Are You DEAD?

Worship is about sacrifice. Jesus calls us to DAILY take up our cross and follow Him. We are to die to the flesh and be alive in Christ.

I don't know about you, but I struggle with this. I was talking to a friend the other day about serving and how when we go and serve it's no problem, but when those people come to you, on YOUR time...suddenly you don't want to serve anymore. I guess I am not as humble and as sacrificial as I thought I was. Sure, I would go give away some coffee on the boardwalk, but when it comes to taking in a homeless person into my home, that's where I draw the line. Am I really doing what Jesus called us to do? Associate with the lowly, the broken, "the least of these." (Matthew 25:40)

Are you DEAD? (Galations 2:20)

Let The Dead Bury The Dead

Every Tuesday morning at 6, I meet with about 16 other men for discipleship, accountability, and prayer. This morning I was reminded of Luke 9:57-62. It is amazing to see how honest Christ was! There were men that said, "Lord, I will follow you wherever you go." How does Jesus reply? "Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (paraphrase) So Jesus was telling this man, "If you want to follow me, you're going to be homeless." There was another man who wanted to follow Jesus, and all he wanted to do first is bury his dead father. Jesus told him to let the dead bury their own, and you go proclaiming the kingdom of God. Still another man wanted to follow Christ, but he wanted to say good-by to his family. Jesus said that no one who puts his hands to the plow and looks back is fit to serve God. Thus, we must sacrifice everything to serve our God.

This is a harsh reality that we must come to grips with. Do we really want to give everything up so that Christ is exalted? Are we really prepared to do that?

I love God, I want to bring glory to His kingdom, but I must first die to myself and allow Christ to live through me. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Gal. 2:20) Not much more that I could add to that.

to live-
cg