Deny Self - Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus - Luke 9:23 - SO4J-TV - SO4J.com

DENY SELF – LUKE 9:23

How to Take Up Your Cross Daily & Follow Jesus – Luke 9:23

DENY SELF – How are Christians to Deny Self: Take Up their Cross Daily & Follow Jesus? What are we to Deny? Check Out a List of Scriptures in this Article that shows how a Believer in Jesus Christ is to Biblically Deny Self. Luke 9:23 Jesus says, “Deny himself, Take Up Your Cross Daily & Come Follow Me.” (Deny Self Scriptures: Luke 9:23-24, Matthew 16:24-25, Mark 8:34-35, Luke 14:26-27). Below are some various Quotes from our Pastor, John MacArthur [GTY.org & Grace Church.org], which talks about how soo many churches these days preach an unbiblical watered-down “Gospel” of: SELF LOVE & SELF-ESTEEM VS the TRUE GOSPEL OF REPENTANCE & FAITH IN JESUS & TAKING UP YOUR CROSS DAILY & DENYING SELF & FOLLOWING JESUS. After reading the below quotes you can then scroll down a little ways and you will see the MAIN ARTICLE on what it means to “Deny Self: Take Up their Cross Daily & Follow Jesus”. May the Lord Bless you as you Trust in Jesus and His unfailing Word.

Luke 9:23-27 (NASB) JESUS says— “If anyone wishes to COME AFTER ME, he must DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY and FOLLOW ME. For whoever wishes to SAVE HIS LIFE will LOSE IT, but whoever LOSES HIS LIFE for MY SAKE, he is the one who will SAVE IT. For what is a man PROFITED if he GAINS the WHOLE WORLD, and LOSES or FORFEITS himself? For whoever is ASHAMED of ME and MY WORDS, the SON OF MAN will be ASHAMED of him when He comes in HIS GLORY, and the GLORY of the FATHER & of the HOLY ANGELS.”
Matthew 16:24-25 (NKJV) JESUS said to His Disciples—“If anyone DESIRES to COME AFTER ME, let him DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and FOLLOW ME. For whoever DESIRES to SAVE HIS LIFE will LOSE IT, but whoever LOSES HIS LIFE for MY SAKE will FIND IT.”
Mark 8:34-35 (NKJV) JESUS says— “Whoever to COME AFTER ME, let him DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and FOLLOW ME. For whoever DESIRES to SAVE HIS LIFE will LOSE IT, but whoever LOSES HIS LIFE for MY SAKE and the GOSPEL’S will SAVE IT.”

ON THIS PAGE:

DENY SELF – INTRO – Luke 9:23-26
CONFORM TO HIS IMAGE – Rom 8:29
WALK AS JESUS WALKED – 1 John 2:6
AS HE IS, SO ARE WE – 1 John 4:17
LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT – Heb 12:1
DO NOT LIVE FOR SELF, LIVE UNTO GOD – 2 Cor 5:15
SEEK NOT AFTER YOUR OWN HEART – Num 15:39
PURGE HIMSELF – 2 Tim 2:21
CAST DOWN IMAGINATIONS – 2 Cor 10:5
YOU MUST DECREASE – John 3:30
FOLLOW ME – Luke 9:23-26
EXAMPLE & RESULT OF FOLLOWING CHRIST – Mark 2:4
EXCUSES FOR NOT FOLLOWING JESUS – Luke 9:52-62
SELL ALL THAT YOU HAVE / WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS – Luke 12:33-34
EXAMPLES OF SELLING ALL – Acts 4:32-37
SELL: DO NOT MAKE THESE EXCUSES OR DO THESE THINGS – Luke 12:22-32
DO NOT LAY UP TREASURES UPON EARTH – Matt 6:19-21
CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS – Luke 16:13
FORSAKE ALL – Luke 14:33
EXAMPLES OF FORSAKING ALL – Matt 19:27-28
PAUL COUNTED ALL THINGS BUT LOSS – Phil 3:8
BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE – Rom 12:1
BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD – Rom 12:2
BE NOT SERVANTS OF MEN – 1 Cor 7:23-24
WALK NOT AS OTHER GENTILES – Eph 4:17-18
WARNING ABOUT SHRINKING BACK –Heb 10:38
LAST DAYS LUKEWARM LAODICEAN CHURCH NEEDS TO: DENY SELF

RELATED ARTICLES:

THE GOSPEL OF: SELF-LOVE OR SELF-HATE?

Deny Self - The Self-Love & Self-Esteem 'gospel' are Unbiblical - SO4J-TV - SO4J.com

Self-Esteem Cult & Self-Esteem Gospel & Self-Love is Unbiblical - SO4J-TV - SO4J.com

Deny Self - The Hard Truth - Count the Cost to Follow Jesus Christ - SO4J-TV - SO4J.com

Luke 14:26-27 (NASB) JESUS says— “If anyone comes to ME, and does not HATE his own FATHER, MOTHER, WIFE, CHILDREN, BROTHERS, and SISTERS, yes, and even his OWN LIFE, he CANNOT be MY DISCIPLENOT CARRY his own CROSS and come after ME cannot be MY DISCIPLE.”

WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN BY: “HATE YOURSELF” and “HATE YOUR FATHER, MOTHER, WIFE, CHILDREN?

QUOTE: “The “HATRED” called for here is actually a “LESSER LOVE”. Jesus was calling his DISCIPLES to cultivate such a DEVOTION to him that their ATTACHMENT to EVERYTHING ELSE—including their OWN LIVES—would SEEM LIKE HATRED by COMPARISON.” —Pastor, John MacArthur

Video: The Gospel – Self-Love or Self-Hate – Luke 9:23-27 – John MacArthur

Video: A CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP – PHIL JOHNSON [LUKE 9:59-62] – SO4J-TV

FROM SO4J-TV: “ANSWERING CHRIST’S CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP” – PHIL JOHNSON EXPLAINS: Luke 9:59-62 – Phil Johnson preached an important message (this is an excerpt) from Luke 9:59-62, in our “GraceLife” Fellowship Group in the Family Center at Grace Community Church, CA .. our Senior Pastor at GCC is: John MacArthur. Phil Johnson is a Pastor (along with: Mike Riccardi) of the “GraceLife” Fellowship Group at Grace Community Church, CA (GCC), CA.Phil Johnson is the Executive Director of “Grace To You” Ministries [GTY.org], and has been closely associated with John MacArthur since 1981, and edits most of John MacArthur’s major books. He is also an Elder at GCC, CA.

Video: HATED BY THE WORLD & IDENTIFYING EVIL AS EVIL – JOHN MACARTHUR – SO4J-TV

QUOTES ON: TAKING UP YOUR CROSS & FOLLOWING JESUS – DENYING SELF

QUOTE: “A Professed Christian who Turns His back on Jesus Christ and refuses to suffer for His sake was NOT a True Believer in the first place. A person who Genuinely belongs to Christ may sometimes Falter & be Disobedient, but he will Never Reject His Lord. The person who Belongs to Christ continues to Confess Him, to Serve Him, and to Suffer for Him when that is necessary. He does not endure because of his Own Strength and Fortitude but because he is Indwelt by Christ’s own Spirit, who Never Fails to give sustaining Grace to God’s Children.” —Pastor, John MacArthur
QUOTE ABOUT FALSE CONVERTS— “They will put their hand to the Plow of Discipleship, but they will NOT Forsake the Old Life (Matt 7:21-23), Demonstrating that they have Never Received the New. They are therefore Not “Fit for the Kingdom of God,” Jesus said, because their Hearts have NEVER been with Him (Luke 9:57-62).“—Pastor, John MacArthur
QUOTE: DENY SELF & TAKE UP YOURSELF DAILY: “TAKE UP YOUR CROSS simply means to be WILLING TO DIE. CROSSES were instruments on which people were EXECUTED. And Jesus is saying here, “SELF-DENIAL means that you’re SO SICK OF YOURSELF that you’d be WILLING EVEN TO DIE.” Now IF you want to FOLLOW ME, if you want to come after Me, you’re going to have to feel this, you’re going to have to UNDERSTAND your TRUE CONDITION, you’re going to have to be EMOTIONALLY OVERWHELMED with this condition, SORROW, SHAME, to the degree where you are EAGER to DENY YOURSELF, you’re willing to go WHATEVER THE COST you’re going to FOLLOW CHRIST, even if it’s DEATH. THAT’S REPENTANCE. That’s what it is. It is SELF-HATE, SELF-DENIAL.” —Pastor, John MacArthur
QUOTE: “There’s only ONE REASON why people who KNOW the TRUTH of the GOSPEL are NOT willing to REPENT and BELIEVE. It is because they will NOT see themselves as the POOR, PRISONERS, BLIND, and OPPRESSED. It has nothing to do with the STYLE of MUSIC your Church offers, the DRAMA and SKITS you STAGE, or the QUALITY of your LASER LIGHT SHOW. It has EVERYTHING to do with the SPIRITUAL DEADNESS and BLINDNESS of PRIDE. God offers NOTHING to people who are CONTENT with their own condition, except JUDGMENT. If you don’t think you are headed for HELL, don’t think you need FORGIVENESS, you put NO VALUE on the GOSPEL of GRACE.” —Pastor, John MacArthur
QUOTE: “REPENTANCE means that you REALIZE you are a GUILTY, VILE SINNER in the presence of God, that you deserve the WRATH and PUNISHMENT of GOD, that you are HELL BOUND. It means that you begin to realize that this thing called sin is in you, that you long to get rid of it, that you turn your back on it in every shape and form. You renounce the world whatever the cost, the world and its mind and outlook as well as its practice. You deny yourself, you take up the cross, you go after Christ. Your nearest and dearest and the whole world may call you a fool, or say you have religious mania. You may have to suffer financially, it makes no difference. That is repentance,” —David Martyn Lloyd-Jones
QUOTE: “There was a day when I died; died to SELF, my OPINIONS, PREFERENCES, TASTES and WILL; died to the WORLD, its APPROVAL or CENSURE; died to the APPROVAL or BLAME even of my BRETHREN or FRIENDS; and since then I have STUDIED only to show myself APPROVED UNTO GOD.” —George Muller
SCRIPTURE – LAST DAYS PEOPLE WILL BE “LOVERS OF SELF.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NASB) “But realize this, that in the LAST DAYS DIFFICULT times will come. For men will be LOVERS OF SELF, LOVERS OF MONEY, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, LOVERS OF PLEASURE rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; AVOID such men as these.” It’s all contrary to Gods ways. We definitely need to come to CHRIST on HIS TERMS & that’s thru a BROKENNESS over our own SINFULNESS.”

DENY SELF – ARTICLE

1 – Deny Self – Intro – (Luke 9:23-26)

Count the Cost to Follow Christ - Deny Self - SO4J-TV - SO4J.com

The following Teaching is a message that is seldom taught in Today’s Churches. It is a Message that some Carnal or Lukewarm Christians may have problems receiving. It is a Message of total surrender to God. It is a Message of Obeying God and Walking by Faith. It is a Message of presenting yourself to God as a living sacrifice. It is a Message of saying to God, “Lord, I am bought for a price. I am Your purchased possession. You redeemed me. I am Yours. Use me. Do with me as You want. I am totally and completely Yours. All I am, and all I have belongs to You. I will no longer walk by sight but will walk by total Faith and Trust in You for all things, no matter how difficult things appear to get. I am ready to do what You want. I am ready to go where You say. I am nothing of myself. My trust is totally in You, Lord Jesus.”

Consider a person that comes to Christ by Faith. He Repents. He then comes to an altar and kneels. He takes out a large piece of paper and begins to write everything that he possesses on it. He makes a promise to God, he will forsake all these things. He signs the paper. God then speaks to him, telling him to tear up the paper. He doesn’t understand but Obeys. God then speaks to him to take another paper and sign it. He asks God, “What shall I put on it before I sign it?” The Lord tells him, “Write nothing. Just sign the blank paper. I will fill it in.” As time passed, little by little, God did fill it in. This man became a Missionary. One day he found himself sick and dying on a road in Africa, a long distance from any doctor or hospital, but God rescued him. He found himself in many, almost impossible situations during his walk with Jesus. He was tried. He suffered. He was beaten, destitute, facing many fears, but God brought him through it all. He learned to walk by Faith. He learned Obedience by the things which he Suffered. He learned Patience.

Many years passed. He thought back to the time when he was at the altar with a blank paper that he had signed, and God had told him, “I will fill it in.” He had no idea what that had meant at the time, but now he did.

He gave up his worldly job. He gave up everything he had. But that was only the beginning. He had now learned what it meant to “Follow Jesus.” He had now learned that Satan would often try to deceive him in his submission to Jesus, by causing him to go to the left hand or the right hand with things that did not line up with the Scriptures. It had been a rough journey. It had been a tiresome race, but Jesus was with him all the way.

What God expects from each of His saints is this. Paul spoke these words before he was martyred:

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have found a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

At the Judgment, he can expect to hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

What God ultimately expects of each saint is to be totally SOLD OUT TO JESUS in every way with an UNCOMPROMISED LOVE. Jesus is to be totally the center of our thinking and of our universe.

Mark 12:30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

2 – Conform to His Image – (Rom 8:29)

Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did PREDESTINATE TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

A Repentant, Born-again saint is to follow Jesus. We are predestinated to be Conformed to the image of Jesus. This means we are to yield to Jesus in every way. We are to yield to and obey God’s Word. We are not to seek their own will, but that of God. We are to be conformed (to be made like) (to bring into agreement) (to comply to and with) (to agree) (to be in accord with) (to be submissive to) (to have the same shape, goals, and thoughts) as Jesus. A repentant, born-again saint is to be in total harmony and in total submission to Jesus. This alone is not understood by many people.

Many want to do their own will, live their own life, work their own job, and live according to this world. This is not Repentance. Also, if a Repentant saint was conformed to Jesus, but then went to serve the world, he is backslidden and fallen. Any thing a Repentant saint chooses to do that is not in harmony with or conforming to the Scriptures is a lack of conforming or submitting to Jesus. It is worldliness. It is carnality. It is a form of rebellion.

This concept of being totally conformed to Jesus is hated by most. It is seldom taught by Preachers. Preachers seldom set the example they ought to, of doing this. They seldom teach a Message like this one.

3 – Walk as Jesus Walked – (1 John 2:6)

Not only is the Repentant, Born-again saint to be Conformed to the image of Jesus, we also are to walk as Jesus walked. We are to be in total submission to Jesus and to His Word. Many say they are following Jesus, but they are doing things and walking in ways that are not as Jesus walked. They do things that Jesus would never do. They serve the world. They surrender to the world. This Jesus did not do.

God’s Word clearly tell us,

1 John 2:6 “He that says he abides in him ought himself also so to WALK, EVEN AS HE (Jesus) WALKED.”

4 – As He Is, So Are We – (1 John 4:17)

As Jesus is, so are we to be in this world. A Repentant, Born-again saint is to be Conformed to the image of Jesus. He is to walk even as Jesus walked. As Jesus is, so is the Repentant saint in this world.

1 John 4:17 “Our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD.”

Compromised, Lukewarm, Christianity is Laodicean Christianity. It is not, however, the Christianity of God’s Word. The Christians that will be accounted worthy to be taken in the Rapture are those with a total, uncompromised commitment to Jesus. The rest will be left behind. Many of these can be expected to cry out and say in:

Matthew 25:11-12 “Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”
Luke 13:25 “When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are.”

These are Compromising, Lukewarm Christians. They were left behind. There were surprised. Could it be they were surprised, because their Preachers taught them they could partake of this world and Jesus also? Could it be they were surprised, because they thought they could do their own will and the will of Jesus part time? Could the Preachers be surprised that they were left behind, because they fully believed they could compromise in their walk with Jesus, but now found they were “dead” wrong?

God’s Word is loud and clear.

1 John 4:17 “As he is, so are we in this world.”

5 – Lay Aside Every Weight – (Heb 12:1)

In Conforming to the image of Jesus and walking as Jesus walked, the Repentant, Born-again saint is admonished to lay aside sin and every weight, every obstacle, every hindrance—everything that in any way is hindering him from following Jesus. How can a person run a race with added weight on his back? Surely, he would lose the race; he would easily get tired and probably fall. We are to put off the things of this world, every weight, and run with patience the course that God has set before us. We are not to go back to the world and its ways. We are not to become involved in the affairs of this life. They are obstacles. They are weights. They are sin.

Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

We are not to become involved in the affairs of this life for these are obstacles. They are weights. They are sin. As it is written:

2 Timothy 2:4 “No man that warreth (or is saved or is following Jesus) entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

Being involved in politics, for example, is definitely being involved in the affairs of this world. Even a little child should be able to see this. You may ask, “Why then have many churches become political arenas?” The answer is, their Preachers have left God’s ways and turned aside, or perhaps, were never Born-again in the first place.

Once we submit to Jesus, we become a soldier. We are in a war. It is written:

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

A Repentant, Born-again saint is in a wrestling match, a war, a fight, a struggle for his Eternal Life. God is showing us to lay aside every weight and obstacle, so we can fight the good fight of Faith. The world and its ways are a weight. It can weigh us down. It can draw us in like a magnet. We are not to submit to the world, but to God in every way. We are to become HIS Servant, not the world’s servant. We Repent of the world’s ways. We repent and lay aside every weight. However, Satan, in his deceitfulness, will do his utmost to get us entangled in the affairs of this world once again. Beware. Do not look back. Remember Lot’s wife. Beware of Satan’s devices. He comes masquerading as an Angel of Light to deceive you into believing that God wants you to take on this or that weight. It is a deception and snare of the devil. Billions of people in Hell right now, being tormented in the flame, can testify of Satan’s success in deceiving people. He deceived them. Hell has lots of Bible School Teachers, Denominational Heads, Preachers, Elders, Church Leaders, Lay people that were deceived as well as Unbelievers. Many once followed Jesus, but they became deceived through Satan’s subtle, cunning devices. Many of these people perished to hell. They believed in Jesus but went astray and did not do the Will of God.

6 – Do Not Live For Self, Live Unto God – (2 Cor 5:15)

THE BEATTITUDES: DO YOU HAVE A BEATTITUDE ATTITUDE? Matt 5:3-12

The Repentant, Born-Again saint is to be conformed to Jesus. We are to walk as Jesus walked. We are to lay aside every weight, including Politics. We are to live unto God and not to ourselves. Such things as, “I want, I will, I shall, I desire,” need to be Crucified. A Repentant, Born-again saint is to be submitted to “live unto God” and unto God’s Word. We are no longer to live for this world and for “Self.” At the Cross, we are to have died to selfishness and to our own will. The Repentant Born-again saint is to obey God in all things. It is written:

2 Corinthians 5:15 “And that he died for all, that they which live SHOULD NOT HENCEFORTH LIVE UNTO THEMSELVES, but UNTO HIM (Jesus) which died for them, and rose again.”
Hebrews 5:9 (NASB) “And having been made perfect, He became to all those who OBEY HIM Him the source of ETERNAL SALVATION.”

7 – Seek Not After Your Own Heart – (Num 15:39)

The Repentant, Born-Again saint is to be conformed to Jesus. We are to walk as Jesus walked. We are to lay aside every weight. We are to live unto God and not to our own self. We are to obey God and His Word.

The Repentant, Born-Again saint is not to seek after or go after his own heart, eyes, or desires. The will of the Lord, which will always be in harmony with God’s Word, is the direction a Repentant, Born-again Christian is to seek. It is written:

Numbers 15:39 “And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye SEEK NOT AFTER YOUR OWN HEARTAND YOUR OWN EYES, after which ye use to go a whoring.”

8 – Purge Himself – (2 Tim 2:21)

And if a Repentant, Born-Again Christian gets snared by the devil through wrong thinking and goes into sin, then he needs to Repent, Separate himself, Purge himself, Flee from and Overcome these things. This is done as a result of understanding and Faith that leads to Obedience.

2 Timothy 2:21 “If a man therefore PURGE HIMSELF FROM THESE, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and MEET FOR THE MASTER’S USE,AND PREPARED UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK.”
Job 28:28 “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”
Proverb 16:6 “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and BY THE FEAR OF THE LORD MEN DEPART FROM EVIL.”

We might say, by the Fear of the Lord men purge themselves. Often, Satan tempts a person to go astray in some way, and then he also convinces him that he has done nothing wrong. Thus, the person will then not seek to Repent and Purge himself, because he has been deceived into believing that there is nothing to Repent of. Once Satan has this foothold and the person has given a place to the devil, the backsliding begins. It usually starts slowly, almost unnoticeably, but then, gets worse and worse. Satan is more crafty or subtle than any other creature.

Many are in Hell, today. They may be crying, “No one ever told us these things.” Friend, if you are reading or hearing this Message, you can never say that no one ever told you these things; by the Grace of God, God’s Word is telling you these things, right now. Beware, for the blindness in our hearts, prompted by Satan’s clever devices, can cause you to go astray. It is written:

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

9 – Cast Down Imaginations – (2 Cor 10:5)

Once a person has Repented and become Born-Again, God gives him directions on how to win the battle or war against Satan’s cunning, deceptive devices. One of these directions is the following.

2 Corinthians 10:5 “CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

If a Thought comes into your Mind to sin, cast it down.
If Adulterous thoughts come into your Mind and you begin looking on a woman to lust after her,
Cast it down.

If a Thought comes into your Mind to get a job, after you have been called to full time service, such as Study & Teaching, Cast it down.

If a Thought comes into your Mind to become involved in the affairs of this world, Cast it down.
If a Thought comes into your Mind that in any way is Contrary to God’s Word, Cast it down.
If a Thought comes into your Mind not to get Baptized after Repentance, Cast it down.

If any Imagination or Thought comes into your Mind that is not in harmony with the Gospel,
Cast it down.

Cast down every high thing that sets itself up against the Knowledge of God’s Word.

Bring every Thought and Imagination you have into the Obedience of God’s Word
(the obedience of Christ).

Sin begins with a Wrong Thought. Going astray from God begins with a Wrong Thought. Then it grows, and your Emotions become involved. The desires of your heart become involved. Beware. Obey this verse.

10 – You Must Decrease – (John 3:30)

A Repentant, Born-Again Christian must decrease. Pride must become Humility. Boldness needs to become meekness.

Boastfulness needs to become Brokenness. Our assets can become liabilities. Our own Power becomes a Hindrance.

Matthew 23:12 “And whosoever shall EXALT HIMSELFSHALL BE ABASED; and he that shall HUMBLE HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED.”

Our own Wisdom is worthless. Indeed, the Wisdom of the World is nothing with God.

1 Corinthians 1:20 “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”
1 Corinthians 3:19 “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.”

It is when we are at our weakest that God’s power shines forth. God takes a person that is nothing and makes him into something. God takes, what appear to be, impossible situations and turns them around for good. God takes the weakest of people that have no hope. When they have no hope in themselves, then their only hope becomes Christ. When their only hope becomes Christ, then He works miracles.

2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN AM I STRONG.”
Hebrews 11:34 For “Out of Weakness” God’s people “were made strong.”
1 Corinthians 1:27 “But GOD HATH CHOSEN the FOOLISH THINGS OF THE WORLD to confound the wise; AND GOD HATH CHOSEN the WEAK THINGS OF THE WORLD to confound the things which are mighty”
Matt 11:11 Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.”

Still, John the Baptist said these words, in John 3:30 “He must Increase, but I MUST DECREASE.”

Self needs to Decrease and be Crucified. Any evidence of Pride needs to be annihilated. Thinking highly of yourself needs to be destroyed. The Creator of countless galaxies, of a universe that is without measure, is at hand. It is God Almighty. We are as grasshoppers on a small planet that rotates around an average-sized sun; in a galaxy of, perhaps, 200 billion suns and in a Universe of, perhaps, 300 Billion Galaxies; which stretch out over distances seemingly beyond man’s ability to understand.

Indeed, the question is asked:

Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Jesus needs to become the Center of our Universe. Jesus needs to be the Center of all our thinking. Jesus is to be all and all. We are His creation, bought with His blood.

John 15:5 Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING.”

Without Jesus we can do Nothing. We are Helpless. Many saints get themselves into many hurtful situations by not being patient and waiting on the Lord. They are sometimes in difficult situations, and then take matters into their own hands, without being patient in following God’s advice and direction.

Again, it needs to be emphasized—WE MUST DECREASE. We are no longer the center of the Universe. JESUS MUST INCREASE.

He must become the center of our Universe. Jesus is everything. We are nothing. We belong to Him. We cannot save ourselves. Our total dependence is to be centered by Faith in the person of Jesus Christ.

11 – Follow Me – (Luke 9:23-26)

A person that is seeking Jesus by Faith is told the following.

Luke 9:23-25 And he said to them all, “If any man will COME AFTER ME, let him DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, and FOLLOW ME. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?”
Mark 8:37 “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

The first part of verse 23 speaks to those that wish to be saved. It speaks to those that desire to follow Jesus.

Luke 9:23-25 Jesus said, “If any man will COME AFTER ME…”

Following this, Jesus tells those that want to come after Him to DENY themselves. This means that they are to forsake their worldly desires and ambitions. The “I want, I will, I shall” needs to be denied. It is a total self denial. It is saying NO to self and yes to God. It is saying:

Luke 22:42 “Not my Will, but thine be done”

It is saying NO to selfish interests and earthly securities. It is turning from Self-Centeredness.

Next, the person is to TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY. This is saying YES to God’s Will. One is to totally Crucify himself to the world and its ways and totally yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over him. We give up our rights to ourself and hand them over to Jesus as one bought for a price. The Christian is to be faithful. His cares about this life are to be handed over to Jesus by Faith. This is to be done on a Daily basis, not just now and then.

When a person was Crucified by the Roman Empire, he was often required to Carry his Cross through the streets of the City on the way to the place where he would be Crucified.

This was viewed as an admission that he was wrong, and the Roman Empire was right.

Thus, when Jesus talked of taking up one’s Cross Daily, He was showing those who Follow Him to display publicly, before all, their belief that He was true and right; they were following Jesus even to their Deaths. They were displaying publicly their Submission and Obedience to the Authority of Christ. The Pharisees and Scribes and other religious leaders refused to do this. Carrying the Cross is to admit that the one that hung on the Cross is right. It is accepting, without reservations, the consequences that will come as a result of Obeying God’s Word and bearing the Cross of Christ. For nearly all, this will mean some form of Suffering; for some, this will mean Martyrdom.

The last part of this verse is, FOLLOW ME, which means to Follow Jesus. As the Apostles followed Jesus, the saints are also to follow Jesus. Our Life, our Attitude, our Behavior, our Fruits, our Works, are all to Reflect Christ. The Repentant, Born-again saint is to be Conformed to Jesus. We are to walk as Jesus walked. We are to lay aside every weight. We are to live unto God and not to our own selves. We are to Obey God and His Word. We are to Decrease. Jesus must Increase and become the totality of a person’s life. Paul said it with these words.

Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to Die is Gain.”

As Jesus did not entangle Himself in the affairs of this World, so the saints, as His Followers, are not to entangle themselves in the Affairs of this world. As Jesus forsook everything, so the saints, as Followers of Jesus, are to Forsake Everything. As the life of Jesus was totally yielded to the Father, so the saint’s life is to be totally yielded to Jesus.

As Jesus is the Word, so the saints are to “Live…By every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” Matt 4:4; Deut 8:3; Luke 4:4.

To follow Jesus is to Yield to, Obey, and Follow the Word.

The overwhelming importance of these items is such that they are repeated in Mark 8:34-37 and
Matt 16:24.

Without following Jesus, by Faith, the professing Christian has no hope. Through faith the true, Repentant Believer learns to Obey God, Deny himself, Pick up his Cross, and Follow the King of kings. Nevertheless, Satan is continually setting traps to snare the Follower of Christ. Beware.

Matthew 19:16 “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, THAT I MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE?”
Matthew 19:21-22 Jesus said unto him, “If thou wilt be perfect, go andSELL THAT THOU HAST, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and COME AND FOLLOW ME. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”
Matthew 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, “Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
Luke 14:27 “And whosoever doth not BEAR HIS CROSS, and COME AFTER ME, cannot be my disciple”

12 – Example & Result of Following Christ – (Mark 2:14)

The Teaching of following Jesus and not the world in this Laodicean Church is, at best, only Lukewarm. In most cases, Preachers are silent on this subject. Many object to this kind of Teaching, as it Offends people and Convicts them that they are not right in the eyes of God.

Levi (Matthew) was working his job. He was a Tax Collector. Jesus came to him and said, FOLLOW ME. Levi (Matthew) forsook his job, and it appears he forsook the Taxes he collected and immediately began to Follow Jesus. He forsook all to follow Jesus. He did not Hesitate. He did not Complain. He did not make Excuses. He did not give his employer Two Weeks notice. He simply Forsook all. He never went (or shrunk) back, but Followed Jesus till his Death. This is the kind of Follower, a Repentant, Born-again Christian ought to be.

There are times when following Jesus that a person may have no place to lay his head. He may be in a Foreign Country, where it is hot and infested with mosquitoes carrying malaria.

When following Jesus, one never knows where he will be led. He could wind up in the deserts, clothed with camel’s hair.

Mark 2:14 “And as he (Jesus) passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus (Matthew) sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.”
Matt 8:19 “And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Matt 8:20 “And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the SON OF MAN HATH NOT WHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD. This is repeated in Luke 9:58.
Luke 1:80 “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.”
Mark 1:6-7 “And John was CLOTHED WITH CAMEL’S HAIR, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey.”

Consider. During the Tribulation, there will be No Excuses. There will be very little, if any, time to grow in Faith. When a person says Yes to following Jesus, he immediately may have to flee for his live. Persecutions will be so intense that most will be Martyred. If a person will Compromise now in following Jesus through Satan’s cunning deceit, how much more will he Compromise when his very life, or the life of his family are threatened. That horrible day is almost upon us. It is even at the doors. The Lukewarm Christians of today will enter the Tribulation. A person that tries to serve both God and Man is, at best, only Lukewarm.

13 – Excuses for Not Following Jesus – (Luke 9:52-62)

Luke 9:59-62 “And he said unto another, FOLLOW ME. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the Kingdom of God…”

In other words, let those that are going to perish bury their dead. When God calls a person to Preach the Gospel, there is No Compromise. Nothing should come before Obeying God. A Repentant, Born-again Christian should not allow any weight or obstacle to stop or delay him. Faith does not make Excuses. Faith does not Delay. Faith Acts. Faith Obeys.

Luke 9:61-62 “…And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; BUT let me FIRST go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, NO MAN, HAVING PUT HIS HAND TO THE PLOUGH, AND LOOKING BACK, IS FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

No man, that begins to follow Jesus but also looks back, as Lot’s Wife did, is fit for the Kingdom of God. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Once a person begins to follow Jesus (or puts his hand to the plough), he is not to look back. He is to be single-eyed, looking only to Jesus. When a person drives a car or rides a bicycle, if he keeps looking back, he could crash and possibly die. Such a person that is following Christ but keeps looking back, Jesus says, is NOT FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

14 – Sell All That You Have – (Luke 12:33-34)

The Message of “Selling all you have and following Jesus” has all but disappeared in America and much of the World. It is a hated Message in a land that is Prosperous, having much Money and Possessions. The thought of Selling Things and Following Jesus has nearly disappeared. It has been replaced with Compromise Preaching, Obtaining Wealth, and Prospering. There are “Get Rich Quick” schemes even in today’s Christian Churches and on Christian TV. There is much Teaching that deceives people into believing God wants them to be Rich. God’s Word presents a very different message than what is being promoted by many of today’s Lukewarm, Blind Churches.

Luke 12:33-34 Jesus said, “SELL that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO.”
Mark 10:17-25 “And when he (Jesus) was gone forth into the way, there came one (a certain rich, young merchant) running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, WHAT SHALL I DO THAT I MAY INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, ONE THING THOU LACKEST: go thy way, SELL WHATSOEVER THOU HAST, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and COME, TAKE UP THE CROSS, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Satan has killed much of the Christian Church with Compromise Preaching, and Prosperity. As the Scriptures show us, the Church age of today is the worst of all.

Jesus tells the Repentant, Born-again Christian:

Luke 12:33-34 “Sell that ye have…For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Sell whatsoever thou hast,…and Come, Take Up The Cross, and Follow Me.”

Satan tells us, “Buy, Get More. It’s O.K. You can Follow Jesus and Prosper Financially, also.” Satan lies to us and contradicts the Word of God. He did it to Eve. Satan told Eve she would not die, if she ate of the Fruit of the Tree. She chose to believe Satan. She died. Satan tells Christians today in their Thoughts, you can Follow Jesus and also your lusts for more and more Material Things. Deceived Christians love to believe this. They do not want to hear the Words of Jesus—SELL. Prosperity and Riches have killed many Christians. They have Fallen. Hell has many crying out in Torment. If only people would Listen to and Believe God’s Word, rather than Satan’s Lies that Contradict God’s Word. Yet men’s hearts want the best of both this World and the World to come. Sad to say, when they die, they will then realize just how deceived they were. They chose to Follow the desires of their own heart. They chose to believe the Scriptures meant something other than what was written. It Cost them their very life for Eternity. What gain is there, if a man gain the Whole World, but lose his own Soul.

God tells YOU: SELL, PICK UP YOUR CROSS, FOLLOW JESUS.

15 – Examples of Selling All – (Acts 4:32-37)

The Scriptures give us many examples of Selling all for Jesus. Here are a Few.

Acts 4:32-37 “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had ALL THINGS COMMON. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. NEITHER WAS THERE ANY among them THAT LACKED: for as many as were POSSESSORS OF LANDS OR HOUSES SOLD THEM, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, SOLD IT, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

16 – Sell: Do Not Make These Excuses or Do These Things – (Luke 12:22-32)

It is common for a Carnal, Lukewarm Christian to say, “If I sell my things and quit my job, how shall I eat? Will people come and leave groceries on my doorstep? What will I wear?”

Luke 12:22-32 Jesus tells us, And he said unto his disciples, “Therefore I say unto you, TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR YOUR LIFE, WHAT YE SHALL EAT; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And SEEK NOT YE WHAT YE SHALL EAT, OR WHAT YE SHALL DRINK, NEITHER BE YE OF DOUBTFUL MIND (or a wave in your Faith). For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and YOUR FATHER KNOWETH that ye have need of these things. But rather SEEK YE THE KINGDOM OF GOD; and all these things shall be added unto you. FEAR NOT, LITTLE FLOCK; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Can you receive God’s Teaching, or do you hear Satan’s lying voice in your Thoughts, saying, “God may do it for others, but He will not do it for you.” Thus, you are like a wave in Believing God’s Word.

17 – Do Not Lay Up Treasures Upon Earth – (Matt 6:19-21)

The Repentant, Born-Again Christian is warned about laying up things upon this Earth. It is Contrary to God’s Word. It is Sin. It is written:

Matthew 6:19-21 “LAY NOT UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES UPON EARTH, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”

FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO. The hearts of many people in this Lukewarm, Compromised Church age is in their Possessions, their Job, their House, their Education, their Hobby, or some other thing. Their heart is split—they love Jesus, but they also love other Things. Their devotion to Christ is divided.

18 – Cannot Serve Two Masters – (Luke 16:13)

Jesus warns us that we cannot serve this World and God. We cannot serve Money and God. It is written:

Luke 16:13 “NO SERVANT CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. (You cannot serve both God and money-NIV) You cannot serve both God and the world.”

A Repentant Born-again Christian is not to Compromise. Jesus is to be the center of his Universe, not the World. The Lukewarm Preaching of this last generation promotes Compromise. Jesus is to be the Lord of all your life, or He is not the Lord at all. Warning: do not Compromise with Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:11 “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men”

19 – Forsake All – (Luke 14:33)

Luke 14:33 “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that FORSAKES NOT ALL THAT HE HAS, HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE.”

God forbid, so many Preachers twist and try to distort this verse. They try to use other verses to make this verse of no effect. Many Preachers say that this verse does not mean exactly what it says. There are modern-day Pharisees today, just as there were in the days of Jesus.

Becoming a True, Repentant, Born-again Christian can be Costly. It can cost a person everything they have. Christians have lost their Houses, Employment, Children, Families, Husbands, Wives, Arms, Legs, Eyes, and even their Lives for Following Jesus.

No possession, nothing of this world is to have a hold on us. This verse describes a total Sacrifice.

A True, Born-again Christian must be willing to give up Everything for Jesus. First, Christians need to saturate themselves with God’s Word. They need to Obey God’s Word. They need to be ready to Travel to the ends of the Earth, if God calls them to do so.

It is written, WHOSOEVER HE BE OF YOU. This means everyone that chooses to follow Jesus.

The verse continues with these words, THAT FORSAKES NOT ALL THAT HE HAS. Jesus wants ALL of us, not part. The Christianity of the Laodiceans does not understand total Sacrifice. They do not understand Forsaking everything for Jesus. Every aspect of a Christian’s life—his Plans, his Desires, his Possessions, his Emotions, etc.—even all things should be put under the Lordship of Jesus. Christians should count all things as lost.

The verse continues with these words, HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE. The word “Disciple” actually means to be a Christian. A person that refuses to Forsake All for Jesus will find he will not be taken in the Rapture. In America, many people would not give up their Television for Jesus. Many would not give up their Vehicle for Jesus. Neither would they give up their House or their Job for Jesus. They would not give up their Comfortable Lifestyle for Jesus. Consequently, many will not be Raptured and will wonder why.

If Jesus spoke to many Christians in the World, today, to immediately leave and forsake their Families, their Job, and their Possessions to Travel to a distant place to proclaim Jesus, they would refuse to go. As they would not Forsake All for Jesus now, neither will they be invited to go on the ultimate trip when Jesus comes in the clouds to gather His saints.

The More a person has Now, the Less he usually wants to hear Scripture on Forsaking All that he has for Jesus.

People that want Eternal Life need to consider the Cost. That cost may be their very life. Those that inherit Eternal Life, during the time of the Tribulation, will understand the Cost. The Cost will be Everything. They can expect the loss of their Possessions, their Families, their Jobs; they may be brutally treated and finally beheaded. So Few in this Lukewarm, Compromising generation that call themselves Christians have any understanding of what being a real Christian is. They are too busy Buying, Building, Marrying, Getting Educated, and going about Business as usual. They are totally oblivious that Christ is about to return to take those Few that are SOLD OUT TO HIM and Faithful. It is as Jesus said it would be. It is as in the Days of Noah, and the Days of Lot, when all flesh had Compromised God’s ways, and the people loved to have it so.

Luke 14:26 Jesus tells us, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

20 – Examples of Forsaking All – (Matt 19:27-28)

What does Forsaking All really mean? The following verses make it very clear.

Matthew 19:27-29 “Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, WE HAVE FORSAKEN ALL, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, Judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And EVERY ONE THAT HATH FORSAKEN HOUSES, or BRETHREN, or SISTERS, FATHER, or MOTHER, or WIFE, or CHILDREN, or LANDS, for my name’s sake (“And the Gospel’s” Mark 10:29), (or “For the Kingdom of God’s sake – Luke 18:28) shall receive an hundredfold, (“with Persecutions” – Mark 10:30) AND SHALL INHERIT EVERLASTING LIFE.”

These are also repeated somewhat in Mark 10:28-30 and Luke 18:28-30.

True, Repentant, Born-again Christians in the past understood these verses. Those of the Tribulation will understand them. However, those of this blind Church age seldom understand them.

21 – Paul Counted All Things But Loss – (Phil 3:8)

Paul clearly understood the verses of forsaking all things for the sake of Jesus. It is written:

Philippians 3:8 – “I COUNT ALL THINGS BUT LOSS for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: For whom I HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF ALL THINGS, and DO COUNT THEM BUT DUNG, that I may win Christ.”

22 – Bodies a Living Sacrifice – (Rom 12:1)

The Repentant, Born-Again Christian is to present his body as a living sacrifice to God. It is written:

Romans 12:1 “Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service (or your spiritual act of worship-NIV).”

23 – Be Not Conformed to This World – (Rom 12:2)

God’s Word straightway charges the Repentant, Born-Again saint to not be Conformed any longer to the pattern of this world. When a person Repents, the pattern of their life should change. Their thinking should change. Their total life should be switched from self to pleasing God. Their total outlook should be changed from the world’s way of thinking to God’s way of thinking. It is written:

Romans 12:2 “BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD. (Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world-NIV) but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove (or be able to test) what is that good, and acceptable (or pleasing), and perfect, will of God.”

24 – Be Not Servants of Men – (1 Cor 7:23-24)

1 Corinthians 7:23-24 “We are bought with a price; BE NOT YE THE SERVANTS OF MEN.”

The Message is loud and clear. The Repentant, Born-again saint is to be Conformed to Jesus. We are to walk as Jesus walked. We are to lay aside every Weight, including Politics. We are to live unto God and not to our own selves. Such things as, “I want, I will, I shall, I desire,” need to be Crucified. A Repentant, Born-again saint is to live unto God, to Submit to His Word. He is to no longer live for this World and Self. At the Cross, he is to have died to Selfishness and his own will. The Repentant Born-again saint is to Obey God in all things. He is not to be a Servant of men but a Servant of God.

Being a Servant of God begins with study and ends with more Study, Obedience, Righteousness, Holiness, and finally, Perfection. It is written:

Rom 6:22 “Become servants to God”
1 Pet 2:16 “Servants of God”
Matt 4:10 “Him only shalt thou serve”
Luke 4:8 “Him only shalt thou serve”
Heb 12:28 “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear”
Acts 6:2 The Twelve said, “It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.”
Mal 3:18 “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”

Note God’s Word: “RIGHTEOUS…SERVETH GOD. WICKED…SERVETH HIM NOT.”

Does God want Part-time Servants or does He want SOLD OUT, Full-time, Obedient, Uncompromising Servants? The answer is clear. God wants vessels that are yielded totally to Him.

25 – Walk Not As Other Gentiles – (Eph 4:17-18)

The Repentant, Born-Again Christian is not to follow or walk in the ways of this World. We are to search God’s Word and seek what is pleasing in God’s eyes. It is written:

Ephesians 4:17-18 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth WALK NOT AS OTHER GENTILES WALK, in the vanity of their mind, Having the UNDERSTANDING DARKENED, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the BLINDNESS OF THEIR HEART.”
Titus 2:12 “Teaching us that, DENYING UNGODLINESS and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
2 Corinthians 10:3 “For though we walk in the flesh, WE DO NOT WAR AFTER THE FLESH.”

26 – Warning About Shrinking Back – (Heb 10:38)

Serving God is a reflection of our Faith. The Bible tells us, WORKS PROMPTED BY OR PRODUCED BY FAITH. This is the reason the Judgment is according to Works. This is the reason, in every one of the Seven Churches in the Revelation, the Judgment is according to Works. God states, I KNOW THY WORKS – Rev Chapters 3 & 4. Should a Repentant, Born-again Christian, which has been Studying and Serving God Full time, shrink back to a Worldly Job that is after the affairs of this World, then there is absolutely no question that he is in a fallen state. The Bible warns, REPENT QUICKLY OR ELSE. It is written:

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” – NIV

Drawing back into the world is a sign of Deception and a lack of Faith and correct understanding. By God’s Mercy, from henceforth, you can never say at the Judgment that no one ever told you these things. May God’s Word speak to your hearts. It is written:

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”

Last Days Lukewarm Laodicean Church Needs To— Deny Self

“The Laodicean church age will continue to get worse and worse, until Jesus returns to catch up “His” people. All unrepentant Laodiceans are rejected. As in the days of Noah and the days of Lot, the very few that have overcome-anointed their eyes with eyesalve and can see-will be taken.

Note the differences between the popular preaching and familiar sayings of the Laodicean church age and the uncompromised Word of God, which is rarely used in this unrepentant generation. The following are based on lies, traditions, and half truths. They mislead and deceive people. This is, also, spiritual warfare.

Some Laodicean Preaching is: “You shall have; you shall receive; you shall prosper; you shall have a good time; you shall be healed; you shall have a miracle; being sick shows you have no faith or if you are sick and do not get healed, it shows you have no faith; you can get power (instead of “if the Lord will.”); you do not have to obey God’s commandments, because that is legalism; exalt oneself; be someone special; you are a King’s kid; revival is coming before the Tribulation; no man knows the day and hour of the Rapture; you are not to fear God, but only reverence Him; you can trample Satan under your feet; Satan can no longer deceive you; many go to heaven; you are saved by a prayer, and no sin can take you to hell.” These are only a few of many teachings that are misleading and deceiving people.

Some Laodicean Sayings Include: “God has a miracle for you; believe God for a miracle; expect a miracle; you have the keys to release prosperity in your life; sow seed and believe for a harvest; I’m expecting a turn around in my finances; give-expecting; you are about to get a miracle and it is in your pocketbook; Jesus put you on this earth to be a success; God told me to tell you; bind Satan (all kinds of ways); Satan has no power over you; Satan cannot deceive you; you can stamp Satan under your feet; stupid devil; take your shoe off and stamp on the devil; exercise your faith; take this handkerchief, penny (or some other object) and do this or that and receive a miracle.”

These are misleading and deceiving people.

Some Misleading Things going on in the Church include: uncontrollable outbursts of laughing, animal-type sound, jumping off the stage into people’s arms, and many other unbiblical things.

Minister’s emotions are speaking louder than God’s Word. They have become victims of their own emotions, making God’s Word of none effect. These expressions are very popular. They attract people, but also lead them astray.” Excerpt about the Last Days Lukewarm Laodicean Church in Rev 3:7-22.

Counsel from Gods Word for the Last Days Church Rev 3:3-22

If What You SAY, THINK, or DO is Contrary to God's Word, Then You Are Being Deceived!" - Martha Mac, SO4J-TV - SO4J.com

Following is some of God’s Word, which is rarely used or understood in this unrepentant generation.
Some counsel from God’s Word:

Study God’s Word
Labor in God’s Word
Tremble at God’s Word
Live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, Seek knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of God’s Word above all things.
Be led by God’s Word
Do God’s Word
Obey God’s Word
Obey God’s commandments
Do God’s will, not your own
To be led of the Spirit, is to be led by God’s Word
Live unto God, not yourself
If you love God-keep His commandments.
Fear God
Tremble at His Word
The fear of God is understanding.
Riches, and pleasures, and lusts, and the cares of this world can deceive a person and choke God’s Word.
Forsake everything
Sell what you have and give alms
Deny yourself
Give up your own desires and will
Give
Surrender
Be broken
Repent
Be humbled
You must decrease.
After believing on Jesus and repenting, be baptized by full immersion in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Lose all
Deny self
Do not seek after your own desires, your own eyes, your own will.
Do not count your life dear to yourself
Present your body totally unto God
You are not to please yourself
God resists the proud
God does not give grace to the proud.
Do not lay up treasures upon this earth
You cannot serve God and money
It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God-Lk 18:25.
You will be persecuted
You will suffer.
Be conformed to Jesus
Be changed
Follow Jesus
Do as Jesus did
Walk as Jesus walked.
Be vigilant, because Satan is seeking to devour you
Satan deceives the whole world
Satan’s ministers are difficult to discern from God’s ministers
Most ministers are Satan’s ministers
Cast down wrong thinking
Cast down everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God
Overcome the world through faith.
Beware, lest you fall.
Serve God, Him only shalt thou serve
Serve God with humility
You will be serving God with tears.
Few go to heaven
Most go to hell
“You may even be killed.”
He that loses his life, for the sake of Jesus, shall gain it

A book of hundreds of pages could not adequately convey nor dispel the blindness that is upon the Laodicean church; so then, how can these few scriptures? It is the Holy Spirit that must give the understanding.

Video: It Will Cost You Everything

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“MORE FROM BIBLE DESK ON DENYING SELF” AN EXCERPT FROM THEIR BIBLE STUDY ON: REV 3:7-3:22

SO4J-TV (SO4J.com) ADDED THE SCRIPTURE REFERENCES TO EACH OF THE SUBTITLES FOR QUICK BIBLE REFERENCES OF HOW WE ARE TO DENY SELF.