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4 Comments

  1. Kathryn
    November 19, 2008 @ 2:09 am

    Oh, my friend, I have been in full agreement with you during this series, and today is no exception!

    Every day, I choose to die to self, in order that I may live in Christ. As a Christian, Jesus Christ is my Savior … and my Lord. Choosing Him as my Savior was a one-time decision. Choosing Him as my Lord happens daily. More than that, surrendering to Jesus as Lord is a continual choice, made purposefully and deliberately, over and over again.

    “… ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it.’ ”
    (Luke 9:23-24)

    Everytime I choose to pray instead of watching television, “I” die. Everytime I read my Bible instead of reading the newspaper, “I” perish. Everytime I follow His leading instead of my own good idea, “I” disappear.

    My pastor recently gave a wonderful message about crucifying ourselves in Christ. His resounding question throughout was, “Are you dead yet?” with the emphasis on “you”: “Are you dead yet?”

    Am I? Am I really dead yet? I’m pretty well extinguished, but there is a pesky little fleshly part of me that keeps gasping for air. The disciples “left everything” (reference Luke 5:11) to follow Jesus. Can I truly claim that “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me …” (Galatians 2:20)?

    I pray so, and to help me smother the last little fleshly twitches, I saturate myself in His Word:

    “…’The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified I tell you the truth
    unless a kernal of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.’ “

    (John 12:23-25)

    “Since … you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above,
    where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above,
    not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

    (Colossians 3:1-4)

    Blessings, dear friend!

    Reply

  2. Carmen
    November 19, 2008 @ 2:20 am

    Precious Kathryn!

    Perhaps I should make your lovely response WEEK 5!

    Shalom Aleichem Sister…I’m with you all the way.

    beautiful. ;o)

    Reply

  3. Melanie Yardley
    November 25, 2008 @ 4:01 pm

    thanks Carmen for this post! i stumbled upon your blog and found this post very encouraging and powerful.

    btw, i love the Complete Jewish Bible translation and had to have it rebound since i wore out the binding but wanted to keep all my notes 🙂

    SHALOM!

    Reply

  4. jcdisciple
    January 21, 2009 @ 11:50 am

    Carmen (and Kathryn),

    What can I say?

    “How many of your days have you allowed to be Stolen, Killed and Destroyed by the enemy because of Disbelief, Rebellion and Complaining in your tents?”

    Too MANY!!!

    “You see, this Adversary of ours does not want you to know that you can take POSSESSION OF YOUR PROMISED LAND by SOWING THE SEED OF GOD’S WORD INTO YOUR LIFE!”

    But Praise Yeshua, For He wants me to know and HE never leaves me nor forsakes me!

    AND Kathryn,

    “Am I? Am I really dead yet? I’m pretty well extinguished, but there is a pesky little fleshly part of me that keeps gasping for air. The disciples “left everything” (reference Luke 5:11) to follow Jesus. Can I truly claim that “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me …” (Galatians 2:20)?”

    This crucifixion IS PAINFUL, but praise God…I can see the joy set before me and for that I WILL PERSERVERE!

    I love you and I thank my Lord upon every remembrance of you!!

    Reply

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