Jesus stated what He expects of His followers:
(NASB) Luke 9:23 “…‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.’”

Jesus went on to say several things about what it means to “deny himself and take up his cross daily”.
1- (NASB) Luke 9:24 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.”

To lose your life does not mean you commit suicide, it does mean you give up thinking of yourself first and to put God and His words first in your thinking and actions.  To lose yourself is to yield to God and His words of truth.  To lose your life by not agreeing with people who do not put God first in their lives.

2- (NASB) Luke 9:25 “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?”

From man’s perspective: people who are prosperous gain worldly things, recognition, etc.
From God’s perspective: the people who lose or forfeit their ways in favor of God’s ways will be the one who prospers in the eyes of God.

3- (NASB) Luke 9:26 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

The first part of this verse is used in numerous e-mail forwards to evoke a guilt trip.  (When I see that verse used in that way, I delete that forward.)

When Jesus comes again (and He is coming again!) He will come in the splendor of His glory; He will come in the majestic glory of His Father and of the holy angels who will be with Him.

He will come as King and as Judge.  He will judge each person by the criteria: if each person followed Him by faith (that is unashamed of Him in their life – Revelation 20:4) or if a person denied Him and shamed His claims of being Messiah, Son of God and Son of Man.  Shamed Him by not believing His words of truth (His warnings, His promises, His revelation of Himself – Revelation 20:11-13).  He will come as King and as Judge.

Carefully Consider Jesus’ Words

For they do impact your eternity!