Taking Up Your Cross Requires Endurance

“…he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38 NKJV)

    We spoke last week of what it means to take up your cross: committing yourself wholly to Christ, understanding you will never return to your former life.

    While under Roman rule people would have watched those carrying their crosses to the place of crucifixion. Some, without pity, would have mocked and ridiculed those who were bearing their burden. When Jesus instructs us to take up our cross and follow Him we understand that in following Him we will be mocked just as He was (Mark 15:16-20), ridiculed just as He was (Mark 15:29-32), and hated just as He was (John 15: 18-21), and still we will continue to follow Him.

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world. Just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14 NKJV)

    The world will judge you and criticize you for following Jesus, because in following Him you are no longer living “in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God”(1 Peter 4:2). Those who happily accompanied you in your former activities will “think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation” (1 Peter 4:4, read verse 3 for definition of dissipation), and then what will they do? They will speak evil of you; they will mock you and your cross, they will ridicule you simply because you have chosen a different – and better – way.

    Jesus endured it and so can you (Matthew 10:22)! Jesus has already walked the path we are on. He knows and He understands (Hebrews 4:14-15)!

“…when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable to God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we , having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:21-24 NKJV)

    Jesus left us a perfect example of how to endure suffering at the hands of the world (consider also Matthew 5:44-48), and not only that but He gave His very life in obedience to the Father so that we who have died to sins (Romans 6:1-14), having taken up our cross to follow Him, might live for righteousness!

    To be worthy of Christ you must be willing to die to sin and live for righteousness – Jesus provided all we need to do exactly that! He provided the means through fulfilling God’s plan (Matthew 1:21, Romans 6:22-23, John 17:4, 19:30), He left us an example to follow, and He is ready and able to help us as we walk in His steps (Hebrews 4:16, John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5-6)!!

    God has provided all through Jesus. Be willing to take up your cross and follow Him, be willing to do whatever is necessary to be worthy of Him – no matter what the world says – trust God and continue to follow Jesus!!

You can do it!! So can I!!

Want to Be Worthy of Jesus? Take Up Your Cross

“…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.

    Jesus tells us that if we are not willing to take up our cross and follow Him, we are not worthy of Him.

    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, 1 John 2:3-6).

“”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!

 From wherever you are right now – BEGIN!

  

Want to be Worthy of Jesus? You Must Deny Self

“…he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38 NKJV)

    We have learned that to be worthy of Christ we must love Him more than those with whom we share the closest earthly bonds: our parents and our children. We have learned that we must choose conviction over convenience, choose to focus on the eternal to keep ourselves from getting lost in the temporary “want du jour”.

    Christ desires that we neither settle for nor give in to what is not according to God’s will and truth. It can be hard to let go of our past (parental upbringing) and to maintain a constant regard for our future (bringing up our children) but Christ tells us to prove to Him that we are worthy of Him by doing just that! And not only that, we must also prove ourselves in the ultimate test – likely the MOST difficult of all – to love Christ more than our own selves.

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24 NKJV)

    Are you willing to set aside your own notions/ideas of what you think is right and take the time and effort needed to truly know and understand what is right in God’s sight by reading and studying His word, and only His word? Are you willing to put your whole trust in God and His awesome ability rather than trusting only in your own abilities to gather wealth, health, wisdom, status, etc.? Are you willing to put aside your own wants and desires in order to be available to help others in need (Romans 12:10-13, Philippians 2:3)?

    Each moment of each day you are blessed with is an opportunity to prove that you are worthy of Jesus. Each time you can choose Him over the world (1 John 2:15-17), choose to obey His commands (John 15:9-14, 1 John 5:3), use your time wisely (Ephesians 5:15-17), see opportunities to do good and do it (Galatians 6:9-10), meditate on good and proper things instead of giving the reins over to worrisome, anxious thoughts (Philippians 4:6-8).  

    Denying self is a life-long, daily battle, but we can grow stronger and more able when we consistently choose conviction over convenience, the Word over the world, and the eternal over the temporary.

One day or Day One? – You decide!!

 Let today be the day!!

Parents, Don't Get Lost in the Temporary

    Don’t lose yourself in the temporary.

    Continuing our thoughts from last week, it is important that we, as parents, do not lose sight of our ultimate hope for our children: that they walk in the Truth (3 John 4). We want them to choose to do what is good and right in God’s sight, respecting the Bible as His Word, and honouring Him with their lives.

    We cannot lose ourselves in the temporary.

    The “want” of the hour may not matter tomorrow. The “absolute, must-have” item of the day will soon be forgotten and likely be replaced with something new. The “but everyone is going” event will pass… but the minutes, hours, days of pleading and begging may feel like an eternity and it can be easy to give in ‘just this once’ simply to bring about peace. Is that the kind of peace you want though? The short-term peace that lasts only until the next “Please, please, please, please, please!” erupts?

    Don’t lose yourself in the temporary.

    Maintain your focus on Jesus, concentrate on the eternal, and establish long-term peace for your children (and your home) by teaching them to look beyond the current and constantly changing fads of the world to what is real and worthy and never changing (1 Peter 1:23-25, Hebrews 13:8). When we provide our children with insights into God and His loving commands, showing them His manifold wisdom in providing boundaries and granting us immense freedoms to live a beneficial life we will be providing them with the means to build a faith, a focus, and a fruitful life before God, one of long-term peace and contentment.

    Not everything that our kids want is good or needful. Let’s ask for wisdom (James 1:5) to stay focused on Christ and remember our ultimate hope for our kids. Let’s love our children enough to love Christ more (Matthew 10:37) and together, follow His example in obedience to God, and serving others with love and good works.

“Be strong and of good courage…”

You can do it! So can I!!

Let today be the day!!