Luke Chap:9 Verse 23 – 25

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. 24. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroyed.

If you read the following verses you will see the same sentiment mentioned ( Luke 17:33, Matthew 10: 37 – 39 and John 12:25). Our lives are seeds which God has sown here on earth. We can choose to take that seed and plant it in soil in order to grow into a big tree, providing spiritual fruit to many in our neighborhoods and communities, or we can try to preserve the seed as is. The key thing is the seed has to be buried daily in the word meaning, our ego, aspirations, selfish desires and wants die daily to the will of Christ. Many of us will bury our selves in the soil (the word), but refuse to die, because we don’t plant ourselves deep enough. Are we truly that selfish? Death in this anology means surrender, which is the same as taking up our cross daily.

This is the posture we need to first attain before we begin following Christ. This is what narrows the gate to heaven, not the restrictions God has placed, but a choice we have made not to surrender. Our choices narrow our own path to God in heaven.

Matthew Chap: 7 Verse: 7-14

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

It is good to have plans, but daily they should be surrendered to God so his will can be fulfilled in us. His will is even sometimes fulfilled through the very plans and desires we have.

It is interesting that apostle John referred to himself in the bible as the disciple whom Jesus loved. I feel John’s writings has the true meaning of following Christ. Most new testament books told the story of Christ, but John told the case for Christ Diety. His claim to being God in flesh. Is his perspective due to how John followed Christ? He was always close to Christ being included in the three disciples Christ called to pray and watch, while he prayed in the garden of Gethsemeny. I believe John basked in God’s love for him through Christ. He saw Christ as love and as a savior. While others were amazed at Christ’s miracles and impressed by his teachings, John observed Christ’s grace and love in action as the Son of God.

JOHN -: The name in greek means “Yahweh has been gracious“. Isn’t this ironic that the meaning of John’s name would be so relevant to the way John related to Christ?

In the gospel of John sin is expressed as unbelief. What is belief and unbelief?

BELIEF:

• An acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.
• Trust, faith or confidence in someone or something.

UNBELIEF:

• Lack of religious belief.
• An absence of faith.

John believed everything Christ said without question. He experienced a relationship with Christ others didn’t, because his love and belief was real and true. I believe John tapped into what following Christ really means. Seeing Jesus for who he is as the Son of God and accepting (believing in) his grace, salvation and victory over sin in our lives.  If you can see Christ as John did, then we are followers of Christ.

Is it possible to have revelation and still not believe?

Today’s Christian lives in a world of revelation from books to televised sermons and bible studies, that tells us of the power Christ transferred to us at the cross. Yet we live defeated and powerless lives. The revelation of the living word is there, but not many christians truly believe it. We are more focused on how much we love Christ and adore God. Focused on what we can do to be better Christians, rather than how better we can surrender ourselves, so that Christ can mold us into God’s will. When we view our relationship with God it is from earth to heaven, we view and experience our relationship with all the earthly limitations of this world. When apostle John viewed his relationship with God, it was from Heaven to earth. He viewed and experienced his relationship with all heaven has to offer and the boundles love our limitless father has for us. We need both revelation of God’s word and the faith to believe in it to make our lives effective and enrich our relationship with Christ. The pursuit of knowledge is admirable, but if it does not lead to a better understanding of God’s love for us, deepening our relationship with him, then it is frivolous. Our mandate is to share the good news of God sending his Son as a saviour to die on the cross to redeem man’s soul, by his sacrifice and shedding of blood. This is the greatest love story of all time, how can we tell it if we don’t understand it or experience it ourself.

God’s love cannot be explained it can truly only be experienced and that requires true belief.