Blessed Are Those Who Take Up Their Cross Keluarga Allah Daily Devotional August 31, 2017
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THE SOUL
Mark 8:27-38
TODAY'S RHEMA Mark 8:34 "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
It is not easy to become a Christian. Sometimes, we have a unique idea about how to follow Jesus. And if we are honest, there are times when we dislike parts of His plan that He has prepared for our life. This is the same thing that happened to Peter. At his preliminary journey to follow Jesus, he had his own big idea in his head about how to follow Jesus. Just as most of the Jewish people did during those times, he also hoped that Messiah should set them free from the oppression of Roman Empire and took the throne as their King. That is why, when Jesus said bluntly that He had to suffer many trials, and to be murdered too, Peter had a difficult time to accept that fact. He did not try to accept the fact and to understand the plan, but he violently rebuked His Master. Peter ignored Jesus' words that He would rose from His death after three days. Jesus had declared that a great miracle would happen but Peter cared more about what he thought how it should be rather than what God had planned.
Do not we often act like Peter too? When we become Christians, we think that our life will be full of blessings. When we face trials, we expect that God will help immediately. We need to know, while His blessings and helps surely will come, but His ways are not our ways, and sometimes they are completely different from everything that we think about. Life challenges will come for sure. Sometimes even though we obey Him, work hard for His ministries, become His witnesses to spread out the good news, and sacrifice everything for God, people will still mock us or find fault to talk about us behind our back.
If right now we feel that our life burdens have been too heavy, remember that God has called us to lift up our crosses. Do not be afraid, as He will not close His eyes towards all difficulties that we bear. But all those struggles are also needed so we can know His heart and mind even better. Just believe that His plans are higher than all our plans. God desires not only to bless us on this earth, but God also longs to bring us into His eternal glory too. As there will be no glory without the cross, then there will not be some easy ways to obtain our portions in heaven.
REFLECTION Saudara Terkasih, blessed are those who TAKE UP THEIR CROSS FOR JESUS because GOD GRANTS GREAT REWARDS to them in heaven.
APPLICATION 1. What does it mean to take up a cross for Jesus? 2. Why does God want you to deny yourself and take up your cross? 3. Have you taken up your cross? How can you do it?
TODAY'S PRAYER "Father I thank You for carrying the cross for me. Now is my turn to carry my cross for You, Lord. I pray that as I am doing it, You will open my heart to see the big desire what You want to do in my life. In the name of Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen."
YEARLY BIBLE READING
Genesis 38-40
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