“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his lifewill lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.”
- When we do not know Christ, our choices are based on what will benefit us in this life only. This life is just the introduction to eternity, but the decisions we make, and how we live our lives on earth, determines our eternal state. What we accumulate on earth has no value in purchasing eternal life, and if we evaluate all that happens on earth from an eternal perspective, our decisions and values on will change. Our claim to follow Christ must be accompanied by our commitment to deny self. We cannot follow our on fleshly desires and Christ at the same time. Life is not about what we gain on the outside, but it is about what gain on the inside. May we be changed from the inside out.
- Are you still ready to follow Him?
- What is the goal of your daily efforts?
- Are you working to obtain and achieve for yourself, or for the kingdom, and glory, of God?
- Which efforts of yours will matter 100 years from now?