Deny Yourself (Mark 8:34)

If you are going to follow Jesus, you will need to deny yourself.  The disciples did not yet know that Christ would be crucified, so the cross would not hold the significance that we may want to put on it.  However, it does indicate a willingness to continue to deny yourself wherever Jesus leads as you follow.

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.  Mark 8:34

Through the epistles we will learn that to follow Jesus is a decision to renounce or deny your life, to recognize that you are dead in Christ and to allow him to live his will (leading) through you. 

Pleasing to God (Colossians 3:20)

The scriptures inform us that the action of children obeying their parents is well pleasing to the Lord.

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. (Colossians 3:20)

It does not say that children who obey their parents are well pleasing to the Lord, but that obeying parents is pleasing to him.  As a child of God which positionally puts you in Christ, God is always pleased with you.  However, there may be things that you do that may be displeasing to the him.

This can be difficult for some to understand.  They are locked into the thought that if a person does something that is displeasing to the Lord, then the Lord must also be displeased with them.

What we must understand is that God does not exist in linear time.  This means that God is not stuck in time like you and me only moving forward from one day to the next.   Time does not affect him: he can see from the beginning to the end and from the end to the beginning.

My children, as all children, have done things that are pleasing to me and also displeasing.  Some of these actions were faults and others we sins.  However when I look at them and assess whether or not I am pleased with them, I am able to see and recall much of their past and even with their faults and sins, I can still truly be pleased with them.

God looks at us from eternity future.  The complete workings of salvation have been accomplished and from that standpoint as he looks at you in today's time, you are pleasing to him.  You are pleasing to God because of Christ and whenever he sees you, he sees you in Christ.  The actions you do may be displeasing, but you are still pleasing to him.  If you remain in disobedience and continue to act in ways that displease the Lord, he may chasten you.  He will do this because he takes pleasure in you, and he cannot allow you to ruin your life.

Remember, your relationship with God is completely based on the works of Christ.  There is nothing that you can do that will make you any more or less acceptable to him.

Working Through the Lost (Psalm 39:3-4)

There are two ways to view the lost and how they treat you.  At first, David saw the lost as his wicked enemy with their words and actions wounding him.  These wounds began to consume his thoughts until a fire burned deep in his soul at which point he reacted and spoke revealing his frail and vain condition.

My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.  Psalms 39:3-4

Later, David's view changed.  He still saw the lost as wicked and desired deliverance from them, but one thing was distinctly different.  David viewed the actions of the lost as God's strokes upon him (vs. 10).  Instead of reacting against the wicked, he yielded himself to God.  He allowed God to purge him from sinful acts.

The former reaction is a struggle and battle with the world and with no benefit, but the latter works good out of evil and brings hope, correction, and strength to the humble.

As you face the hardship of living the Christian, strive to recognize the handiwork of God: even in the lives of the lost.

Propped Up (Psalm 37:23-24)

A number of years ago, my son came to me for help.  It seemed that through a series of wrong decisions, he had found himself in a very poor state spiritually: sin seems to do that.  Although I was greatly disappointed, I willfully stepped in to help.  My support was not based on the severity of his situation, but instead on my love for him.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Psalms 37:23-24

From this passage, we can see that good men, walking in the direction of the Lord, will fall and it is not of their own volition that they get back up and continue on for the Lord.  They don't get up: in fact it is the Lord who lifts them up and supports them to stand again.

You have seen card board cut outs of people, which contain a prop in the back to keep it standing.  This item  illustrates what the Lord does for us.  When we can't get up, he picks us up.  When we cannot stand, he props us up.  Whatever victory we get, it will not be based on our self will or determination.  It will be based on the goodness of God and his support and strength in our lives.

When you fall, instead of trying harder, look to God for the support and strength you need.  He will be there for you and do the work that only he can do.

As for my son, he too found strength that only God could bring to him.  He stood him up, established his feet and has been guiding him to victory ever since.

Knowing Leads to Trusting

Years ago, the GI Joe cartoon had a slogan, "Knowing is half the battle."  That slogan is true for believers as well.  How do you know or view God determines your level of trust.

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. (Psalms 9:10)

If you know God as one who is quickly angered at you and ready to judge, then you will have a difficult time trusting him. However, if you have experienced God's faithfulness and see him as a loving father full of mercy, then you will wholeheartedly cling to him in times of trouble.

The secret to the Christian life is not trying harder or laboring to mustarding up faith, but instead to get closer to him. Just as you and I can trust true friends but shy away from trusting strangers, we will more comfortably trust God as we move from a practically stranger relationship to one as a son resting in the bosom of his father.

Fearing God vs Being Afraid of God

There is a difference between fearing the Lord and being afraid of the Lord. The former recognizes the greatness of God and his ability to do whatever he chooses. Therefore, he submits himself to the one that he recognizes as sovereign. Those who are afraid of the Lord, do not submit themselves to a sovereign God to rule over them. They instead perform actions in an attempt to keep God from exercising his anger upon them.  The former will have a love relationship with God: the latter will struggle with love and acceptance.

How did Job respond when his world caved in upon him?  He continued to fear the Lord. He remained steadfast in trusting God's sovereignty and continued to submit himself to him. (Job 1:21) Had Job been afraid of God, would his actions have been the same? Most likely not. His actions would have more been in line with those of his accuser.  If a person lives in fear and governs his actions to keep God from punishing him, how would he react when God does exercise wrath? As the accuser stated, "He will curse thee to thy face."  It would be in that manner that he would act.

God wants you to fear him, but not be afraid of him. Fearing God is respecting God for who he is and the power that he possesses. Those who fear the Lord will recognize God's ability to raise up and to put down, to love and admonish or to rebuke and chasten, and to exercise his will because what he desires is for the benefit of those he created.

When you are afraid of God, you have a difficult time accepting his love.  Being afraid and accepting love cannot cohabit because perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18). Recognize that God loves you and that any actions that he has towards you will be motivated by his love.  As we seek him for our lives, blessings will flow to us from his love, but if our steps begin to slip, he by love will take whatever actions are necessary to keep us from ruining our lives.

Living a life of fearing the Lord is a joy and blessing, but living a life afraid of God is a struggle and burden.

Gird Up (1 Peter 1:13)

We tie up the turkey so that its appearance on the plate is more desirable.  I tie up my tomato plants so that they have support in growing and I tie up the dog when I put him out to do his business so the that little bandit won't run away. Why do we tie things up?  We tie things up for their benefit or safety.

Spiritually speaking, we should do the same. The Scriptures admonished us to gird up our minds.

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:13)

The reason we are told to do so is because it is at that point that we get and maintain the victory. If you control how you think, you will control your actions. The apostle Paul stated it another way.

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Both passages involved reeling in the thoughts of your mind. Those which don't belong we need to recognize and cast down and those which are right should remain and we should continually think on them. (Phil. 4:8)

With our mind girded, we should be on guard and watch. Sober and watch are used interchangeably and it is this task that guards our hearts and minds. Jesus admonished his disciples with the same message: keep my commandments.

Spiritually speaking, God wants us to closely watch and guard the commandments in our hearts.  Keep sake, keep hold, the keep (the strongest part of a castle), she's a keeper are all terms describing the act of watching or guarding a possession.  Since the term keep means to watch or guard, then God wants us to guard our hearts and minds and keeping the commandments is to keep the thoughts that should remain in it.

If you wait to govern yourself at the action level, you experience much failure and frustration.  What you should do is gird up the loins of our minds with the commandments of God.  Remember, how you think determines how you act.