Daily Devotion: The Word Revealed - Daily Dying to Self and Living to God: Jesus Our Example - Matt 26:26-43, Like 9:23-26

Jesus Christ was fully God, and fully man; no less divine, no less human.  Every human emotion and temptation He experienced, yet without sin.  Jesus communicates to us His desire to avoid death.  “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.”  Yet Jesus Christ denied Himself and His human desire at that moment and uttered some of the most memorable words of His earthly ministry, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”  Jesus died to self and His will and said yes to His Father’s will.  The mindset, commitment, and words of Jesus serve as our example.  We are to daily die to self and cry out, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” 

When we focus our minds and dedicate our hearts to do the will of God in all that we do, say, and think every day, in every area of our lives, we are on the pathway of dying to self and living to Christ.  This is an important step in seeing the glory of God in our lives and having our love for Him grow stronger and more passionate.  In fact, every step on the pathway of self-denial is another step toward a deeper and more fulfilling love relationship with God.  This is truly the pathway of love.

All Sacrifice Has A Cost

This setting aside self and trusting God totally will, at times, bring loneliness, persecution, and losses of all sorts.  This type of self-denial cost Jesus His life.  While self-denial will at times cost us much, no sacrifice made for the glory of God is ever senseless.  It may appear as senseless to others, and sometimes appear senseless even to you, but no genuine sacrifice is ever senseless in the eyes God.  While there is sacrifice and loss in self-denial, at the same time, we experience the joy of being in His will, we experience the peace of Christ which surpasses all human understanding, and we experience the blessing of bearing much fruit for His glory.  There is also a great freedom that comes with dying to self and living to the glory of Christ.  When we say, “I am not doing this for me or my glory, but only for His glory” we accomplish our daily tasks freed from the pressure to perform and the fear of failure.

A Lifelong Call

Are you willing to lovingly trust God your Father and Jesus Christ your Savior in every area of your life?  Will you purposely, and with equal vigor, pursue self-denial and the glory of God passionately?  Will you do this once, or once in a while, or daily?  This matter of self-denial and living to the glory of Christ is not a one time for all time transaction.  Jesus put it very pointedly in Luke 9:23, “Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”  This is a daily endeavor of obedience, trust, and love.  Our love grows for our Lord each day as we trust Him anew.

Pause & Ponder:

- Will you deny self and pursue the will of God in things you choose to watch on television?  If Christ were sitting next to you on the couch, would He watch that show?

- Will you deny self and pursue the will of God in what you do on the computer and internet?  Is time wasted, or time maximized, for God’s glory?

- Will you deny self and pursue the will of God in the language you use around others at home and in the community?

- Will you deny self and pursue the will of God in the manner in which you tithe, spend and save money?