Discipleship. (Part 2)

I'm still over here thinking about discipleship. I wrote part one here. I'm just simply looking at discipleship, and how our lives should be following Jesus. We are obviously given the ultimate example through Jesus, who calls us to follow with all of who we are, loving Him more than anything else. There are obviously many, many commands throughout the Bible letting us know how we should live-because God really does know best. There are also a few specific commands of discipleship. One of them being, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." "The word denial means to repudiate; to disdain; to disown; to forfeit; to totally disregard." If we desire to be disciples, if we desire to follow after Jesus, we must deny ourselves, die to ourselves. Give up what we have, for what He has for us. "In that day and age, a person who was bearing a cross was walking to his death. Bearing your cross means dying to self, laying aside your personal goals, desires and ambitions so that God can reveal His desires, ambitions and goals for your life. In essence, it is living life as it was meant to be lived: in the will of God." And this needs to be done daily. Daily giving up our sinful nature, ready to follow whatever our Creator has for us today, and the day after, and the day after that. And that's how true life is really found. It's in loosening our grip on life, and taking hold of Him, that we are saved. Nothing is really lost, because we've let go, to take hold of something so much better. Let us strive to be disciples. And disciples no longer live for themselves-that's been put to death. Gaining everything we think we need, won't do us any good. Though, following Jesus will change our lives for great good.

"The laying down of self doesn't mean becoming something that you're not... in fact, it is the becoming of who you were always meant to truly be. It's utterly selfless and gloriously beautiful."

What's one area or one thing that you will deny yourself this week? What's one way that you will follow more closely this week?