A large crowd was going along with Him and then He turned toward them, saying:
(NASB) Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone come to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
27 ‘Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.’”

 The living God of the Bible is to be first in your life and mine – before the “me”, before anyone else – He is to be first!

(NASB) Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel!  The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!
5 ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

 (NASB) Luke 9:23 “…‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

 Taking up your cross – each day ~ Following Jesus – each day

  Sacrificial – a cross indicates sacrifice – Christ Jesus went to the cross for you (and me),
we are to take up the cross (where our will crosses God’s will) and follow Jesus where He leads us – each day…a conscious choice!

  Savior – Jesus Christ – what do the followers of Christ have which those without Christ in their lives do not have?  Christ’s Spirit within…when we received Christ as our Savior we were given God the Holy Spirit to live within us…this is what God alone does…His grace given to us.

  Saved – by Christ Jesus – you and I can take up our cross each day and follow Jesus because His Spirit enables us.  Our faith is in God’s Son Who loved you and me…He went to the cross in your place and mine!

Taking Up Your Cross…Daily…to Follow Jesus