Letting Go!

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
Jesus is telling His disciples and other people around Him that they must deny themselves and take up their cross in order to follow Him.  People hearing His words knew the cross was a symbol of great suffering, tremendous pain, absolute submission, and humility.  They could actually see people nailed on crosses when they went to Jerusalem.  It would seem that the cross was something you wanted to avoid at all cost.  I love the way Jesus speaks words of truth and does not try to water down His words in order to please or retain the people around Him.  A lot of people were following Jesus just because they were getting something from Him like free food.  I would think some of the people left Jesus after hearing His words.  I can also imagine the disciples coming around Jesus and letting Him know these are not the words to speak in order to grow a ministry.  However, the disciples did not yet know of the awesome rewards they would receive in heaven if they denied themselves, took up their cross and followed Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

After Jesus was raised from the dead, the disciples finally knew what Jesus was talking about.  By denying ourselves and taking up our cross and following Jesus we will gain eternal life in heaven and so much more in this present day.  We will be with Jesus in heaven for eternity with no suffering, no pain, no worries, no fears, no problems, etc.  This present earth is not our home; we are only passengers going through a foreign land.  We are only on earth for a very short time compared to eternity in heaven (life on earth is just a blink of an eye).  By following Jesus and submitting ourselves to Him, He will be able to use us to bring others to Him.  Our main goal on earth is to bring everyone to Jesus and make disciples out of them so that no one will perish. 


POINT OF ACTION:
We’re all still in the process of being refined in the areas of denying ourselves, taking up our crosses, and following Jesus.  Only by the power of the Holy Spirit can we overcome our selfish ways:

• Remove focus on our own comfort, self-pleasure, security, etc. 
• Realize the things of this world will not fill us up and complete us.  Only God can fill us up and make us complete on the inside.
• Cultivate a desire to help others and give to others in need.  It’s more about giving than receiving.
• Stop allowing our selfish feelings to overtake our required actions to others around us (i.e. not wanting to forgive, not giving mercy, not showing unconditional love, not allowing for grace, etc.).  Love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, etc. are action words instead of feelings; however, we sometimes do not do these things because we allow our selfish feelings get in the way of what God wants us to do. 

I’m still trying to let go of all my expectations of how things should be or what they should look like so the Holy Spirit can use me and lead me in the right direction of His will and purpose for me.  God’s way of doing things, when and how it should happen, and what it will look like is totally opposite of the world’s way.  

I’m starting to realize that pain and suffering is a good thing by bringing me closer to God, refining my character, giving me more endurance, and allowing me to connect to other people (in a special way) who are going through the same type of pain and suffering that I went through.  My greatest growth in the Lord has happened during my greatest periods of pain and suffering.

Until I die to my selfish ways, God will not be able to use me as He wants to use me.  Just like a seed, it only has potential for bearing fruit until it dies to itself.

People who do not know God will look at us to see how we react under pressure during times of pain and suffering.  They want to know if we are just talk or if we can actually walk by faith and praise God under all circumstances.  I want to praise God under all circumstances; however, I’m still being refined in this area.

PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I want to become the man You designed me to be and to praise Your name in all circumstances.  To deny myself and take up my cross so that You can use me in order to bring glory to Your Holy name.  Forgive me for not always praising Your name when going through Your refining process (pain and suffering).  I know Your refining process will make me as pure gold. 


WHO AM I?
I am Max Peeples—a man being refined by God in order to overcome his selfish nature.  God has blessed me with a beautiful, faithful, wise, and amazing wife.  I’m so overwhelmed with God’s blessings.  Attached is a picture of Beth and me on a recent hike.