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God is trying to get the signal through to us, but the ones who are satisfied with what they have hear nothing.
We have tried to make God in our own image, and because we have made Him in our image, we think we can explain everything He is and that He is supposed to do.
If you can explain everything about God, it isn’t really God you are explaining.
Take the world but give me Jesus, for Jesus is the only One that can truly satisfy both now as we live upon this earth and for all eternity.
Jesus asked a question:
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NASB)
“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NLT)
This question of Jesus needs to be asked by each one of us, and the answer that we each individually give will reveal a lot about us.
What am I, what are you, willing to exchange for your soul? For your eternal salvation?
We must be prepared to lose our life!
“Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the Gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35 NIV)
“Then, calling the crowd to join His disciples, Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35 NLT)
This may not be our physical life such as some persecuted Christians are facing right now. But Jesus expects us to lose our ‘self life’.
To lose our selfish desires, to lose considering our rights ahead of other people and especially ahead of the Gospel and being a disciple of Jesus.
Jesus has many ‘followers’ – but – Jesus wants disciples!
People who are prepared to put Jesus, the Gospel and the extension of God’s Kingdom ahead of their own self. People who have died to living to their self-wants and instead live for Jesus.
This is essence is what believers water baptism is all about. Signifying by going under the water that you have drowned, that you have died, to self. And rising back up out of the water a new creation, a new person who is alive and living for Jesus and God’s Kingdom.
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