Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s work on losing our lives for Christ!

In today’s scripture, Matthew 10:38-39 (NLT), Jesus said…
[38] If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. [39] If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

Consider…
Today’s scripture reminds me of some popular workout T-shirts that say “no pain, no gain”.

Jesus knew exactly what He was saying when He said His worthy followers willingly carry their sacrificial crosses just like He did. Remember Jesus said in John 10:18 (NLT)…
[18] No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

This means Jesus chose to sacrifice His life for our sins. And God has the same expectation for us according to 1 John 3:16 (NLT)…
[16] We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

That’s a weighty expectation. However, 1 John 3:17-18 (NLT) provides
additional context. It says…
[17] If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? [18] Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Notice, God is saying if we see someone in need and have the ability to help we should follow in Jesus’ footsteps and give our lives to help.

In fact the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT), which expressly says…
[5] You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. [6] Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. [7] Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, [8] he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

This means we must give up our rights’ for privileges of others .

Another way God expects us to give up our lives is to endure physical suffering. 1 Peter 4:1 (NLT) explains…
[1] So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.

Reading that makes me ponder how Christ armed Himself for suffering. The Holy Spirit led me to the Garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26:36-39 (NLT) reveals…
[36] Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” [37] He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. [38] He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” [39] He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Jesus armed Himself by…

• Praying to the Father
• Requesting His mercy
• Acknowledging unwanted suffering
• Yielding to the Father’s will

As I wrote that, the Holy Spirit flashed Philippians 4:6 (NLT) across my mind. The verse says…
[6] Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

I hear God saying, don’t worry about suffering, pray about it. But I wasn’t sure where thanking God for what He’s done fits in, until I remembered Romans 8:17-18 (NLT) which says…
[17] And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. [18] Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

Yes, it’s true that suffering sucks, but it’s nothing compared to being an heir of the King of Kings!

Also 1 Peter 5:10 (NLT) encourages us that…
[10] In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

These scriptures help me see that I should thank God for the eternal glory that will come from my short-story of suffering.

In lieu of the glory to come, give up your physical comfort and like Jesus tell the Father, Thy will be done!

Lastly, today’s scripture specifically tells us that Christ expects us to die with Him in order to live with Him.

If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
Romans 6:5-9 (NLT) expounds on Jesus’ words. It says…
[5] Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. [6] We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. [7] For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. [8] And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. [9] We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.

Notice we have to die to be raised! I pondered, what does dying with Christ entail? Well the Holy Spirit led me to Galatians 5:24-25 (NLT) which exhorts…
[24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. [25] Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

This means we need to die to the physical and live in the Spiritual. That hits play on Donald Lawrence singing…

You’re not a natural being
Having a spiritual experience
But you’re a spiritual being
Living this natural experience
You’re not a natural being
Having a spiritual experience
But you’re a spiritual being
Living this natural experience
Everyday when you wake
Your confession should constantly say
Oh Lord
Let me be spiritual, spiritual
Let me be spiritual, spiritual

This should be the aim of every Christian.

So, die to your physical nature to live according to the Spirit’s nature.

Today’s Song is…
My Life Is Yours

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)