We saw in our last studay that to be a disciple we have to be willing to forsake all our possessions, and love Jesus more than our father, mother, wife children and our lives as well.
Jesus also said that we must deny ourselves daily and carry our cross daily if we are to be His disciples.
The cross have a horizontal and a vertical line +. The horizontal line shows my own way and my own will whereas the vertical line shows Gods will and Gods way. This simply means that in everyday of our lives, we will have opportunities where our wills will CROSS with Gods will and that is where we will have to deny our own will, plans, ambitions and desires and chose Gods will. Since this is something that must be done daily; we can never sit in relaxation and congratulate ourselves that we have carried the cross today and yesterday and in previous days; tomorrow you may never choose to carry the cross.
The phrase “being led by the Spirit” is used by believers many times; but have you ever asked yourself where does the Spirit lead us? Rom 8 and Gal 5 speak much on the subject and we can closely examine them.
Rom 8:13-14 says, IF YOU THROUGH THE SPIRIT PUT TO DEATH THE DEEDS OF THE BODY, YOU WILL LIVE, FOR ALL WHO ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD.
Reading the two verses together, we realize that the Spirit leads us to put to death the desires of the body. He leads us to the cross; for example, if have money and you desire to buy a new shirt or dress, but you also have a debt you have not repaid, the Spirit will lead you to put to death that desire to buy a new shirt and lead you to clear your debt first of all. If you have hurt someone and you are going to offer an offering, the Spirit will lead you to go FIRST and be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your offerings. Mat 5:23,24
Gal 5:16-25 says that if we are led by the Spirit we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. The Spirit fights against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit…those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its appetites, passions and desires and lusts.
We see again here that the Spirit leads us to the cross, to crucify our fleshly desires. the natural man desires to be recognized, appreciated, famous, great in the world, approved by men but Jesus told the disciples to only seek the honour that come from above, to be servants of men and never to be men-pleasers. Mat 20:26,27; Joh 5:41-44; Gal 1:10 This is the way of the cross, it is the way Jesus went and it is centrally to the way the world thinks.
When we walk this way, we will not fall prey of the false prophets. Peter in 2Pet 2:18 says that the false prophets trap, entice, seduce people into their crowds through the desires of the flesh. For example, in much of todays preaching, the most messages preached will not offend the hearers as is written, the people tell the prophets to speak to them smooth words, tell us what we want to hear, things that will make us feel good. Isaiah 30:10. 2Tim 4:3 also says that the people will gather for themselves teachers who will tickle their ears telling them what they want to hear. People do not want to listen to the message of repentance and self denial; what they want to hear is that God will prosper them and that it does not matter how they live, and that sin is not serious; angels will come and take them to heaven when they die.
If we learn to take the cross, we will not fall prey of these false teachers.
It is in taking the way of the cross that we experience the peace that no circumstance can disturb and the joy that no man can take away. Let us then not shy away from this way.
you are blessed to be a blessing
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@blessedmambo
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