Worship: Denying Yourself

Jesus says in Luke 9:23, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  These words are so pointed, so direct, and so real, but hard to put into context for me.  What does it mean to deny yourself?  As a culture, we are so focused on ourselves. The idea of taking “me” out of the equation sounds crazy.  Denying yourself is something that must be done if we are to truly worship God. This denial of self should take place daily.   Surrendering our heart, soul, mind, and attitudes must be done if we are to be a true worshipper and follower of God. God wants our everything. Worship with the wrong mindset, wrong focus, and wrong attitudes isn’t worship at all.  With this in mind, how can you deny yourself today?  What must you change in your life for this self-denial to take place?

The 3 A's of Awesome--Attitude

Life's circumstances bring us down. Sometimes life throws us a curve ball that the best baseball player couldn't come close to hitting. Our reaction to our circumstances is very visible to those around us. Saying we have the attitude of Christ is totally different than showing others we have the attitude of Christ. In Philippians 2:5, Paul reminds us that "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. This is extremely difficult because everyone thinks and prioritizes things differently. The circumstances that we face are sometimes unbearable, but we know we should and can lean on the Lord. Paul reminded the church in Thessalonica to "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus". What things can you change in your life right now to reflect the attitude of Jesus?

The Three A's of Awesome

I recently watched Neil Pasricha's "The 3 A's of Awesome". His speech was inspiring and described how how overcame various adversities in his life. The three A's he discussed were: attitude, awareness, and authenticity. Each of these A's can easily be applied to the Christian walk. A Christian must strive to have the attitude of Christ. A Christian must be aware of opportunities around them to serve. A true Christian must be authentic. The next few posts will explore the 3 A's of Awesome.

The Power of the Word "CAN'T"

Last weekend, I used a bad word. A word that limits so many people. A word that has the power to influence attitudes in often negative ways. The word was can't. I am not the most mechanically inclined person. It takes me hours what it takes a "handyman" to do. I was not up for the challenge of assembling a trailer, even if it meant 10 lug nuts and 2 bolts. I attempt to teach my children and my students the importance of hard work and achieving what they feel might be impossible. I am often reminded of words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 19:26, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” For my children, I told them that can't is a "bad" word. ALL things are possible with God, whether it is as simple as putting together a trailer or moving a mountain. This weekend I needed to listen to my own advice.