Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Matthew 16:24
Your “cross” is God’s will for you, regardless of the cost. Taking up your cross is a choice; it is not beyond your control.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Matthew 16:24
Sin causes us to be self-centered, shifting our hearts from God to self. The essence of salvation is an about-face from self-centeredness to God-centeredness. The Christian must spend a lifetime denying self.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Matthew 6:12
Few things are more precious to receive than forgiveness. After carrying the burden of our sin, it is wonderfully freeing to know that the one we have wronged has completely forgiven us. Jesus told His disciples to ask God for forgiveness every time they prayed.
But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
1Thessalonians 4:9
God is love (1 John 4:16). His very nature is perfect love, but because of sin love does not always come freely and naturally to His children. You may have been raised in a home where love was not expressed.
The Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel.”
Hosea 3:1a
No human can comprehend God’s love for His children! Our limited experience of human love hinders us from understanding God’s unconditional love for us. We can see a picture of this love in the life of Hosea. Hosea was a righteous man, but God told him to marry a sinful woman.
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