THE CHOSEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY, 23RD NOVEMBER 2015.
THEME: COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
TEXT: Mark 8:34-35
[34] 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.
[35] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save.
MEMORY VERSE : And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27
MESSAGE:
Serving God is not bread and butter, neither is it rice and beans. When you are serving God, you are a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. People must see it in you. Being a disciple is a serious business. In fact, you might say it is the hardest work to do. However, most disciples (Christians) don't understand this. That is why they allow distraction in their life.
Hear the master in our text above, "... Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me..." So many of us don't know what it means to deny self and take up cross. How many of you who do not have food to eat or or money to pay your children's school fees will serve God wholeheartedly in that condition? Do you know that there is nothing good in the cross. Cross is the same thing as sorrow or bitterness and that is where Christ went to. Now the same Christ says "deny yourself, carry your cross and follow me" yet in every small suffering, you complain. If you make a request and it has not been granted, you threaten to pull down the roof, yet you claim you are denying self and carrying your cross. Christ did not tech us that.
Luke 14:26 says, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
Did you hear the master? Not only will you 'hate' your immediate family members, you will hate your own self. So serving Christ or being a disciple of Jesus Christ is very tasking and you don't play with your service to Him.
Once you are a disciple, you don't have the will of your own. The father's wish will be your command. Therefore, you don't complain, no matter the situation or circumstance. Whatever you meeta on the road in the course of this service, you bear it. That is your cross. Remember, without cross, there will be no crown. Discipleship will cost you, your joy, freedom, will, love of your immediate family, friends etc. When these things come, don't complain.
PRAYER POINTS:
¶ Pray that God will help you to bear the cost no matter what it will take you .
¶ Pray for the grace to carry the cross to the end.
AMEND YOUR WAYS: If you are not born again you must do something as a matter of urgency. He that commits sin is of the devil (1 John 3:8). If you are into lying, cheating, bitterness, keeping malice, pride, manifesting anger, quarreling, unforgiveness, hatred, envy, contention, strife, gossiping, taking or giving bribe, selfishness, kidnapping. If you are into masturbation, fornication, adultery, prostitution, abortion, lesbianism, homosexuality, you need to repent. Are you into idolatry, do you make or use charms, rituals, bow down to images, Are you into occultism? Do you smoke cigarette, cocaine, heroine? Are you lusting, covetous, alcohol drinking, divorcee or into worldliness?, you must stop bleaching your body, or painting your lips, eyes, fixing attachments, weave-on, earrings (Gen 35:2-4) Are you one of those that put on nude dresses, short skirts, transparent dresses to seduce (A seducer is not a Christian) do you wear trouser as a woman? Repent and give your life to Jesus Christ.
LET'S PRAY: If you want to give your life to JESUS pray this short prayer with me: Almighty God, I come unto you in the name of Jesus. Father I confess that I am a sinner. All my sins I confess to you. I am very sorry for all my sins. Lord I promise you that from today I will never continue in them anymore. I believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again on the third day for my justification. Almighty God, use the blood of Jesus to wash my sins away. Lord Jesus, come into my heart, be my Lord and Personal Savior. I surrender my life to you. Cancel my name from the book of death and give me grace to make Heaven. AMEN!
AUTHOR: PASTOR LAZARUS MUOKA.
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