Devotion:
For an audio version of this devotion, click here.
Read Matthew 16:24-26.
Deny Self
Denying ourselves means laying aside our personal agendas, selfish desires, and self-reliance. It means saying no to pride, comfort, and control. This is hard — not because it’s complicated, but because it goes against our natural instincts. But the call to follow Christ requires courage to let go of the life we think we want in order to receive the life only He can give.
Take Up Your Cross
To “take up your cross” is to embrace a life that may involve hardship, sacrifice, and even suffering for the sake of the gospel. In Jesus’ day, the cross was a symbol of death. Today, it symbolizes full surrender. It’s the daily choice to lay down your rights, reputation, and comfort in obedience to Christ. It’s not about martyrdom for the sake of pain — it’s about devotion for the sake of love.
Follow Me
This is the heart of discipleship: to follow Jesus. Not just in the easy moments, but on the hard road of obedience. To follow Jesus is to trust where He leads, even when the path is unclear. It is to walk in His ways, echo His words, and live out His heart in a world that often resists Him.
The Courage to Surrender
It takes courage to surrender. The world preaches self-fulfillment, but Jesus calls us to self-denial. The world seeks to gain everything — success, status, security — but Jesus reminds us that gaining the whole world means nothing if we lose our soul. The paradox of the gospel is this: when we lose our lives for Christ, we actually find life as it was meant to be — free, eternal, and full.
Personal Worship Option:
Lord Jesus, I hear Your call to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow You — and I confess, it’s not easy. Give me the courage to surrender everything that stands in the way of full obedience. Teach me to trust You more than I trust myself. Lead me down the path of true life — the life found only in You. Help me follow, even when the cost is great, because You are worth it all. Amen.
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