October 29 DAY BY DAY Obedience Luke 9:23
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina…“ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
The Lord calls us to carry our crosses and follow him… "daily." WE ARE TO TAKE UP OUR CROSSES, DAILY, AND FOLLOW HIM! GUESS WHAT? OUR CHRISTIANITY IS TO BE PRACTICED DAY BY DAY. Listen, I am not saying that there is no interest at all in tomorrow or yesterday, but, I am saying that TODAY is the area of action for the Christian. Not tomorrow—Tomorrow is not promised! Not yesterday--as if the actions or experiences of the past can replace those of today. Whatever else the day might be, it is always the day in which we live out our Christianity. This is the rhythm and pattern of our lives for Christ--day by day, one day at a time, we live it. SO, DAILY, WE ARE TO RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW HIM. Each day, we consciously reaffirm our decision to come and follow him. This is not only done in the past, but every single day. Just as Israel offered her sacrifices daily, each day we offer our sacrifice anew. Today is the day that the Lord may come. Since each day is potentially the day of judgment, each day is the setting in which we show the Lord the reality of our repentance. SO, WE ARE TO HAVE A DAILY RHYTHM OF CHRISTIAN LIVING. This daily, conscious rededication supports and is supported by the following actions of our daily life. FIRST…WE MUST HAVE A DAILY PRAYER TIME! We must be in communication with the Savior every day. It is vital to our success! Secondly, WE MUST BE IN GOD’S WORD, OUR DAILY BREAD, EVERY DAY! The physical body requires daily bread to be renewed and enabled to function. The spiritual life needs the same. We must be spiritually nourished daily. Consider, too, the spiritual bread brought to us with every day, which pictures to us, the Truth, the works of God that this one work of God-each new day- pictures for us. Sleep and wakening--reminds us of the grace of conversion, revival, renewal, resurrection. Thirdly, WE ARE TO BE ABOUT OUR DAILY WORK! We are servants, with assigned work. We are like farmers, when they rise, they see their work is laid out before them, work that can only be accomplished in the day. There is no "day off." As servants, we consider the wages that we might have at the close of the day. There is the harvest to gather. Lastly, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE EVILS OF THE DAY. Each day brings evils, trials, troubles, complications, battles, disappointments, anxiety, hurts and many other issues. There are days when troubles are all that we get. As my brother, Ronnie Faulkner says, “ALL GOD’S CHILDREN GOT ISSUES!” Each day, his grace is sufficient. I choose to “Take up HIS Cross and to Follow HIM Daily! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!