From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2003 7:01 AM
To: Heritage
Subject: Blessed Greetings

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.'"  Matthew 16:24

Today we are told that self esteem is what is needed to make a place in society.  Parents are told that they must build their child's self esteem and he/she will go far.  Self help books, tapes, videos abound for all ages.  Big sellers are those that tell how to be assertive, how to be Number One.  Materials on self focus go on and on.  But Jesus says of the one who desires to be His disciple that he must 'deny himself'.

Remember our definition last week said that, "A disciple was not only a pupil, but an adherent; hence they are spoken of as imitators of their teacher."  And what did Jesus do when he came to earth? Philippians 2:5-8 tells us, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking on the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

Even though He was God, he emptied Himself of all His Godness, and took on the form of a servant.  Are His disciples greater that their Master?  No! So do not think it strange that He says to 'deny yourself' deny your flesh.

Romans 8:7-8 tells us, "...The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

Believers are a new creation born of God and indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.

Christ, "died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." 2 Corinthians 5:15

"For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection."  Romans 6:5

Romans 8:13-14 tells us, "For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."

Let us heed the words of God spoken through the Apostles Paul and Peter as are written in: Romans 6:12-13, "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God."

Romans 13:14, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."

Galatians 5:16, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."

Colossians 3:5, "Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry."

1 Peter 2:11, "Brethren, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul."

1 Peter 4:1-2, "Therefore, since  Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose...so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."

Beloved of Christ, search the Scriptures to see the truth of Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God..."

It is Christ's life that He is living in and through each Believer, therefore, it is right and just that we deny self that His will be done in and though His Body, the Church.  Christ is Lord. Hallelujah and Amen!