During our Worship session, We sang this song today “CHRIST IS ENOUGH – HILLSONG”.. Apart from this “Christ is enough for me.. everything I need is in you” the BRIDGE says I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back, No turning back…The cross before me, The world behind me, No turning back, No turning back”. I was all excited doing all my Sunday School actions. In my heart a question popped up: Barbara are you following Jesus? Is the world behind you and the cross before you.? Yes I am born again, I read my bible, I tithe, pray for the sick, sing in choir BUT AM I FOLLOWING JESUS. This immediately brought these two verses. Matthew 16:24(AMP) If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [[a]cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also]. Luke 14:27 (AMP) Whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after (follow) Me cannot be My disciple. In summary the two verses are saying: If you want to be Jesus’ disciple), (1) deny self, (2) take up our cross, (3) follow Him (Jesus). “Denying self” means to give up anything that we would want or seek that would hinder our doing the will of God. This does not mean that, if we want something, it is necessarily wrong. It means we must take our wants and desires down from the throne and place Jesus and His will as the governing power in our lives. Luke 18:18-23 Christ told the rich man… Sell all your belongings, give to the poor and follow me.” All Christ was saying, give up all that has become a master in your life(riches) and let me be your master. We must be willing to give up anything in life in order to please God. Rom. 12:1,2; Matt. 6:33; Luke 14:25-33; 2 Cor. 5:14,15. “take up our cross” Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives: a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness. With self-pitying pride, they say, “That’s my cross I have to carry.” Such an interpretation is not what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross” When Jesus carried His cross up Golgotha to be crucified, no one was thinking of the cross as symbolic of a burden to carry. The romans made criminal carry their crosses. The cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death. taking up your cross and follow me refers to giving your whole life to God, as Jesus was about to give His life for us. This involves bearing burdens, but it is deeper than that. It is a total dedication of life. Luke adds take up your cross daily (Luke 9:23). This means as Christians we must give our lives to God every day. This is not necessarily a physical death as Jesus died for us, but a daily total sacrifice of self to do the will of Jesus. The determination to give our lives to Gods service is called repentance. In repenting we determine to turn away from our own will and live our lives to please God. Let us choose to become true Disciples of Christ. Not lip-service “I am born-again I cannot steal, yet you are the who asks for kickbacks”.. “I am born-again I am living in purity, yet you are destroying other people’s marriages” Take the decision to enter 2015 as a disciple of Christ Jesus: DENY YOURSELF, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW JESUS. Yes being born-again, reading the bible are all necessary, but DECIDE TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST. Make your affirmation as you enter 2015 proclaiming “I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS, NO TURNING BACK” .. Sing with me!! “CHRIST IS ENOUGH – HILLSONG”.. “I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back, No turning back I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back, No turning back The cross before me, The world behind me, No turning back, No turning back” https://youtube/watch?v=0fZ-tBR7LJ0
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 15:21:26 +0000
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