Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. I want to thank all of you who commented. Is this text important? It is to me. And i think it is important in becoming a truly converted saint. Personally, when I read this verse and focus on self denial, I think of the many things you folks have said. Denying the carnal flesh satisfaction of its lusts. These lusts (desires) come in many different forms, and all are quite deceptive. The human being is infinitely clever in arranging to meet its own personal comfort and pleasure. And surely, because of this text and many others, we are to deny its lusts because they are indeed self centered. What about the desire to earn merit from YEHOVAH. You know, our religious stuff. The things we are commanded not to boast of, and yet sometimes it slips out, as if our activities were worth mentioning, so others would know how christian we really are. Things like alms giving. And that comes in many forms including the details of Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25:36-41. We do these things and then we think YEHOVAH owes us favor? Right? Come on, Im not the only one, I know. Well, that brings up a question. What is it, that we could possibly do, that would add favor from above in our lives, that the BLOOD of YESHUA has not already accomplised for us? What religious act could we possilby do, that would achieve as much as HIS sacrifice and suffering has already done? We fast, for example, hoping to get something specific from above. Or we simply pray the prayer of faith, thinking that will move YEHOVAH to favor us from above. What is it that we could possibly do, that would bring more favor to us, than we already have in YESHUA HAMACHIACH (JESUS CHRIST)? Take a few minutes, and think about some things in your own life, that you do, hoping to move YEHOVAH into granting you favors, especially favors that satisfy the flesh. Or worse, that would lead others into thinking you were/are more santimonious than they once thought you were. Oh, oh, oh, how evil. SELF. I hope that some of you will take this train of thought and perhaps elaborate on it, shine more light on it, to expose this evil monster of creation called self. To me, to accredit any merit to our actions, that the MESSIAH has not already accrued for us, is SELF, and it must be denied life in the saint. Self acclamation is an open door on the wide road, beloved. Small wonder Paul said that he had no confidence in the flesh, and admonished us to do the same. Php_3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Self denial. Nothing I could do, to come close to what has already been done for me. Oh, HALLELUYAH. Are you getting this? I so pray you are. Does this mean we do not do good things? No, of course not. It is our motivation, and where this motivation is rooted. Good works are the fruit of HIS life within, instead of our own life. They are acts of worship, not leverage of graces. We do these things because we already have it all, and there is nothing we could possibly do, to earn HIS favor, that could rival the blood stains at Golgotha. Oh, my. What an evil wretch self is. It must be denied, every day. Dont compare yourself and your works with your neighbor. No, no. Compare them with the MESSIAH. How does that measure up. I hope you can see the futility of ever equalling or exceeding what HE has already done. Small wonder, that the next verse after our text above says this....... Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. That life is self. And it must be crucified, along with all thoughts of our manipulating HAYAH (I AM) into a position of indebtedness to us. How absurd our thinking can become. Oh if I will read my bible more, or pray more, or run to this meeting or that meeting or read this book or that one, or spend more time street preaching or whatever! Then HAYAH will bless me. Self, in full bloom, beloved. It is a wretched, miserable, religious fool, who thinks he/she can manipulate HAYAH into blessing us more than what has already been done for us in and through the WRATH suffered by our REDEEMER. Perhaps, you may want to contemplate these things, motivated by a desire to REPENT of self value, and worship the HOLY ONE WHO has alreeady earned for you and I, all the favor from above, we could possibly ever need. To HIM alone, be the glory......now and FOREVER! AMEN!
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 12:46:42 +0000
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