jesus? It all begins with denying self! To be more like the Son in 2021 we must deny self and selfish pursuits - are you willing?

 

     Let's live in such a selfless way that all we say and do brings glory to our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16, 2 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Peter 2:11-12) - just as Jesus did!!

 

 

You can do it! So can I!!

 

 

 

 

Jesus Patiently Endured - We Should Too (Part 2)

      Jesus quietly endured the mounting hatred and hostility and did not complain, He patiently heard the slanderous speeches and remained kind; He handled the ill-treatment of those close to Him with calm composure. 

    Can we say the same for ourselves?

    Some of us may be more like Peter who was quick to grab a sword and start swinging (consider Proverbs 12:18). We want to wage a holy war the very moment our "righteous indignation" is ignited - or at least we act that way - maybe we are not so reactive as to lash out in the moment, but we carry it around with us and complain constantly about our experience (sometimes even online), we harbour our irritation and purposely behave in negative ways so that unknowing people feel obliged to ask us what is wrong and give us yet another opportunity to "vent."

"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." (James 1:19-120 NKJV)

    In following Jesus' example we learn that He did not burden His family nor His friends with complaints of unfairness or ill-treatment, He quietly went to His Father (who is the righteous Judge of every situation, 1 Peter 2:19-24), and surely prayed for help, comfort, peace, strength, and wisdom - just as we should be doing (1 Peter 5:7, Hebrews 4:14-16, Philippians 4:6-7, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Colossians 1:9-11, James 1:5). 

"Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." (Psalm 62:8 NKJV)

    Jesus asks us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him - to walk in His steps means to do what He did - endure patiently without complaint. We need to teach ourselves to run to God when we feel hurt or mistreated, lay our bruised and broken parts out before Him and discover the wondrous way in which He can heal them!

    You want to be more like the Son on 2021? Put away complaining and begin praying, so you can learn to patiently endure and use your words for edifying others (Ephesians 4:29-32)!

You can do it! So can I!!

"Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon the earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. ...it is good for me to draw near to GOD, I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works." (Psalm 73:25-26, 28 NKJV)   

    

     

Jesus Patiently Endured - We Should Too!

 

 

    We are called to be different from the world – that is what ‘holy’ and ‘saint’ mean – “like the Lord/different from the world” (Romans 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 11:1, John 15:18-21). Being different from the world has never been more needful, especially in North America. We are being coerced into believing that we need to support groups that go against God’s laws. Members of the church are being persuaded that progress is needed, but in what direction is the world’s “progress” leading? Because we hold to God's ways, we are being called names and ridiculed for our “archaic” and “narrow-minded” beliefs.

     We will suffer for doing what is good. When that happens, God instructs us to follow Jesus’ example and take our suffering patiently – never letting the persecutions shift our focus (Philippians 3:13-14, Colossians 3:1-4), not allowing it to cause us to talk like the world through complaints and threats, but instead wholly trust in God, in His commands, and in His promises (Hebrews 11:6), just as Jesus did (Hebrews 12:2)!

Jesus (1 Peter 2:21-23):

• committed no sin 
• no deceit found in His mouth
• when He was reviled, did not revile in return
• when He suffered He did not threaten
• He committed himself to God who judges righteously

Following in Jesus’ steps, you and I:

• do our very best to avoid sin by walking prayerfully and carefully (Ephesians 5:1-17)
• do our very best to know the Truth (John 8:31-32), speak the truth (Ephesians 4:25, 29-32), and live the truth without hypocrisy (Luke 6:46-49, Titus 1:16). We respect God enough to represent Him properly to the world in all that we do.
• do not throw insult back at insult (Colossians 3:8-10, 12-15)
• do not threaten to repay hurt (Romans 12:17-21)  
• remember that God sees all and knows all – He is the righteous Judge; He truly knows who is at fault. We trust in His help, care, and comfort (Hebrews 4:16, 1 Peter 5:6-7, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7)!

    To this we were called. Knowing this, let us prepare ourselves by daily putting on the armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), prayerfully making our requests known to God with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6-7),  spend time meditating on what is true, just, and noble (Philippians 4:8), and filling our minds/hearts with His truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17), so we are always ready to give a defense for our hope, with meekness and with fear (1 Peter 3:15)!

You can do it! So can I!!

Jesus Prayed Often - So Should We!

      

    Jesus prayed early in the morning, in the evening, and even through the night. Many of us follow this pattern with prayers soon after we open our eyes in the morning and prayers again before we close our eyes at night (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). Just as the Psalmist wrote that he would declare God's lovingkindness in the morning, and His faithfulness every night (Psalm 92:1-2) Jesus, desiring to honour His Father, would have been thankful to Him, given praise to Him, and given Him the glory due His name.  

    Some of us may have even been through times of great concern and upheaval in which we have either stayed up to pray through the night or prayed every time we woke from our troubled sleep. Just as Jesus would have experienced, we too, can find great comfort and strength in casting our cares on God (1 Peter 5:7) and pleading with Him for His mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16, Luke 18:1-7).

    Jesus prayed before, after, and sometimes during big events in His life. Jesus prayed at His baptism (Luke 3:21), after healing people all evening (Mark 1:35), before walking on the water (Matthew 14:23, Mark 6:46, John 6:15), before choosing the twelve apostles , at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-29), 3x in the Garden of Gethsemane before He was tried and crucified (Matthew 26:36-46), and 3x while on the cross (Luke 23:34, Matthew 27:46, Luke 23:46). 

    We need to teach ourselves to go to God in prayer before big decisions are made or big events are planned AND after decisions are made and events happen. We should work toward it being our first thought and greatest comfort to seek God's help, strength, and wisdom for all that we do, so much so that we pray to Him even while in the middle of big events and as decisions are being made.  

Side note: Jesus also left us an example to pray for blessing and give thanks to God for our food before we eat: feeding the multitudes (Matthew 14:19, 15:36), at His institution of the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-27), and at the supper in Emmaus after His resurrection (Luke 24:30-31). Consider Romans 14:6.  

    Jesus prayed when life was unusually busy. Jesus often withdrew from the crowds that thronged Him to pray to His Father (Mark 1 :35; 5:15-16, Matthew 14:23). We don't likely have crowds thronging us, but we may have many obligations that pull us in several directions. Women today wear many hats: being all things to their husband and family, some work outside their home or from home, while others volunteer at school/community groups outside the home in their "spare" time. Just as Jesus purposed reprieve from His hectic schedule to commune with His Father, so too should we purpose time to be in solitude with God, so that we can recharge our spiritual batteries (Galatians 6:9-10, Psalm 138:3, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Psalm 18:32) and refresh our focus (Colossians 3:1-2)!

    Jesus prayed without ceasing (2 Thessalonians 5:17) - He never gave up on prayer - and neither should we! Let us add more prayer to our day ! Let's run to God in good times and bad to seek His help and nourish our souls, to praise Him and honour Him at all times for being our loving Father, and for providing us with the perfect example to follow! 

To be more like the Son in 2021 - pray, pray, PRAY!!

You can do it! So can I!!