Daily Bible Verses For February

February 18: (Luke 9:23)

"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
    ~Luke 9:23

Comment:
Following Jesus isn't easy. Just looking at the lives of His disciples and how all but one died unnatural, gruesome deaths should show us a glimpse of what following Jesus means.

Another way in which we find it hard to be believers is the denying of the flesh. If we desire to become adopted into God's family, we must lay aside our own fleshly wants and desires and be willing to let God guide and direct us to whatever plans He has in store for us.

But it's not enough to think that once we get saved, we'll never have a problem with sin ever again. It's true that we'll sin less when we are led by God, but we are still a broken, stained people nonetheless. We still foul up.

That's why Jesus says we must take up our cross DAILY!!! We must DAILY turn to God and fill ourselves with Him. We must DAILY repent and deny ourselves and let God take control!

When we take up our cross for Jesus, we say "no" to our flesh and our self-pleasing wants. We deny ourselves the momentary comforts and pleasures of the world. Instead, we say "yes" to Jesus and gladly reach for the eternal glory that awaits us.

~Lily (lilyflower1603)