When Lord Jesus was doing miracles, large crowd followed Him.
Mark 5: 21-24
In John 6:53 - Flesh and Blood of Jesus. Only Jesus. Feeding on Him alone. because that is what gives Life.
John 6:66 - When people heart the teaching of how to live on Christ Alone. then disciples started leaving one by one.
What an amazing thing to note:
even now a vast majority of people want miracles, a few or that is remnant wants the way of Life.
After this statement, Jesus asked do you also want to leave?
Such a hard question it is?
and we see disciples leaving one by one. only 12 left, and in that one is devil.
And you see all those people and disciples who experienced the miracles were no where mentioned.
but these few who were left with Jesus even after this hard teaching, did mighty things for God.
and today if the Church has grown so much it is these disciples who realized that not the miracles that gives life, but it is Jesus alone that gives Life.
Dear Brother or Sister, today do you want to follow Lord Jesus for a miracle or do you really want the Life, the Abundant Life that is in Lord Jesus.
So how can we be true disciple of Lord Jesus. The central verse of today's Word is Matthew 16:24
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
To be a true disciple of Lord Jesus, not the ones who left on hearing His words like we saw in John 6:66,
Lord Jesus says- you want to be My disciple
Luke 13:22-23,
Lord are only few people going to be saved?
Lord Jesus said forget about others, but you enter through narrow way. Only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13,14 broad is the way many enter through it. Small is the gate and Narrow is the road that leads to life..
Christian Life is like a person crossing the Niagara falls on the rope.
But biggest help is Grace for us.
Deny yourself and take up the cross. and follow me.
Luke 9:23 puts it that take up the cross daily.
Carrying the Cross:
During the early Church times, in Roman government, if people see some one is carrying the cross that means he is carrying his own death instrument. It is like saying you are dying.
The ultimate Worship to God happens, when you go to heaven. but God has given us the privilige to Worship Him, even while we are on earth by one means, Deny completely and Carrying the Cross, is saying Lord You Alone and nothing else.
Deny yourself:
Lord Jesus on the night in Gethsemane garden prayed Not My Will But Yours be Done.
It is one thing to pray, but it is another thing to live this prayer.
The Path of discipleship is " Not My Will But Yours be done."
But most of the times we live like " Not Your Will Lord, my will be done."
Basically we think many of things as our Right.
When some one hurts us, the automatic reaction it is My Right to get back to them.
My Right to look for what I desire. My Right to come whatever prayer meeting i like.
My Right I will dress up the way I want.
Slaves have no right but to obey what the Master says.
Righteousness as a master leads the slaves to be righteous.
Matthew 1:19 , Imagine the hurt that Joseph has when he knew that Mary was pregnant. but the bible says because Joseph was righteous, he wanted to let her go secretly. A slave of righteousness , even when he is hurt, will always show kindness to other person.
This is a part of Denying Self and become slaves of righteousness.
Hurt
When some hurts us, what is our natural reaction? to lash back at them.
or give back strongly. I liked the word that Ashok shared about Stephen.
Hebrews 12:24, blood of Jesus speaks forgiveness , blood of Abel speaks vengeance.
Story of missionary who said that she knows who is scaring her.
When Pastor speaks Word that is about you. some people will say Is that Word for me or for that brother. Infact,
Ephesians 6: 18 says pray for the preacher they will speak the Word without fear.
Do you get hurt when you are not considered for any position in Church?
Imagine Aaron and Miriam getting upset for not being considered for the position in the Church.
Numbers 12:2
Think when you are upset that you are not considered for something or not given some privilege,
You might not show your hurt outside, but doesn't He who see the hearts know this and call you out of tent.
Church, way of Life is way of Cross, self denial.
Ambitions
selfish ambitions:
In our childhood people used to ask what is your ambition in life. I used to say i want to become an IAS officer or doctor.
but for a Christian, what is the ambition.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others
2 Corinthians 5:9
So we make it our goal to please him,whether we are at home in the body or away from it
Name,our Fame.
Even in ministry,
the smallest things that we do, if we are worried about own name and fame, then actually we are not denying ourselves. I realized in my own life in psalm reading that I do, initially i always think whether how I did the psalm reading today. I was more concerned about How I did that How people got encouraged or how God is glorified.
Moses
Exodus 32: 7-9
When God said He will make Moses into great nation. Instead of His own name and fame,
Remember Moses led 2 million people out of Egypt. but Lord not my name, not my family, but Lord Your Name will mocked, so please don't do it.
Church, the way of Life is the Way of Cross, Denying self and Taking up cross daily.
Name and Fame is all about making ourselves big.
Matthew 19:24 Camel is so big that it is tough to enter. if we make our image bigger, its tough to enter. Be Humble and enter.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.
Laziness: Self denial most of the times in regular Christians does not happen beacause they want to but they are lazy.
Most Christians attend meetings and get excited about the Word. and then afterwards it becomes cool.
like Pastor Vinod preached on the mind and how enemy tries to attack on mind. I am sure most of us are excited how many of us started working on that part.
For me that evening itself, it started. i got a phone call which started disturbing me, then I remembered the Word and applied it, and it was peaceful afterwards.
Proverbs 24: 30- 34
I walked by the field of a lazy person,
the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
It was covered with weeds,
and its walls were broken down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,
I learned this lesson:
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
a lazy person has the field? Yes like you and me have the christian life. But the person was lazy and slowly weeds, thorns started growing up. The life that God has given us is so precious. and just being lazy we are giving a chance of weeds and thorns. only to find that suddenly poverty robbed you of all the life that God has given.
Sin:
Is there a secret sin in our lives.
Luke 16:30, Rich man when went to hell cried out for brothers to repent.
Repent for every secret sin in life.
Church, today if the man of God is rebuking you for the sin in your life, accept the correction and you will have eternal life. not the messages that tickles your ears.
Psalm 16:11
You have make known to me the path of life.
How Can we have this life of Self denial and carrying the cross.
Joy: we do anything that is Joyful to us.
A mother who has small child endures the pain to be awake in the night and feed the baby and take care of the diaper inspite of getting sleep because she has joy in the baby.
Hebrews 12:2 says
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a]Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne
Image being seated along with Lord Jesus Christ on that day. What a joy it is.
I always think, we long for Him all the time,giving up things that everyone else enjoys and on that day just to see Him.
I shared this before. Fanny Crosby said the first person i will ever see is the Face of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Carrying the cross daily:
although being seated along with Lord Jesus is a joy, carrying the cross daily is not easy. putting up with people who irritate us to the core is tough. but it is to work hard for the day we need the food, and we eat breakfast, and we eat lunch. and for us to deny self and carry cross what we need is
a) Grace of God.
b) To be filled with Holy Spirit.
c) To be flooded with light of the Word (Ephesians 1:18)
before we step out to deny self and carry cross. Let us spend time in Worshipping God, meditating on Word.
Imagine going out for work with having your breakfast or lunch, and its very hard to work.
Bring every thought captive to obedience of Christ.
When our thoughts are wandering against the will of God. take the stick and or take the whip, and bring every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.
Eyes Set on Eternity
How can we deny ourselves everyday? With our eyes set on eternity. Why people left when Jesus was preaching the way of Life, because all the time the eyes were set on just the temporary.
But look at Peter, whose had realization that all that matters in the end is eternity. that is why he says in verse 60 Lord where can we go. Anywhere else we go it is world. Any other direction other than direction of Jesus is world,filth and death.
Only You, only the direction of Jesus, only Jesus has the Life, the Eternal Life.
No where else Lord. This is true worship to the Lord.
Mark 5: 21-24
In John 6:53 - Flesh and Blood of Jesus. Only Jesus. Feeding on Him alone. because that is what gives Life.
John 6:66 - When people heart the teaching of how to live on Christ Alone. then disciples started leaving one by one.
What an amazing thing to note:
even now a vast majority of people want miracles, a few or that is remnant wants the way of Life.
After this statement, Jesus asked do you also want to leave?
Such a hard question it is?
and we see disciples leaving one by one. only 12 left, and in that one is devil.
And you see all those people and disciples who experienced the miracles were no where mentioned.
but these few who were left with Jesus even after this hard teaching, did mighty things for God.
and today if the Church has grown so much it is these disciples who realized that not the miracles that gives life, but it is Jesus alone that gives Life.
Dear Brother or Sister, today do you want to follow Lord Jesus for a miracle or do you really want the Life, the Abundant Life that is in Lord Jesus.
So how can we be true disciple of Lord Jesus. The central verse of today's Word is Matthew 16:24
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
To be a true disciple of Lord Jesus, not the ones who left on hearing His words like we saw in John 6:66,
Lord Jesus says- you want to be My disciple
Luke 13:22-23,
Lord are only few people going to be saved?
Lord Jesus said forget about others, but you enter through narrow way. Only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13,14 broad is the way many enter through it. Small is the gate and Narrow is the road that leads to life..
Christian Life is like a person crossing the Niagara falls on the rope.
But biggest help is Grace for us.
Deny yourself and take up the cross. and follow me.
Luke 9:23 puts it that take up the cross daily.
Carrying the Cross:
During the early Church times, in Roman government, if people see some one is carrying the cross that means he is carrying his own death instrument. It is like saying you are dying.
The ultimate Worship to God happens, when you go to heaven. but God has given us the privilige to Worship Him, even while we are on earth by one means, Deny completely and Carrying the Cross, is saying Lord You Alone and nothing else.
Deny yourself:
Lord Jesus on the night in Gethsemane garden prayed Not My Will But Yours be Done.
It is one thing to pray, but it is another thing to live this prayer.
The Path of discipleship is " Not My Will But Yours be done."
But most of the times we live like " Not Your Will Lord, my will be done."
Basically we think many of things as our Right.
When some one hurts us, the automatic reaction it is My Right to get back to them.
My Right to look for what I desire. My Right to come whatever prayer meeting i like.
My Right I will dress up the way I want.
Romans 6: 16-18
All these rights that we talk about were when we were under sin. But when we believe Lord Jesus, we become slaves of righteousness.Slaves have no right but to obey what the Master says.
Righteousness as a master leads the slaves to be righteous.
Matthew 1:19 , Imagine the hurt that Joseph has when he knew that Mary was pregnant. but the bible says because Joseph was righteous, he wanted to let her go secretly. A slave of righteousness , even when he is hurt, will always show kindness to other person.
This is a part of Denying Self and become slaves of righteousness.
Hurt
When some hurts us, what is our natural reaction? to lash back at them.
or give back strongly. I liked the word that Ashok shared about Stephen.
Hebrews 12:24, blood of Jesus speaks forgiveness , blood of Abel speaks vengeance.
Story of missionary who said that she knows who is scaring her.
When Pastor speaks Word that is about you. some people will say Is that Word for me or for that brother. Infact,
Ephesians 6: 18 says pray for the preacher they will speak the Word without fear.
Do you get hurt when you are not considered for any position in Church?
Imagine Aaron and Miriam getting upset for not being considered for the position in the Church.
Numbers 12:2
Think when you are upset that you are not considered for something or not given some privilege,
You might not show your hurt outside, but doesn't He who see the hearts know this and call you out of tent.
Church, way of Life is way of Cross, self denial.
Ambitions
selfish ambitions:
In our childhood people used to ask what is your ambition in life. I used to say i want to become an IAS officer or doctor.
but for a Christian, what is the ambition.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others
2 Corinthians 5:9
So we make it our goal to please him,whether we are at home in the body or away from it
Name,our Fame.
Even in ministry,
the smallest things that we do, if we are worried about own name and fame, then actually we are not denying ourselves. I realized in my own life in psalm reading that I do, initially i always think whether how I did the psalm reading today. I was more concerned about How I did that How people got encouraged or how God is glorified.
Moses
Exodus 32: 7-9
When God said He will make Moses into great nation. Instead of His own name and fame,
Remember Moses led 2 million people out of Egypt. but Lord not my name, not my family, but Lord Your Name will mocked, so please don't do it.
Church, the way of Life is the Way of Cross, Denying self and Taking up cross daily.
Name and Fame is all about making ourselves big.
Matthew 19:24 Camel is so big that it is tough to enter. if we make our image bigger, its tough to enter. Be Humble and enter.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.
Laziness: Self denial most of the times in regular Christians does not happen beacause they want to but they are lazy.
Most Christians attend meetings and get excited about the Word. and then afterwards it becomes cool.
like Pastor Vinod preached on the mind and how enemy tries to attack on mind. I am sure most of us are excited how many of us started working on that part.
For me that evening itself, it started. i got a phone call which started disturbing me, then I remembered the Word and applied it, and it was peaceful afterwards.
Proverbs 24: 30- 34
I walked by the field of a lazy person,
the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
It was covered with weeds,
and its walls were broken down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,
I learned this lesson:
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
a lazy person has the field? Yes like you and me have the christian life. But the person was lazy and slowly weeds, thorns started growing up. The life that God has given us is so precious. and just being lazy we are giving a chance of weeds and thorns. only to find that suddenly poverty robbed you of all the life that God has given.
Sin:
Is there a secret sin in our lives.
Luke 16:30, Rich man when went to hell cried out for brothers to repent.
Repent for every secret sin in life.
Church, today if the man of God is rebuking you for the sin in your life, accept the correction and you will have eternal life. not the messages that tickles your ears.
Psalm 16:11
You have make known to me the path of life.
How Can we have this life of Self denial and carrying the cross.
Joy: we do anything that is Joyful to us.
A mother who has small child endures the pain to be awake in the night and feed the baby and take care of the diaper inspite of getting sleep because she has joy in the baby.
Hebrews 12:2 says
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a]Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne
Image being seated along with Lord Jesus Christ on that day. What a joy it is.
I always think, we long for Him all the time,giving up things that everyone else enjoys and on that day just to see Him.
I shared this before. Fanny Crosby said the first person i will ever see is the Face of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Carrying the cross daily:
although being seated along with Lord Jesus is a joy, carrying the cross daily is not easy. putting up with people who irritate us to the core is tough. but it is to work hard for the day we need the food, and we eat breakfast, and we eat lunch. and for us to deny self and carry cross what we need is
a) Grace of God.
b) To be filled with Holy Spirit.
c) To be flooded with light of the Word (Ephesians 1:18)
before we step out to deny self and carry cross. Let us spend time in Worshipping God, meditating on Word.
Imagine going out for work with having your breakfast or lunch, and its very hard to work.
Bring every thought captive to obedience of Christ.
When our thoughts are wandering against the will of God. take the stick and or take the whip, and bring every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.
Eyes Set on Eternity
How can we deny ourselves everyday? With our eyes set on eternity. Why people left when Jesus was preaching the way of Life, because all the time the eyes were set on just the temporary.
But look at Peter, whose had realization that all that matters in the end is eternity. that is why he says in verse 60 Lord where can we go. Anywhere else we go it is world. Any other direction other than direction of Jesus is world,filth and death.
Only You, only the direction of Jesus, only Jesus has the Life, the Eternal Life.
No where else Lord. This is true worship to the Lord.
Church..today world is going through crisis times, people put knives and gun and say do you deny Christ or die?
and people chose to die for Christ.
how about us for things like angry,jealous,slander,selfish ambition, name ,fame.
doesn't it sound silly when compared to people dying for Christ.
It is time to wake up, let us be true disciples of Jesus Christ.
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