Dear Explorer,
Read Luke 14:25-27
These are hard words – that's why I want you to really hear and understand this. It's a big decision to follow Jesus. If you really want to be a follower of Jesus, you must obey Him out of love for Him. And the more you obey, the more like Jesus you will become.
The first requirement is to love Him more than you love anyone else on earth.
When David and I were first dating, I told him that I would never put him in first place in my life. He needed to consider that BEFORE we entered into a serious relationship. After some time of prayer, he agreed. After we were married, we heard a Christian song that summed it up beautifully. It's called “Love Song for Number 2” by Mickey and Becki Moore. You can hear it on YouTube.com if you like. It talks about a woman's great love for her husband – but that there was a greater Love in her life and that was her love for Jesus. Not many couples today practice this – but I believe this is what Jesus is teaching in this passage.
The second requirement is found in Luke 14:27. What is it and what does it mean?
It does not mean to wear a piece of jewelry shaped like a cross! It also doesn't mean dealing with a pain or problem. Some people call that “their cross to bear”.
Read Romans 12:1
That's the best definition I can find for carrying your cross.
There's only one purpose for a cross and that is death! The follower of Jesus' cross means death to SELF. It's the question of who you allow to rule your life: SELF or Jesus.
I explained this more fully in my book, Transformed! Learning to submit SELF to Jesus – that's a long, sometimes painful, process. I'm still learning!
In His service, dale
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