Take Up Your Cross and Follow

Mar8

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 10:38‭-‬39 NASB

What does it mean to “take your cross and follow”?
To deny self.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
Matthew 16:24, Mark  8:35, Luke 9:23 NASB

To “take your cross and follow” is to deny self and take up your cross. The cross which represents death to sin and the ways of the world. It is the freedom from the bondage of that sin enabling us to faithfully follow Jesus.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:27 NASB
So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
Luke 14:33 NASB
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:7,10-11 NASB

Basically we must lose our life to find it.
He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
John 12:25‭-‬26 NASB

🌹I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 
Galatians 2:20

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Already Dead

Mar7

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
1 John 4:9 NASB

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:17‭-‬18 NASB

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 5:24 NASB

🌹I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2:20 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

The Shield

Mar4

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.
Psalm 33:20–21 NASB

Our shield is our trust in the God of all creation. No matter our circumstances –  the highs and lows; the good; the bad; the downright awful; the joy; the pain – our heart rejoices.
God, my soul waits in silence for You only; From You is my salvation. (Psalm 62:1)
But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
Psalms 13:5 NASB

Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, According as we have hoped (waited  for) in You.
Psalm 33:22 NASB

“According as we have hoped in You”. That is quite the statement. Our hope, waiting on the Lord, trusting His shield is protecting us in every circumstance in life, that He is our protector. . . What is your level of hope in God?

🌹The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.
Psalms 28:7 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Eye of The Lord

Mar3

The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men;
From His dwelling place He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth,
Psalms 33:13-14
For He looks to the ends of the earth And sees everything under the heavens.
Job 28:24 NASB

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope (wait) for His lovingkindness,
To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine.
Psalms 33:18-19 NASB
The Lord favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness.
Psalms 147:11 NASB
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.
Psalms 34:15 NASB
For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:12 NASB

🌹Jesus, (For) You have delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the living.
Psalms 56:13 NASB

Lord God, You have heard my cry, my prayer, as I wait in hope for Your lovingkindness that has delivered my soul from death. Cover me in Your righteousness that I may walk before You in the light of the living and receive Your favor.  Amen

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Counsel

Mar2

The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. Psalms 33:10‭ NASB
Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.
Proverbs 19:21 NASB

Are you feeling frustrated in your plans? It’s time to make a change. We must look to, trust, lean on, have faith in the counsel of the Lord. He knows all and knows best.

The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Psalms 33:11 NASB
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.
Psalms 33:12 NASB

🌹Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.
Psalms 28:9 NASB
How blessed are the people who are so situated; How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
Psalms 144:15 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Fear & Awe

Mar1

Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
Psalms 33:8‭-‬9 NASB

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
Genesis 1:3 NASB
There are multiple times God spoke and it was done throughout the Bible. Genesis chapter one God spoke all creation into being. God spoke and created mankind:
Let them praise the name of the Lord, For He commanded and they were created.
Psalms 148:5 NASB

God spoke and it was done! Wow! Should we not stand in awe of Him?

🌹Worship the Lord in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth.
Psalms 96:9 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon 

The Gospel Truth

Feb28

I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies. I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments.
Psalms 119:59‭-‬60 NASB

When the eyes of the heart are opened we realize how much we need the instruction of the Lord. God’s word is our instruction. The gospel, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His life that you may know and trust Him; be forgiven of sin and walk with Him from the time of conversion into eternity.

🌹Are you being instructed by the Bible to keep the commandments of the Lord God?

Peter’s eyes were opened. Mark 14:72
The prodigal son’s eyes were opened. Luke 15:17

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Praise God!

Feb25

Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.
Psalms 77:13‭-‬14 NASB

God’s way is holy. Jesus is the way. John 14:6
There is no other God. Isaiah 45:5; 2 Samuel 7:22; 1 Chronicles 17:20
God alone works wonders. Psalm 72:18
God is our strength. Exodus 15:2

🌹Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.
Psalms 72:18‭-‬19 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Until I Declare

Feb23

My mouth is filled with Your praise And with Your glory all day long.
Psalms 71:8‭ NASB

Do you ever experience this Psalmist’s elation? Does it last all day long? Is your everyday life filled with praise to God? As you meditate (think on) all that God has done for you, what is your response to God and what are you motivated to do? Hopefully it is to do as this psalmist did. . .

And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come. For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You?
Psalms 71:18-19 NASB

🌹Praise God for His righteousness and the great things He has done!!! I will declare!

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Hope or Forsaken

Feb22

For You are my hope;
O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth.
By You I have been sustained from my birth; You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;
My praise is continually of You.
Psalms 71:5‭-‬6 NASB

O Lord, the hope of Israel,
All who forsake You will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down,
Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord.
Jeremiah 17:13 NASB

🌹 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psalms 34:1 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon