Mark 8:34 AV
And when he had called
the people unto him
with his disciples also,
he said unto them,
Whosoever will come after me,
let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow me.
I think it was Augustine who once said that the life of a Christian consists of three words: humility, humility, and again humility.
We could also say that with this text: self-denial.
That is quite a lesson. A Christian really does not finish this lesson in one or two days.
There are those who think they have been converted in the blink of an eye because they raised a hand during an evangelistic service, or because they said amen to a pastor’s prayer, and now think that this automatically means that they always deny themselves.
However, God’s people is learning this otherwise.
God’s people learn that it is a great battle every day, to be the least for God and for the neighbor.
Many times you can hear His people complaining, “I wretched man, who can deliver me from the body of this death.”
Humility, self-denial, it is only taught in the school of Jesus. Who totally denied Himself on Calvary’s cross.
Taking up the cross, and following Him, is grace too.
Both, the one and the other, go completely against our flesh and blood.
Happy is that person
▪︎ who is taught by the Lord Himself:
▪︎ who also willingly carries the cross,
▪︎ and who continues to follow his Lord.
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
Website 1: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
Website 2: http://bijbelplaatjes.nl
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