Bear your cross! Will you? Luke 14:25-27

Good morning everyone. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!

Jesus taught about the cost of being a disciple.
Luke 14:25-27 (25)"A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them,(26) "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison - your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters- yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. (27) And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.""

Verse 26 what Christ is saying is that one must place Him, Jesus Christ, above all other relationships. To be Christ's disciple, HE must be LORD.

Verse 27 Jesus' audience was well aware of what it meant to carry one's own cross. When the Romans led a criminal to his execution site, he was forced to carry the cross on which he would die. This showed his submission to Rome and warned observers that they had better submit too.

Jesus made this statement to get the crowds to think through their enthusiasm for Him. He encouraged those who were superficial either to go deeper or to turn back. Following Christ means total submission to Him - perhaps even to the point of death.

Being a disciple of Christ means putting aside selfish desires, shouldering one's "cross" every day, and following Him. It is simple and yet so demanding. For believers today, it means understanding that we belong to Him and that we live to serve His purposes.
Consider this: Do you think of your relationship with God primarily in terms of what's in it for you? Or in terms of what you can do for Him? Are you willing to deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Him? Anything less is not discipleship; it is merely superficial lip service. Think, meditate, decide! Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny