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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY
22, 2012
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Scripture Reading:
Luke 9:18-25
18 And it came to
pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them,
saying, Whom say the people that I am?
19 They answering said, John the
Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is
risen again.
20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering
said, The Christ of God.
21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to
tell no man that thing;
22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and
be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised
the third day.
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall
lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself,
or be cast away?
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REFLECTION:
Too many professing Christians imagine they can be identified with Christ
without being crucified with Christ.
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Dietrich Bonhoeffer
wrote in THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him
come and die."
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· Christ's disciples
deny the pleasures of sin, pride, and the "self-centered life. They willfully
(choose) and willingly (choose without reservations) take up the cross
daily--dying to the world and the flesh.
Without a death there
can be no resurrection. Only when we die to our self-centered and selfish
agenda can we rise to walk in newness of life. Fanny Crosby expressed the same
idea in her hymn "Blessed Assurance," "Perfect submission, all
is at rest."
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PRAYER: Our Father, Thank you
for sending your only begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins. Search my
heart and reveal to me any area of my life that is self-centered, or selfish,
or in any way disobedient to your will.(Pause here and wait for a moment to
listen for God's voice). Forgive me Lord. Purify my heart. I surrender my
entire life to you. Put to death any rebellious and self-centered attitudes in
my heart. Fill me with your great love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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