Luke 9:23-26

Everything, every little thing, that we do each and every day reflects our Christianity to ourself and to others. 

It is up to us to keep our natural feelings confined within the boundaries set by Jesus. If we love Him and others as much as the Father did in sending Him to die for all of us we will fulfill the law and His new commandment to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

The saved life that we have been given is His to use for God’s glory.

It makes no sense to attempt to save our lives on earth only to lose everything when our lives quickly and inevitably pass away. The wise course is to invest our earthly resources—our time, talents, and wealth—in what is eternal. Even if we lose our lives for Jesus’ sake, that investment will produce returns for all eternity.

Luke 9:23-26

²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. ²⁵ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? ²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 

Matthew 10:38

³⁴ When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 

Mark 8:34

²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 

Luke 14:27

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

Romans 1:16

¹²If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 

2 Timothy 2:12