Bill Briton once wrote this about Dying to Self, the Christian way of forsaking selfishness for God's glory. This blesses God & benefits those around us, & is the fruit of Christian faith that works by love.
"When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don’t sting and hurt with insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient loving silence, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, or an annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility…and endure it as Jesus endured it, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you are content with any food, any offering, and raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, THAT IS DYING TO SELF."
Are you dead yet? In these last days the Spirit would bring us to the Cross. “That I may know Him…being made comfortable to His death.”
“But as for me, I will never boast of anything except the Cross of our LORD Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, & I to the world…”-Gal.6:14
Christianity is united not by emotion or opinion, but by things that are transcendent & eternal. It is bound together by revelations of reality, principles of truth, & laws that govern life…by a vision of God’s glory, ideals of faith (knowing GOD), mercy (Divine benevolence, loving-kindness, & forgiveness), & justice. These ideals need constant articulation.
Christianity is unique because of Christ & His Cross! On that cross, Jesus did what no other religion or prophet ever did…died for our sins & forgave us. Because of that, the Cross makes Christianity another culture, not just a religion!!!
This Christ & His Cross is the focal apex of human history. It plainly shows the heinousness of sin & nature of man. It makes a way of forgiveness consistent with the justice of God. It clearly demonstrates the character, purpose & love of God. And, it calls…challenges us to daily live & walk with a different perspective, commitment & responsibility.
Jesus Christ was not just a martyr dying for principles; different from a patriot dying for country, & more than a president or king dying for citizens/subjects …He was a man dying for the world, the Savior dying for our souls, God for men!
The Way of Jesus Christ is the way of the cross. Other than the “Spirit of Christ,” there is nothing more missing, lacking or essential to experiential/New Testament Christianity than the revelation & application of the truth of the cross. There at Golgotha (meaning “the place of the skull,” carnal mind), Jesus judged sin, Satan, the world’s system, & our selfishness.
When the revelation of Jesus opens us to a real working of the power of His cross in our lives, it transforms everything. Our thinking, service, worship & priorities are entirely affected.
Although the cross is claimed & spoken of, its purpose & power in the life of a believer depends upon ones’ apprehension of it.The growth & strength of the Christian life is in the power of Christ’s cross & Spirit. It is Christ that adds to us what’s missing & needed by His Spirit, but it is His cross that subtracts (painfully at times) anything in us that needs to be removed. It is by the working of the cross by faith, that we may receive more of the Spirit of Christ (Gal.3:1-2, 6-14).
It is my great desire & fervent prayer that Christians would come to believe Jesus Christ is our life, & increasingly know that His Cross is the power & wisdom of God. I encourage you to read cross scriptures, meditate on Christ’s passion & pray to understand & experience its reality & blessing. May we follow Christ’s way & daily carry the cross.
“You never conquer the mountain…you only conquer yourself.” -James Whitaker,
(The 1st American to reach the summit of Mt.Everest)
“Yes, I Will”-by Bebo Norman
In the passion of Your sacrifice…I saw the prophecy fulfilled.
The Healer of the world, the wounded Christ,
I heard You say, come follow me,
So I will, yes I will…
Follow You JESUS
all the way up that hill.
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill!
To the cross where the river runs
Crimson even still, yes I will…
Follow You Lord, I will.
On the sacred path, You bled for us…Scored and broken, up that hill.
How terrible the cross, how glorious (how glorious)…
I heard You say, come follow me (follow me),
So I will, yes I will…
In my weakness, when I feel afraid,
Hear me Jesus, when I call Your name.
Won't You help me Lord, won't You help me Lord,
Please help me Lord (please help me Jesus),
Can You help me Lord (please help me Lord)?
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill.
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill!
(I will follow all the way)
To the cross where the river runs
Crimson even still, yes I will…
Follow You, Lord (follow You),
I will (I will follow), yes I will (I will follow You).
