Take up your cross and serve

Whosever will come after me let him deny himself , and take up his cross and follow me." Mark 8:34

Jesus chose imperfect people to follow him. He chose prostitutes tax collectors, and uneducated fishermen. He chose ordinary men and women to be his closest friends and to continue his work after he was crucified and rose to heaven. He chose people like you and me.

Imagine the King of the Universe, the Creator of all things choosing an ordinary person to do the work of bringing the unsaved to Christ. How can this be? God must know how many things I have done wrong in my life, the divorce, the awful thoughts, the drinking...."how could he want me?" But he does.

"Whosoever will come after me (that means anyone) let him deny himself (of our sinful nature), and take up his cross (your drug addiction, alcoholism, lustful thoughts) and follow me." God knows us like he knew Paul and the "thorn" in his flesh. He knows what we struggle with and he knows what we must deny to follow him. He is just asking that we not let those things stop us from walking with Him. He knows that if we are obedient to follow He will "make all things new" (Rev 21:5) in our lives.

Start today, wherever you are now in your life, by saying this simple prayer from you heart:

Father, I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I believe that your Son Jesus Christ was sent to this earth to be fully human and to suffer and die on a cross for my sins. He came to shed his blood so that I could stand before your throne as a righteous man (woman). Come into my heart now Lord, adopt me into your family and forgive me of my sins. I am not perfect Lord but today I will pick up my cross and follow you, denying myself of my sinful nature. Although I may stumble along the way, I know that you are with me. Thank you Lord for shedding your blood for me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.