Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Matthew 16:24, KJV
Last night, I was at a Tenth Avenue North concert (which was amazing, by the way), and the lead singer was speaking for the moment between a song set, and he mentioned that verse in Matthew that says for us to ‘Deny Ourselves.’ He talked a bit about that, and I loved what he, Mike Donehey, said about it.
We hear ‘deny ourselves’ and a lot of the time, we think about giving up what we think is fun, entertaining, or things that make us happy for God. For some reason, a lot of Christians have the mindset ‘God wants us to be miserable… for him!’ This is not the case at all! Did you really think a God that loves you wants you to be miserable?
I think we can all agree – sin is tempting. Haha. We think it looks so good – it’s so tempting. That’s why it’s called temptation. It looks so good. Lovely. Harmless. Pleasurable. How else could The Enemy get us to disobey our God? It looks like ‘This will not hurt me,’ or ‘Oh, this is harmless.’
We THINK these things, but we know the truth – we know these are bad, awful things that God hates. Real happiness, real love, real pleasure, real joy does not come from sin. It comes from God.
‘You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.’
Psalms 16:11
When Jesus say ‘Deny Ourselves’ he does NOT want us to be miserable or unhappy. Just the opposite. He wants us to live the BEST life possible. We KNOW this is the best life possible, too – God obviously did. He sent Jesus to DIE for THIS LIFE you’ve been gifted with.
When Jesus says ‘Deny yourself,’ he means for us to deny ourselves of the things we THINK look attractive, but what he and we know are wrong. Stealing something that does not belong to you. Sex and pornography. Lying to cover up something. All these things looks like good ideas on the outside. ’If I steal this, I’ll have something without paying for it!’ ’Sex feels so great!’ ’If I lie, then so-n-so won’t know what I did – I’m off that hook!’ But we know, from the bible, what these things cause. It does not end up good. Sin leads to death and a miserable life – exactly the opposite of what Jesus wants.
So next time you want a Cheeseburger, eat a Cheeseburger – you don’t have to deny yourself. Next time you’re sleepy, take a nap – you don’t have to stay awake ‘For Jesus’ sake!’
Deny yourself of the things that make your life miserable and that make you unhappy. Jesus loves you, and wants to see you smile.
So smile. Jesus loves you.
Thanks for Reading,
Lots of Love,
-Matt
written by Matt
\\ tags: Bible, Christ, Deny Yourself, God, Jesus, Love, Matthew, Music, Psalms, salvation, Sin, Story
 Back in Middle School, I had a friend that I knew pretty well. He was a great person to be around, was very smart, and had an excellent sense of humor. He was also a hardcore Atheist who scoffed at the very notion of God – much less a loving one. He knew I was a Christian, but thankfully that didn’t effect our friendship. We’d always crack jokes to each other about our beliefs, and teased and joked, but it was all in fun. He was a great friend.
I remember this so vividly; one day he came to me at lunch really down. He said he didn’t understand anything about what was going on with himself or his life, and everything was just coming down around him. As a Christian, I knew the only one who could help him was Jesus. He needed him badly, but I had tried so many times before to earnestly tell him about the love of God, and not what he had been taught. So, in this instance, I just assumed he was depressed, like we all get, and just said ‘Sorry man,’ and continued with lunch.
This was on a Friday. I found out on Monday, he had tried to kill himself over the weekend. Thank God he failed, but the very fact he tried shook me to my core. I had given up on him, too. I was maybe the last glimpse to God he had, and I gave up on him.
I haven’t talked to him much since then. Things just were never the same, but every time I think about him, I think about how I was a quitter – I gave up on him, and he gave up on God… and even tried to give up on life.
Maybe you have a friend like this, or know someone who just needs someone to talk to. It might seem like the last straw – YOU can’t take it anymore! It’s like they don’t want help, so you give up. I tell you the truth, the most selfish thing I, or anyone, ever did was give up on someone because they were too big of a challenge. I was a coward, and I was weak.
Friends, I urge you to stay strong, even when it seems like you’re fighting and loosing, uphill battle. You could be someone’s last hope. I often think ‘What if my friend had succeeded?’ I pray that none of you ever have to think of that.
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
That’s so true. It’s not in Vain. Never think it is.
Thanks for reading,
Lots of Love,
-Matt
written by Matt
\\ tags: control, Giving Up, Help, Hope, Jesus, life, Loss, Love, Problems, Regrets, Story, Struggle, Suicide, Worry
God, you are Crazy.
Really, Really, Really Crazy.
Your craziness borders on stupidity, God.
Look at what you’re doing.
You keep going back into an abusive relationship,
continuing to love your abuser,
asking for nothing in return,
My God, you are Crazy.
Though he slaps you in the face,
though he kicks you in the shin,
you keep reaching out for him;
God, you sure are crazy.
How many times will it take?
You’re seriously still trying?
But look at how he treats you!
Like he doesn’t even care.
So you’re still reaching out, hmm?
Going to try again?
Face it, he’s a lost cause.
My God, you’re so crazy.
Or maybe not…
Maybe he’s the crazy one,
that crazy one being me;
but you knew that, didn’t you?
You seem to know these things.
But why? Why still love me?
A horrible, awful wretch like me?
I can’t possibly make an excuse.
My God, you sure are crazy.
Or maybe it is me – the crazy one.
Maybe this insanity does not lie with you,
but with me – the one you DIED for,
that seems not to even care.
But please, Lord, please,
know I do love you,
but what can I do?
It seems like too much.
My God, I’m crazy.
After all you’ve done,
Are doing, and yet to do,
I still act like you mean nothing to me.
My God, I am crazy.
These things, they are not mere sin,
but, literally, insanity -
eating away at who I am.
Take these things, God!
You mean too much to me!
I do not want them anymore!
Pride, Anger, Lust, Lies, take it all!
My God, I am crazy.
Really, Really, Really crazy.
My craziness borders on stupidity, God
Look at what I’m doing.
But still… you’re there. And I thank you for that.
-Matt
written by Matt
\\ tags: control, Crazy, God, Help, life, Love, Poetry, Sin, Story, Struggle
|
|
