Take Up Your Cross

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must
deny themselves and
take up their cross and

follow me.

Mark 8:34

My small group met last night for the first time on the study Made to Crave. It was such a wonderful time....the fellowship, the sharing. I love it when new people show up, they bring a whole new dimension to the group.

Great are God's girls!

Lysa was speaking on denial on feeling empowered rather than deprived with our healthy food choices and included the verse above.

When breaking it down, we see the "deny self" - this commands us to deny our selfish, fleshly desires, pretty straight forward though not always done.

The second part is often misinterpreted. Upon exploration in our Life Application Bible, we learned that the prisoners in Roman times were made to carry their own cross before they were crucified (the death penalty of choice in that period), this time of carrying was to signify their submission to the Roman government as the highest authority.

The final command is to "follow me." One small sentence, buried deep in Mark, gives us the whole plan of salvation:

Deny yourself and fleshly wants
Submit yourself to the highest authority,
and Follow Him.

God makes it sooo simple, don't make it harder than it is!

If you're ready, feel free to hit the big red button....
don't make it hard...
why GIVE UP something for Lent when
you could RECEIVE something so much better!

Many blessings,
E

Just a little more....

I was reading Lysa TerKeurst's post today and was so caught up in her thoughts... She presented a very simple concept of "and then some..."

What if rather than doing "just enough" or getting all caught up in our pride about something.... we decide to do "just a little more"-- or -- "and then some"

-- such a simple concept - but then again that's what Jesus did. He took everything we "work" so hard at and made it simple.

Just like salvation - we make it complicated, not God. What could be easier than accepting a free gift. I'll take it -- thank you. It's that easy!


My small group is starting her study tonight "Made to Crave." It was not my intention to start on Lent but I guess it was God's... I will keep posting on the progress

Many blessings & prayers,
E

Being His body

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Who comforts us in all our tribulation,

that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble,

by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

2Corin. 1:3-4

God has created us to be His physical body. We are to love others and show His mercy the only way He can't. One day we will sit at His feet and be able to touch Him! Oh, what a glorious day that will be!

But, for now, we are to be Jesus for Him. To let others see Jesus reflected in us. You may be the only Jesus some ever see. Is knowing you going to turn them away from Him -- or closer to Him??

May your light shine for Him today. Share His love and mercy with others. Comfort with a physical touch, a phone call, a soft word of encouragement....

Jesus gave His body for us---

Make the choice to give your body for Him!

Blessings--

E

Are You Too Old To Sin?

Search me, O God, and know my heart:
try me, and know my thoughts:
and see if there be any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting

Psalm 139:23-24

I had to laugh talking to my 98-year-old grandmother. She told me her priest said she didn't have to go to confession anymore because she was too old to sin. I wonder if Methuselah stopped confessing at 969?? I'm guessing not....

My question is: Is there ever a time we stop sinning? Isn't just the thought that you don't sin anymore-- sinful in and of itself?

To say you don't sin is to put yourself equal to Jesus! Isn't that what the evil one did? I'm not going there-- Are you?

If there was ever an age at which we stop sinning on our own, we wouldn't need a Savior and Oh, what a sad day that would be!

As the Psalmist says:

search me, try me, lead me.....

Are you too old to sin?

Sinners change, Sin doesn't?

May God bless you, my dear readers today

Loving prayers,
E