LIVING OUR FAITH

“IF ANYONE WOULD COME AFTER ME, HE MUST DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW ME.” LUKE 9:23

These words that Jesus was telling his disciples were not hard to understand but were hard to put in practice. We run into the same problems today. I have read Luke 9:23 hundreds of times in my lifetime and know the struggle it becomes to deny myself. It is difficult when you live in the world, and you must go out daily and make a living. The rules of the world sometimes deny the existence of the actions of our Lord Jesus. Sometimes they even deny his very existence. Jesus knew this. Jesus knew that living the life we must live for him was going to be one of persecution and sometimes denial. However, they are words that we must follow. We must not only be overcomers of our own thoughts and desires but also of the actions and the persecution of others. The word of God is literally THE WORD OF GOD! It is not a guidebook on how to get to heaven, but it is the actual word, and we must take it as such. We must put it into practice and live it. To do this we must have a strong faith in the Lord and trust him. Yes, we are only human, and we do make mistakes. We do things that we shouldn’t and think and say things that are ungodly. But God has given us an out. He forgives us if we ask and brings us right back into the fold. We are not perfect, but we are children of God, and we are to obey. We are to deny ourselves, our worldly thoughts and desires and pick up our own cross and carry it daily. We are to focus and follow Jesus! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!