Dying to Self "Our Cross"

(Taken from Facebook last night)
"Driving down the street I see this male teen beating a female teen. She's on the hood of the car.  Hair flying. He's punching. Her under garments exposed.  I just put caution to the wind, stopped, and shouted to him to stop beating her. They're both about 14.  Older female in the yard grinning says its' ok, that's his sister.  I was angrier. Unbelievable. Well I gave him another mouth full until he let her go.  She ran inside.  Didn't see a parent.  A wife beater in the making." :(  Written by a female facebook friend)

Luke 9:23-25New International Version (NIV)23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

This story really disturbed me.  It prompted me to have a discussion with my kids and made me reinforce some  values with my kids.  The world is really really losing it's moral backbone and if we are not careful, Christians can become apart of the problem instead of being the solution.

There are things in my life that need changing.  There are things that I need to do to improve myself as a Christian, as a husband, as a father, as a brother, and as a friend.  Everything about me is not acceptable in the sight of God.  I realize that.  I also understand that if I do not heed to the scriptures and take the time to deal with myself by spending time in the Word of God,  I can easily become apart of the problem. 

Every Christian has something God is dealing with you about.  It does not matter what it is.  If it is not addressed or continued to be ignored, it will negatively affect you and the people you love some way.  Have you ever heard the expression,  "A rotten apple can spoil the whole bunch.?"  One thing about your character can be your downfall.  It's the little foxes or the little things that destroy us. 

Have you ever had a crack or a dent on your windshield?  The crack starts small but after time it can spread and go across the entire windshield.  The same happens with us spiritually, if we ignore the cracks in our character, personality or flesh, if not dealt with, it can cause major damage.

Whether your issue is forgiveness, pride, selfishness, depression, anger, lust, jealousy, gossip, backbiting, loneliness, resentment and bitterness, unable to trust, nostalgic living in the past, over eating, or whatever it is, we can no longer ignore it.  Just like the scripture says, "It's time to take up your cross and die to self." 

These are the things that plague Christians today.  This is why Christians have affairs, this is why Christians do drugs, this is why Christians fight, this is why Christians can't forgive, this is why Christians are depressed.  We do have a choice or we can be like "the world" portrays Christians as judgemental and hypocritical.  We can do better and it starts by simply saying, "Lord help Me!"

Brother Clarence
www.godlyking.com
www.godlyukings.blogspot.com