So thankful to be a Loser

    OK here's the deal. It's the bottom of the ninth inning, bases are loaded , the batter has 3 balls and 2 strikes, his team is behind by 1 run so all he has to do is get the man on second and third home and his team will win the world series, oh yea I forgot there are 2 outs so this next pitch is for all the marbles.Now that's a lot of pressure, but more so than that the balance of the game hangs on that next few moments. In one scenario he hits the ball out of the park and the team wins the game and the series and he is a hero and the world  is his oyster. In the other scenario he strikes out and the team loses the game and is an outcast in the locker room and the fans boo him. again, that a lot of pressure.Well  we face this type of pressure everyday and we don't even realize it, except it's not a ball game that's on the line, its our soul and eternal life in Heaven is the prize.
    In Luke 9:23-24 Jesus is talking to the twelve and he says "if any one wants to come with Me, he must deny himself,take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it.(HCSB). In the King James Version it says in Verse 24 " Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for MY SAKE, the same shall save it." This is a powerful statement because it gives us the best what not to do statement I know of. When he says that we must deny ourselves,and take up HIS cross daily and follow him, he means we have to get up every morning and get our minds right with God. We don't need to jump out of the bed and immediately think, OK I have an appointment at 10 with this person and I have to go to the store and pick up something for diner, or I have a final exam today. No he means get up and pray , denying the earthly things we have to deal with,and focusing on what God's will for us that day is. How can you go through the day and expect God to us you or me or anyone for that matter, if we don't go to him first thing daily ,praising him for allowing us to rise and thanking him for his glorious sacrifice at Calvary.Then we have to ask him Lord, what would you have me do this day that would further your kingdom and help to bring the lost into your fold.That's right we have to LOSE our selves daily, emptying ourselves of the worldly things that will interfere with God's work in our lives.When we have done that, and emptied ourselves of us, and spent our time with God and filled ourselves up with Him and the spirit of God so that we can go forward in his name, then and only then have we managed to save ourselves and assure us a spot in Heaven to live with Him. That my brother and sister is how we go about our day as a Child of God. We have to Lose ourselves and all the worldly influence that comes at us, and then fill up on the power of God through his spirit so that if we leave this world that day, we know without a shadow of a doubt, that we shall see Jesus, and our families will have the comfort of knowing that if they do the same thing we did that we shall all see each other again.
        Oh and  I have no idea how that ball game ended, as it really doesn't matter, because  I am proud to say that I AM A LOSER, for I have lost myself  for Christ sake so that I might win eternal life in Christ Jesus. SO if being a Loser is a bad thing in this world, then so be it, because I would rather be a Loser in this world but a winner in Heaven, for Jesus said in Luke 9:25 " for what is a man advantaged ,if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, and be cast away?."(KJV) I don't know about you but to be cast away sounds pretty harsh to me so I shall be a Loser daily for Christ Sake. Will you join me brothers and sisters?, I pray you will. May God bless all who read this and may he lead you to a more fulfilled walk with him this week.

In Christ's Love,

    Bill