“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his CROSS, and follow me”(Matthew 16:24).

Christian believers all across the globe are celebrating HOLY week! This is the week we have set aside to remember what Jesus did for us. He was betrayed by Judas, He was arrested and beaten by Roman soldiers, sentenced to death, hung on a cross between two thieves, and eventually Jesus in His own time when He decided when His final work was done, He gave up the Ghost. My friend, Jesus died for our sins, that we could have eternal life. And, in this passage, as He was teaching His disciples concerning what manner He would die. He then told them that “if any man will come after me.” This spoke of the initial surrender of the new birth when a person comes to Christ for salvation, and the old life of sin is exchanged for a new life of righteousness. Then Jesus directs His attention to the activity of the believer; “let him deny himself, and take up his CROSS, and follow me”. Serving Jesus involves self-denial, as our service is to mirror the sacrifice He made for us. Jesus denied His own feels, His own emotions, His own hurt, and His own comfort to ensure we had an opportunity to be saved. And, we are to take our “CROSS” of self-denial every day and follow after Him. My friend, I ask you this morning, have you completely surrendered your life to God? This morning, Father, pray for our readers that we would reflect upon our “CROSS” of self-denial, and if we have not already that we would FULLY surrender all of our efforts for the Kingdom of God. Be Blessed in Jesus’ Name!

“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger” (Luke 15:17).

I often wonder about this young man as he asked his father for his inheritance went off “into a far country” and lived and acted in whatever manner he chose. My friend God will extend us the same grace if we CHOOSE not to live as His child, and many times we act in the same manner as Christians. However, I love the statement in this passage “he came to himself.” This young man had his own ideas, own way of thinking, desires, and his father extended the rope. This young man thought the grass was greener on the other side; however, “and he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him” (v.16). This young man started thinking about his father’s house, about his father’s love, about his father’s directions, about his father’s instructions, and he knew he had made the wrong decision. Sometimes we do not know we are thinking wrong, acting wrong, or making a wrong decision until God allows us to find ourselves in a place we do not desire to be. “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (v.20). Father, we thank you this morning for your grace and mercy! That when we think we know better, you allow us to discover that there is no place like home. We pray this morning for that one person searching for something; I pray they are filled with the Holy Spirit of God, and He will satisfy their soul. Be Blessed in Jesus’ Name!

“For every tree is known by his OWN fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bush gather they grapes” (Luke 6:44).

The exterior fruit of our life will reveal what is growing on the interior. An apple tree is identified as an apple tree because it bears apples. Also, a Christian is known by the fruit we bear, such as “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22,23). As we examine our “OWN” fruit, are we bearing the fruit of the Spirit? No one is perfect; however, if the Spirit of God dwells within our hearts, we will see the fruit of the Spirit. “A good man out of the good treasures of his heart bringeth forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasures of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh” (v.45). The best way to know what is in the heart of a man/woman is when they open their mouth and speak. We have blueberry and blackberry bushes in our yard, and if they do not receive proper treatment such as fertilizer, water, and trimming, they will struggle to bear fruit. My friend, we are the same as we are to bear the fruit of the Spirit; we must receive our proper nourishment as well. We must spend time with God, we must yield to the Spirit of God, we must fertilize our soul with God’s Word. My friend, this world will cause our fruit to dry up. Examine what is coming from our mouths as Christians, and according to this passage, we will know how fruitful we are. Father, I pray this morning for our readers that we would yield our members to the Spirit of God that we may bear fruit for the Kingdom. Be Blessed in Jesus’ Name!