Can We Deny Ourselves and Gain God's Perspective?

The early church knew 

the reality of Jesus words

when He said that if anyone

wants to be a disciple of His

they must DENY THEMSELVES,

pick up their cross 

and follow Him.

He said these words to the few

who continued on with Him

BEFORE He had done so Himself.

He knew they wouldn't get

the full impact of those words

until later.

These few who dared believe

that His words were true,

were soon to find out 

that all of them were true.

Today, the church applauds 

those who take good care of themselves.

They pride themselves on those

who go after their dreams

and seek the things below.

They persecute those who dare

to give up all and who find 

the denial Christ talked about

because the denial of ourselves

means that we suffer

and no one wants to see anyone 

they know and love to suffer.

Christ's followers suffered.

They suffered, 

and not just a little.

They suffered loss of all they owned -

property, lands, wealth laid up

for their future generations. 

They lost reputation, 

they spent time where the unreputable 

of society were kept, imprisoned,

loss of health, loss of clothing,

everything of any earthly value

ripped right away

with no sense of justice or compassion.

Paul said of those 

who wandered in caves, destitute,

considered crazies, that

"The world was not worthy".

Do we think we serve a Christ

different from the Christ 

who walked this earth?

One who would never call His followers

to a life that would endanger them

in body and mind today? 

Maybe a Christ who would never

shake the comfortable nest

and make anyone uncomfortable?

Where God's Spirit comes from

or goes, no one really knows.

We may feel the wind

but don't know it's source

or it's destination.

So it is with everyone 

who is filled with His Spirit.

He doesn't make sense to us.

He doesn't think like we do.

He knows the mind of God

and reveals it to me and you.

We struggle.

We don't struggle with flesh and blood alone.

Although it seems our biggest struggle

is with our own flesh and its desire

to lay low and be comfortable.

We struggle with that desire 

to want to settle down and 

build our comfortable nest 

back up again.

We struggle.

But God's Spirit continues to speak

and to move and to make change in us.

We may fall in our struggle

and do things that may cause others

to point and lay on the accusations

of only what they see

and not agree with what God says

for you and for me.

We are the early church.

The early church never ages.

We are the bride of Christ.

We are the same beautiful bride 

Christ died for 

as the bride born on the very day

He died.

And the bride that was already 

a twinkle in His eye before

He laid the earths foundation.

So let's agree with God.

Let's discontinue the stone casting,

the name calling, the disruption of 

gossip and critism and suspicion

and the accusations.

You may not realize it,

but only the religious crowd 

who did not know Jesus

did that to Him.

But to all who believed on Him

and trusted in His name,

He gave the right to become 

children of God Himself!

Be careful that you don't persecute 

one of God's very own 

precious children He paid for

with the most precious price 

of His beloved Sons blood.

Pray for your friends in Christ.

They are the church.

They are the beautiful bride.

They, regardless of how 

they look to us

are seen by God 

as who they will be,

and who already are to Him.

Deeply loved and made perfect in Him.

Agree with God

and pray to think like Him.

If you've failed before in this,

no worries my friend.

It's a tough temptation 

that has taken all of us

from time to time.

But that's why we have His Spirit -

to convict and invoke change

and bring us into tearful repentance.

His bride is so very precious you see.

He called the weak, the despised,

the ones this world would never

recognize.

And He is making them kings 

and priests unto their God.

Just like He is making you.

Get wisdom and get understanding.

Forsake her not and she will love you.

Forsake not a child who God 

made worthy 

and genuine love of God 

will be birthed.

His Kingdom come in that moment.