Faith & Insight: Walking with Jesus includes self denial

In Mark 8:34-35 Jesus said, "...if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."

Is this not what it means to walk with Jesus on a daily basis when you have to choose to follow Christ? Every day you have to choose to keep the direction of your life - your thoughts and your attitudes - headed towards Jesus. You might choose to turn to the left or the right for a bit but eventually a real believer will daily confess Christ.

What does it mean to daily confess Christ? Jesus gave us two clues in his words.

The first one would be: You must deny yourself. To deny yourself is to surrender immediate material gratification in order to discover and secure your true self and God's interests. Denying yourself is a willingness to let go of selfish desires and earthly security. This denying of yourself turns you from an attitude of self-centeredness to God centeredness. Can you think of something or some desire that you have said no to recently?

Secondly, He says that we must take up our cross. When Jesus used this illustration of taking our cross, it was a vivid picture of the humility and submission that Jesus asked of those who would follow him. The disciples, the crowd and especially Mark's audience, the Romans, all knew what taking up your cross would mean. Following Jesus meant that you were identifying with Jesus. You were going to face social pressure, political pressure and there would be no turning back. For some, taking up their cross might indeed mean death.

Where in your life are you not taking up your cross daily and following Christ? Is it your attitude? Is it your thought life? Is it the words that come out of your mouth? Perhaps you just put Christ on the shelf during the week and dust him off on Sunday mornings? If we truly identify with Jesus Christ then we must begin to do so daily.

• Ben Fleming is the pastor of Silver Hills Community Church.