“Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone of you wants to be my followers, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24 NLT)
I was watching Joyce Meyers on television a while ago and she made a statement about how some people prepare for their day as they get ready in the mornings. She said they get up and look in the mirror and began singing, “me-me-me-me-me-e-e-e-e-e!” I laughed, but out of that humorous statement the melody of the truth sung out. We live in a society now with such self -entitlement. Unfortunately, this same self-entitlement has gone from creeping into the church to bolding walking in. Just as he did in the Garden of Eden, the devil continues to whisper his deceptive interpretation of the word God into the ears of those still distracted with the lust of the eyes, flesh, and the pride of life. They have used it to fit their needs and not in the way and purpose in which God has intended. Jesus, who was God, came as a servant “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; And, being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8). When Jesus tells us to take up our cross, He wasn’t using the analogy of us walking around dragging a cross on our shoulders. The actual definition of cross is ‘execution stake,’ so He was talking about us killing self so that our lives would reflect the same unselfish walk and desires He had to please the Father, as we follow Him. Paul knew exactly what Jesus was saying. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). These words came from a man who prior to his conversion was killing and arresting Christians. In the selfishness of his own righteousness, he thought what he was doing was for God. As I stated previously, the devil is still using the word of God against God’s children, convincing them to use it for selfish motives. It has become a more easy task for him to convince Christians to make the word applicable to their selfish needs and desires, then it was in the garden, that he can just send out his little imps to do the job. All because there are so many Christians now that have an ineptness of the word of God. That’s why Paul told Timothy to study and rightly divide the ‘word of truth’ so that we can shun profane and vain babblings (2 Timothy 2:15-16). But if we don’t read and study the word of God, then the profane and vain babbling tickles our ears and flesh and we giggle and laugh because we like it and it feels good (2 Timothy 4:3). Keep in mind the enemy only uses this tactic to make sure the furtherance of God’s kingdom doesn’t happen. This also feeds into the devil’s desire he has that got him kicked out of heaven, which he passed on to man, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, (1John 2:16). No matter what form of selfishness you commit, the originator will always be from one of those three issues. When he convinces people that Jesus was poor (2 Corinthians 8:9) and that we should be poor and look the part with tattered clothes and be happy with just enough for me and mine. Then how can you be rich like the rest of the passage states if that was His purpose to be poor to make you rich? If we all ran around poor, how would the Gospel get spread and financed? Even the scripture we love to quote about God supplying all our needs according to His riches in glory, ends with by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). How in the world could Jesus do that if He is poor? Matter of fact, if you rightly divide that passage, Paul was addressing those in Philippi who were in partnership with him for his ministry. But some continue to put that passage in their hip pockets in selfish ownership, and haven’t given one nickel towards the kingdom of God and haven’t brought any tithes to their church. Paul made it known in 2 Corinthians 9:8-9 grace would abound and sufficiency so that we would have enough in all things. In the ninth verse of that passage he is quoting David from Psalm 112:9 about giving to the poor. In the entire Psalms 112, David was telling of all the blessings available to the God-fearing man. David says in Psalm 112:3 wealth and riches will also be in his house.
Bible teacher, Kay Arthur, was reading and quoting from the book of Esther during one of her teachings where Esther said; “If I perish let me perish” (Esther 4:16). Hamon had gallows built and was going to have all the Jews hung on it. She was going to go the king to help save her people. Queen Esther was willing to give up her life by defying the protocol that was necessary to have a meeting with the king. Because of Queen Esther’s unselfish desire to save the life her people without any regard of the possible sacrifice of her own life, Hamon died on his own gallows. Kay Arthur stated, “When you are willing to die, then Satan is hung on his own gallows.”
We continually cry out to God to see His glory but to see His Glory there must be a self-denial. Jesus says “For whoever would want to save his life will lose it, but whoever would lose his life because of Me will save it. For what does a man benefit if he has gained the whole world, but then lost or forfeited himself?” (Luke 9:24-25 ONM).
So, let’s take up our cross ‘execution stake’ and follow Jesus. This requires totally dying to self and burying it in the grave which means a total surrender of YOU!!!
