This Life Or That One
Mark 8:34 And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]. AMPC
Do you ever feel like you knew the Word and then suddenly you’re living in it and it has a whole new meaning, the message has changed? I would reference that to God growing us up.
Let’s begin then to grow here a little more than we have before. I have always thought I was carrying my cross until this last year— I must say He has carried my cross for me.
I know many would say that is the way it is suppose to be. Yes to a place where you can’t do anything without Him, but first you have to be in agreement with Him. First you have to say yes Lord. Even when it hurts you have to say yes Lord fix me. Change me to fit into Your Kingdom, into Your likeness.
Carrying your cross as Jesus puts it here is really giving up this life here of all your pleasures and interests—exclusively, to exchange this life for eternal life. Jesus is saying to be sided with Him we have to let go of the pull of fitting into the world’s mold of what it acceptable and not —and fit into His Kingdom standards instead.
Whatever you cleave to is what is pulling you away from God and God is going to ask you to lay it down. Now that is not an easy thing to do because it is actually a transformation of your character in which only He can do by your willingness. Letting go of the world and clinging to Him is not you anymore— but Him in you. Really the summation of salvation.
In this account of Mark, Jesus just finished telling His disciples what was going to happen to Him.
Mark 8:31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must of necessity suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days rise again [from death].32 And He said this freely (frankly, plainly, and explicitly, making it unmistakable). And Peter took Him by the hand and led Him aside and then [facing Him] began to rebuke Him. AMPC
Peter was thinking he had to protect Jesus and instead Jesus said we have to deny our self if we want to follow Him. He rebuked Peter for the acts of love He was about to do for God, for us —for our salvation. Peter didn’t get it then, but he did get it later as will we when we submit to Him.
Jesus went into a lot of detail in His explanation of what it means to carry your cross.
Mark 8:35 For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God]. AMPC
Do you hear what He is saying?
Mark 8:36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]? AMPC
How often do we thrive on the world’s acceptance? How often do we just slip right into that mold the enemy has carved for us without even realizing it?
I can answer that it is all the time unless — unless you are asking God to keep you on the narrow path of transformation. That path that leads to your eternal life means you will give up this life, the life your flesh wants for that life with Him when you leave here. Many who cling to this life here will give up that life for this one— because they are oblivious to the fact that they are making a choice now.
I got this revelation because I have been seeking, knocking and the door as Jesus promised has been open to me. I have been asking that I make it to eternal life and in doing so have been corrected to the place where I wondered if I had to give everything up and found out yes I do.
Jesus makes it clear either it is this life of acceptance or that life. I pick that one, I choose Him. What about you, will you get this revelation for yourself; will you seek Him with all your heart, soul and mind and not be so sure of yourself, that you’re going to make it? Find out for sure, get before Him and let Him fix you instead of trying to do it yourself.