1126 – Deny Yourself 舍己

Mark 8:34 (NKJV) 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.

One of the greatest challenges for Christians is to deny ourselves by choosing to do what the Lord wants instead of what we want to do. We are in a constant battle where our flesh will always want to live independent of God. As believers, we need to choose to submit ourselves under the will of God in order to fully live the abundant life that He promised us, because any decision outside of God’s will bring hurtful consequences.

To deny someone means to completely disown, or to utterly separate from someone. However, biblically, it means much more than that. It implies that we stop listening to our own voice, leaning on our own power, and trying to fulfill our own will. When we truly deny ourselves, we have no will, plans but only His. We give up all our rights and relinquish all control of our lives to the Lord.

This concept is very counter to today’s culture which is largely focused on the self. Jesus, on the other hand, wants mankind to know that without Him, they are nothing and can do nothing.

John 15:5 (NKJV) “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

In fact, the best place to be—where we will find complete rest for our soul—is when God is the “boss” of our lives. We will feel anxious and stressed if we are living out our own plans instead of living out the will of God through a consecrated life, but if we are living out the will of God, we will experience peace because we know that God has initiated it and He is in control.

Jesus is calling us to make a total commitment to His Lordship in our lives, to deny ourselves and give Him the reigns of our lives. This is not because He wants to control us, but because He loves us and wants the best for us.

Jeremiah 29:11(NKJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Sermon: Affluenza (devotional 2)


舍己

马可福音 8:34 於 是 叫 众 人 和 门 徒 来 , 对 他 们 说 : 若 有 人 要 跟 从 我 , 就 当 舍 己 , 背 起 他 的 十 字 架 来 跟 从 我 。

基督徒最大的挑战之一是舍己 – 选择神要我们做的而不是我们自己想做的。这是一场持久的争战,因为我们的肉体总是希望独立于神而生活。作为信徒,我们需要选择顺服神的旨意从而活出那祂所应许的丰盛生命,因为在神旨意外的任何决定都会带来有伤害的后果。

拒绝某人意味着完全放弃,或与某人彻底决裂。不过在圣经里它有着更多的含义。它意味着我们停止听自己的声音,依靠自己的能力,或试图满足自己的意愿。当我们真正舍己,我们毫无自己的意愿或计划,唯有祂的旨意和安排。我们放弃所有的权利,将生命的一切控制权交还给主。

这种理念与当今极大关注自我的文化是相冲突的。另一方面,耶稣希望人类知道若没有祂,他们什么都不是,什么也做不了。

约翰福音 15:5我 是 葡 萄 树 , 你 们 是 枝 子 。 常 在 我 里 面 的 , 我 也 常 在 他 里 面 , 这 人 就 多 结 果 子 ; 因 为 离 了 我 , 你 们 就 不 能 做 甚 麽 。

事实上,最好的境界-我们灵魂完全找到安息-是当神是我们生命的“老板”。当我们依照自己的计划而不是通过敬虔的生命依照神的旨意而活时,我们感到焦虑和压力。但若我们依照神的旨意而活,我们会经历平安因我们知道是神启动了这一切并且祂正在掌权。

耶稣正在呼召我们全然顺服于祂对我们生命的主权,呼召我们舍下自我,把生命的缰绳交在祂的手中。这可不是因为祂想要控制我们,而是因为祂爱我们,祂想让我们得到最好的。

耶利米书29:11 耶 和 华 说 : 我 知 道 我 向 你 们 所 怀 的 意 念 是 赐 平 安 的 意 念 , 不 是 降 灾 祸 的 意 念 , 要 叫 你 们 末 後 有 指 望 。

讲章系列:富贵病 – “现代文明富裕症”