'Deny Yourself' - Part 2
Mark 8:34 - 'And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.' |
Self promotion is the opposite of self denial. When you fight to be seen or to be known, you forfeit the promotion of God and chose your own means of exalting yourself and therefore, you become responsible for maintaining your image. In other words, when a person chooses to make their own way, God chooses to let them. And then you become your own source and must depend upon chance, luck, circumstance, and networking to achieve your goals rather than depending on God to make a way for you to be successful and excel. Don't` get me wrong, I am not saying that we should not prepare for success by studying, schooling, learning, and becoming skilled at our abilities and talents, but we should only work towards those things that God has spoken to us about, and not just decide to do something, get out there doing it, and never getting God's opinion about it.
Here is what I'm trying to tell you. God has a plan for you and his plan will ultimately be pleasing to you. But the key is to deny what you feel you want out of life, and open yourself up to hearing and receiving direction from God. God will not lead anyone that will not follow him. He will not speak to anyone that will not listen to him and he will not waste time on anyone that is self focused and wants their own way. Being seen, known, and having your name made great are selfish motives and God is not in it. When you follow God, you must deny your flesh, say no to your own way, and purify your motives. Remember, there are 2 ways to do everything. Your way or God's way. The way you choose will decide who you will serve. When you choose your own way, you become a slave to your agenda and a servant to your own will. Thus, you become your own master and God says you cannot serve 2 masters, but you will hate one or the other right? So, when it's self that masters you, then you are not mastered by God. But if you choose God's plan for your life, then you choose him as your master and can be led by him. In order to do that, you must deny yourself. You must say no to what you want and say yes to what God wants. Then, it no longer is about you! Your prayers will change from "God give me this, give me that" to "God, what can I give you?" Your desires will change from "My season, my harvest, my favor, my miracle, my breakthrough" to "Your will, not mine! Please you not me Lord! Follow you, no matter what! You are God, not me!" Can you see what I'm saying here? God is ready for us to move out of the attitude of selfishness that is being taught so prevalently by our TV Superstar preachers that seek to please themselves, and he is ready for a people that will seek to please him. People that will deny their own flesh and follow him. People that will stop doing what they want, and start seeking what he wants. God is wanting children that will obey and follow his plan, not people with their own agenda. To really know God requires that you deny yourself because you can't have his will and your own!
Suggested Reading: Ex. 15:26, Deut. 11:22, 2Chr. 7:14, Prov. 11:27, Prov. 7:15, Matt 6:33
www.exministries.com © 2010 G. Craige Works All Rights Reserved
Here is what I'm trying to tell you. God has a plan for you and his plan will ultimately be pleasing to you. But the key is to deny what you feel you want out of life, and open yourself up to hearing and receiving direction from God. God will not lead anyone that will not follow him. He will not speak to anyone that will not listen to him and he will not waste time on anyone that is self focused and wants their own way. Being seen, known, and having your name made great are selfish motives and God is not in it. When you follow God, you must deny your flesh, say no to your own way, and purify your motives. Remember, there are 2 ways to do everything. Your way or God's way. The way you choose will decide who you will serve. When you choose your own way, you become a slave to your agenda and a servant to your own will. Thus, you become your own master and God says you cannot serve 2 masters, but you will hate one or the other right? So, when it's self that masters you, then you are not mastered by God. But if you choose God's plan for your life, then you choose him as your master and can be led by him. In order to do that, you must deny yourself. You must say no to what you want and say yes to what God wants. Then, it no longer is about you! Your prayers will change from "God give me this, give me that" to "God, what can I give you?" Your desires will change from "My season, my harvest, my favor, my miracle, my breakthrough" to "Your will, not mine! Please you not me Lord! Follow you, no matter what! You are God, not me!" Can you see what I'm saying here? God is ready for us to move out of the attitude of selfishness that is being taught so prevalently by our TV Superstar preachers that seek to please themselves, and he is ready for a people that will seek to please him. People that will deny their own flesh and follow him. People that will stop doing what they want, and start seeking what he wants. God is wanting children that will obey and follow his plan, not people with their own agenda. To really know God requires that you deny yourself because you can't have his will and your own!
Suggested Reading: Ex. 15:26, Deut. 11:22, 2Chr. 7:14, Prov. 11:27, Prov. 7:15, Matt 6:33
www.exministries.com © 2010 G. Craige Works All Rights Reserved
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