Whoever Loses His Life

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Whoever Loses His Life

We all want  a good life  —  one that is really worth living  —  one that gives peace  and satisfaction  —  real happiness  —  a sense of accomplishment.      Jesus explained many times  how just believing  in Him  will lead us  to eternal life  in heaven  —  the place where life  will be good  forever and ever.

That sounds like a simple enough thing  to do.     But,  Jesus also explains  that our “believing”,  our “faith”,  will be tested  for it’s solidness  while we live  on this earth  with all its temptations,  and demands,  and mockings.     We need  to be willing  to firmly face the truth  and live by it.     In Matthew 16:24-25,  Jesus explains,

If any one wishes  to come after Me,  let him deny himself,  and take up his cross,  and follow Me.     For whoever wishes  to save his life  shall lose it;  but whoever loses  his life  for My sake  shall find it.

To go after Jesus is  to believe  in Him  —  to believe  that in Jesus  our sins are all truly forgiven  —  and to live  by the same principles  that Jesus lived.     Jesus says  that means we need  to learn  to deny ourselves.     To deny ourselves is  to put God’s will first  in our lives,  in everything we do  — just because we know  He alone  is true and almighty.

In putting God first,  we will love  to learn His ways  and desires  for us.     We will love  to please Him  because of the greatness  of His love for us  in Jesus Christ.     We will do our utmost  to help others  as best we are able,  because we love God’s other children.     As they are precious  in God’s sight,  so they become precious  in our sight.     And,  in view of God’s great love,  we will hate  what is evil,  in the way  that God hates evil.

Then,  Jesus said we must  take up our cross.     Jesus’ cross was  to suffer and die  as a full payment  for our sins.     He did that  with joy  because He looked  to the end result  of His sacrifice  —  salvation  for each  of us.

A cross is not an easy thing  in life  —  it is something very hard  to bear  for an ultimate good.     Our cross could be any number  of difficult challenges  that life presents  to us.     Our crosses ultimately strengthen us  in the true faith,  lead us  to love in truth,   and cause us  to rejoice  as we remember our ultimate goal  in heaven.

Our crosses are  in all our strivings  to live the way  God wants us  to live  and trusting  that God will bless us  in the end,  even though things look mighty bleak  for a long time.     The world will mock our cross  and say we’re nothing  but a failure,  but our Lord knows how  to continue purifying us  in the true faith,  so that our final victory  will be glorious.     It will be  pure joy.

Jesus looked like a total failure  to the world  as He hung  on the cross.     They despised Him  as He suffered  for the sins  of all those  who would believe  in Him.     What looks like a failure  to the world  ends up showing the world  how foolish  and worthless  its sinful ways are.

Following Jesus  is seeing truth  for what it is  —  and seeing the foolishness  of this world  for what it is.     If we are wise,  we will choose  to follow the truths  God has given us  in His proven word.     This world cannot prove  that its philosophies,  strengths,  authorities,  powers,  teachings,  or anything else  is better  than what God has shown us  in His eternal word  —  simply, because  everything it pushes on us  is a worthless sham.

As we follow Jesus  and live  in His truths,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Lord,  strengthen us  to follow You truly  in all our trials.     Let us live  in this world  to Your glory,  that we may live  with You eternally.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and GOD of gods

Pray for our country.

The LORD made this day, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.

Psalm 118:24  

The word of the LORD is tried;

He is a shield to all who take refuge  in Him.

Psalm 18:30

Sing for joy  in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming  to the upright.

Psalm 33:1

How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house!

They are ever praising Thee.

Psalm 84:4

Just as a father  has compassion  on his children,

So the LORD has compassion  on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

Oh give thanks  to the LORD,  for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalm 107:1

Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart  of those who seek the LORD  be glad.

Psalm 105:3

Not that I have already obtained it,  or have already become perfect,  but I press on  in order that

I may lay hold  of that  for which also I was laid hold of  by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

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