“Whoever wants to be my disciple must DENY themselves and TAKE UP their cross and follow me.” (Matt. 16:24)
If anyone, man or woman, wants to follow Jesus, to be his disciple (be a “Christian”), then we must do two things. We must “deny ourselves” and “take up our cross.” To explain it further, the process of denial is “to humbly submit our will to God.” It is to go through life repeating the words that I’m sure Jesus said the night before he died. When he was praying in the garden, he surely said to God his Father, “NOT MY WILL BUT YOURS BE DONE.” That is our example, that we love Jesus enough to do anything for Him! Probably one of our greatest challenges is to truly love one another. Jesus taught us:
“A NEW COMMAND I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you MUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” (John 13:34)
He knew the difficulty we would have doing this so He went on to say, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, IF you love one another.” (John 13:35)
When Jesus was asked “…which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matt. 22:36)
Jesus replied with this profound statement: “‘Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ALL the Law and the Prophets 1HANG on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:37-40) 1krem-an’-noo-mee; to be suspended, to keep from falling away.
Our loving with our all, no matter how we are tempted to keep from loving, demonstrates ALL THAT GOD IS FOR US.
Help us Lord to truly love one another…Bill Stockham