My Daily Cross for Christ

Text: Luke 9:23-27 Theme: Dying is only worthwhile when it is for the Christ, the Son of God. Key verses: “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and fillow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.'” (v. 23-24) What God said to me: Dwayne, you are dangerously close to the edge. Why would you see how close you can get without falling off? Where’s the wisdom in that? Don’t flirt with temptation. Don’t cater to your fleshly desires. Don’t give the devil even the slightest opportunity. Bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. The saying of Jesus in this passage is found in every gospel and refered to more than anything else Jesus said. Luke, better than any of the other gospel writers, emphasized how a follower of mine must take up his cross every day. Dwayne, I have kept you from falling all these years. I am proud of how you have often guarded our relationship and you have denied yourself many comforts and personal desires. However, you know how you have still not lived up to the daily part of this mandate from your Savior. There have been many days when you’ve walked away from your commitment and acted as though you didn’t love my Son at all. You pushed him aside and placed yourself on the throne of your heart. This cannot be, and must not continue. As I elevate your ministry and influence more and more (in fact, exponentially), nothing you are perceived as in public will matter compared to what you do in private. Your daily walk with me and denial of yourself is of utmost importance. You must lose your life. You are not your own. You are bought with a price — the precious blood of my one and only begotten Son, Jesus. See you to it… What I said to God: Lord (Can I truly call You that this morning?), You have been my dwelling place all my days. From everlasting to everlasting, You are God. I know my life is fleeting and like a vapor. There’s a cross for everyone, and there’s a cross for me. I choose to take up that cross today and follow You emphatically. I reckon myself to be dead. I offer the instruments of my body for righteousness and not for evil. I completely yeild my being to You, O God, my God. Thank You for forgiving my sins and selfish acts, my lust and my pride. They will not rule me — not today. Help me make this choice just as strongly tomorrow.