Often times people are told that upon coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit that they are given a new life... which is true! But at the same time your flesh must die. In fact, because we have been born into a broken and sinful world and still live in the flesh, this death to ourselves is a constant process. A daily choice.
Luke 9:23 reads:
And He said to all, "If anyone would come after me,
let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me"
Straight talk. No run around.
2 things to note:
- Jesus makes an open offering by saying,"if anyone". No one is excluded, all are given the invitation to follow.
- The cost is denying yourself daily. Not sometimes or when it is convenient. Every day. Continually. A never ceasing death to self.
Our prayer is that our lives will be so transformed by the redemption and grace found in the life, death, and miraculous resurrection of Jesus that our daily dying to self will be a joy, not a burden. We wish to mirror Galatians 2:20- "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
May we die daily to ourselves to the Glory of God.
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