Mark 8;36 ''What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?''
There are 3 points to keep our soul in touch with God and not fall for the ways of this world. 1] Deny thy self, 2] Pick up your cross, and 3] Follow Jesus. We are not of this world but merely passing through it.
''We must deny ourselves absolutely, we must not admire our own shadow, nor gratify our own humor; we must not lean on our own understanding, nor seek our own things, nor be our own end.'' We are more than flesh and blood but more importantly souls within this body.
The troubles or afflictions of Christians are referred to as crosses. So to 'pick up your cross' is to ''manage our affliction so it is not a stumbling block or hinderance to our service to God.'' When our focus is on what we can't do, then what we can and could do gets lost in the shuffle of our priorities.
''To do well and suffer ill, is to follow Christ.'' We follow Jesus because we trust in His birth, death and resurrection and His Word guides us in how to follow Him. The world and its ways are not trustworthy so don't forfeit your soul for it's lies.
We are each responsible for our own souls by accepting or not the grace that saves us and was afforded for each of us.
It's so true: "When our focus is on what we can't do, then what we can and could do gets lost in the shuffle of our priorities." Your focus is obviously on the right things. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteOde ting our own self interests is surely the most difficult thing for us who are still in the flesh. We think we are following Him until that cross starts getting heavier than we anticipated. Thank the Lord that He is our burden-bearer. Good words of encouragement, Angie.
ReplyDeleteYour strength and wisdom is again displayed in your writings, I especially like the statement--"To do well and suffer ill, is to follow Christ". You demonstrate that daily. Thank you...Love Dad........
ReplyDeleteThat is good, Angie, and it makes me think you might be interested in a book that I am now reading for the second or third time entitled "Of the Imitation of Christ," by Thomas a Kempis. It is a classic, maybe 500 years old. The author was a Romanist monk so there are a few things we would not agree with but I believe he knew God and certainly knew something about disciplining oneself to follow Christ, a matter many coddled modern Christians know nothing about.
ReplyDeleteIf you are interested I imagine you can find it on-line or if you want I can get it for you in print.
Blessings,
Roger