"Then Jesus said unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24
This is one of the toughest commands that Jesus gave, but I believe it is one of the most important in discipleship. Why is it so important for us to deny ourselves? You and I have probably asked God at some point or other, can't I keep this little part of my life for myself? Can't I have my way and my desires sometimes, and at the same time serving You? But Jesus makes it very clear that the cost of discipleship is a full-blooded denial of ourselves. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it..." Matt. 16:25
Why is this so important? In my own life I have discovered that our own thoughts, desires and tendencies are almost all of the time very different from God's thoughts. If our natural self was naturally aligned with God's, then there would not be much need for self-denial. But sadly it is not the case. From my experience, whenever I do not make the effort to discern God's will for me and to seek His Word, my natural thoughts will drift to other things, other earthly pursuits and pleasures. And even when God gives me a command, or a direction, my heart and mind will often struggle against it and hesitate to follow, as if doubting that God is able to do what He has promised.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8. I think the greatest example we will ever find of self-denial is Jesus Himself. In the Garden of Gethsemane, our Lord Himself struggled immensely with the task His Father had given Him. "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me... And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" Luke 22:42, 44. Struggling with God's commands and will is not wrong, but it is our ultimate response that is important, and this is how our Lord and Saviour responded- "nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."
If Jesus' example does not burn our heart and move us to self-denial, I don't know what else will. And it is because of Jesus' self-denial, to do the will of His Father, that we can stand today reconciled to Him. I wanted to share this with you because it is only through the utter denial of our sinful selves and a wilful obedience to the will of God that we can discover the wonderful plans that He has for us. Plans that are not rooted in this material world, but firmly anchored in the great spiritual gifts of God's love and grace. Plans to make us fruitful through Him, for Him. Plans to discover the joy beyond all joys, that is in Him alone.
"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor. 2:9
This is one of the toughest commands that Jesus gave, but I believe it is one of the most important in discipleship. Why is it so important for us to deny ourselves? You and I have probably asked God at some point or other, can't I keep this little part of my life for myself? Can't I have my way and my desires sometimes, and at the same time serving You? But Jesus makes it very clear that the cost of discipleship is a full-blooded denial of ourselves. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it..." Matt. 16:25
Why is this so important? In my own life I have discovered that our own thoughts, desires and tendencies are almost all of the time very different from God's thoughts. If our natural self was naturally aligned with God's, then there would not be much need for self-denial. But sadly it is not the case. From my experience, whenever I do not make the effort to discern God's will for me and to seek His Word, my natural thoughts will drift to other things, other earthly pursuits and pleasures. And even when God gives me a command, or a direction, my heart and mind will often struggle against it and hesitate to follow, as if doubting that God is able to do what He has promised.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8. I think the greatest example we will ever find of self-denial is Jesus Himself. In the Garden of Gethsemane, our Lord Himself struggled immensely with the task His Father had given Him. "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me... And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" Luke 22:42, 44. Struggling with God's commands and will is not wrong, but it is our ultimate response that is important, and this is how our Lord and Saviour responded- "nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."
If Jesus' example does not burn our heart and move us to self-denial, I don't know what else will. And it is because of Jesus' self-denial, to do the will of His Father, that we can stand today reconciled to Him. I wanted to share this with you because it is only through the utter denial of our sinful selves and a wilful obedience to the will of God that we can discover the wonderful plans that He has for us. Plans that are not rooted in this material world, but firmly anchored in the great spiritual gifts of God's love and grace. Plans to make us fruitful through Him, for Him. Plans to discover the joy beyond all joys, that is in Him alone.
"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor. 2:9
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