Take Up Your Cross
04/20/2026
There is something in all of us that wants Jesus without surrender, blessing without sacrifice, and salvation without submission. We want the promises of God, but we often resist the process of being shaped by God. Yet Jesus never hid what it means to follow Him. He made it clear from the beginning that discipleship is not casual, comfortable, or convenient. It is costly, but it is worth everything.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’” — Matthew 16:24 NIV
Jesus does not soften His words here. He does not say, “Add Me to your life when it fits,” or “Follow Me when it is easy.” He says, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me. That is not a call to self-improvement. That is a call to surrender.
To deny yourself is to stop making yourself the center of every decision. It means laying down pride, selfish ambition, personal preference, and the constant need to be in control. In a world that says, “Do what makes you happy,” Jesus says, “Follow Me.” In a culture that says, “Promote yourself,” Jesus says, “Deny yourself.” That is a direct challenge to the way most people naturally live.
Taking up your cross means embracing obedience even when it costs you something. For the people listening to Jesus, the cross was not a piece of jewelry or a church symbol. It was an instrument of death. Jesus was telling them that following Him would require dying to the old life. Dying to sin. Dying to ego. Dying to the version of yourself that wants your will over God’s will.
This shows up in everyday places. It may mean choosing forgiveness when your flesh wants revenge. It may mean staying faithful when compromise would be easier. It may mean speaking truth when silence would be more comfortable. It may mean serving others when you would rather be served. Cross-carrying is not always dramatic, but it is always deeply personal.
I think about the countless moments when people start something with great enthusiasm, only to back away once the cost becomes clear. It is easy to say yes to Jesus when the crowd is cheering, when the prayer is answered quickly, or when the path feels smooth. But real discipleship is revealed when obedience becomes uncomfortable. That is where lordship is tested. That is where faith becomes real.
The beauty of this verse is that Jesus never asks us to go where He has not already gone. He carried the cross before He ever told us to take up ours. He gave His life before He asked us to surrender ours. He understands the weight of sacrifice, the pain of obedience, and the cost of love. So when He calls us to follow, He is not standing at a distance giving orders. He is leading the way.
Following Jesus will cost you something, but not following Him will cost you far more. Surrender may feel heavy at first, but it leads to freedom, peace, and life. The cross is not the end of the story. Resurrection always has the final word.
Today is a good day to ask yourself: What am I still trying to hold on to that Jesus is asking me to lay down? What part of my life have I called His, while still keeping control of it myself? Discipleship begins where excuses end and surrender begins.
Choose today to follow fully. Not halfway. Not when it is convenient. Not only when it makes sense. Follow Him because He is worthy.
Take a few minutes today and ask the Lord to show you one area where self is still leading.
Choose obedience in one place where you have been resisting God.
Surrender a right, an attitude, or a habit that is keeping you from wholehearted discipleship.
Thank Jesus that He carried the cross for you and now walks with you as you carry yours.
Challenge for the day:
Before this day ends, say yes to Jesus in one area where you have been hesitant, delayed, or resistant.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me enough to call me deeper. Forgive me for the times I have wanted the benefits of following You without the cost of surrender. Teach me what it means to deny myself, take up my cross, and truly follow You. Help me lay down my pride, my selfishness, and my need for control. Give me courage to obey You even when it is hard. Shape my heart so that I want Your will more than my own. Thank You for carrying the cross for me and for never asking me to walk a path You have not already walked. Strengthen me today to follow You faithfully. In Your name, Amen.
Pastor Jeff
#LoveGod #LovePeople #FindFreedom #FindYourDesign
There is something in all of us that wants Jesus without surrender, blessing without sacrifice, and salvation without submission. We want the promises of God, but we often resist the process of being shaped by God. Yet Jesus never hid what it means to follow Him. He made it clear from the beginning that discipleship is not casual, comfortable, or convenient. It is costly, but it is worth everything.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’” — Matthew 16:24 NIV
Jesus does not soften His words here. He does not say, “Add Me to your life when it fits,” or “Follow Me when it is easy.” He says, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me. That is not a call to self-improvement. That is a call to surrender.
To deny yourself is to stop making yourself the center of every decision. It means laying down pride, selfish ambition, personal preference, and the constant need to be in control. In a world that says, “Do what makes you happy,” Jesus says, “Follow Me.” In a culture that says, “Promote yourself,” Jesus says, “Deny yourself.” That is a direct challenge to the way most people naturally live.
Taking up your cross means embracing obedience even when it costs you something. For the people listening to Jesus, the cross was not a piece of jewelry or a church symbol. It was an instrument of death. Jesus was telling them that following Him would require dying to the old life. Dying to sin. Dying to ego. Dying to the version of yourself that wants your will over God’s will.
This shows up in everyday places. It may mean choosing forgiveness when your flesh wants revenge. It may mean staying faithful when compromise would be easier. It may mean speaking truth when silence would be more comfortable. It may mean serving others when you would rather be served. Cross-carrying is not always dramatic, but it is always deeply personal.
I think about the countless moments when people start something with great enthusiasm, only to back away once the cost becomes clear. It is easy to say yes to Jesus when the crowd is cheering, when the prayer is answered quickly, or when the path feels smooth. But real discipleship is revealed when obedience becomes uncomfortable. That is where lordship is tested. That is where faith becomes real.
The beauty of this verse is that Jesus never asks us to go where He has not already gone. He carried the cross before He ever told us to take up ours. He gave His life before He asked us to surrender ours. He understands the weight of sacrifice, the pain of obedience, and the cost of love. So when He calls us to follow, He is not standing at a distance giving orders. He is leading the way.
Following Jesus will cost you something, but not following Him will cost you far more. Surrender may feel heavy at first, but it leads to freedom, peace, and life. The cross is not the end of the story. Resurrection always has the final word.
Today is a good day to ask yourself: What am I still trying to hold on to that Jesus is asking me to lay down? What part of my life have I called His, while still keeping control of it myself? Discipleship begins where excuses end and surrender begins.
Choose today to follow fully. Not halfway. Not when it is convenient. Not only when it makes sense. Follow Him because He is worthy.
Take a few minutes today and ask the Lord to show you one area where self is still leading.
Choose obedience in one place where you have been resisting God.
Surrender a right, an attitude, or a habit that is keeping you from wholehearted discipleship.
Thank Jesus that He carried the cross for you and now walks with you as you carry yours.
Challenge for the day:
Before this day ends, say yes to Jesus in one area where you have been hesitant, delayed, or resistant.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me enough to call me deeper. Forgive me for the times I have wanted the benefits of following You without the cost of surrender. Teach me what it means to deny myself, take up my cross, and truly follow You. Help me lay down my pride, my selfishness, and my need for control. Give me courage to obey You even when it is hard. Shape my heart so that I want Your will more than my own. Thank You for carrying the cross for me and for never asking me to walk a path You have not already walked. Strengthen me today to follow You faithfully. In Your name, Amen.
Pastor Jeff
#LoveGod #LovePeople #FindFreedom #FindYourDesign
Recent
Archive
2026
January
Embracing God’s New BeginningsRenewed, Not Worn DownThe Gift of Rest, Not a BurdenOne Thing I AskTransformed, Not ConformedArise and ShineFor His Glory in the OrdinaryChoosing Generosity Over ConvenienceAbide and Bear FruitDon’t Forget the BenefitsSetting an Example in Every SeasonLosing to LiveReady When He ComesThe Low Road That Leads to LifeWhere Your Heart Truly LivesThe God Who Sings Over YouRest That Goes Deeper Than SleepUnited in ChristHow Good and PleasantOvercome Evil with Active GoodThe Strong TowerActivated FaithNo Condemnation—Only FreedomThe Goodness Found in WaitingConfessing and RemainingUnder the Same SkyTeach Me to Walk in Your WillAnxious for NothingThere Is No Rock Like Our GodLiving the Word, Not Just Hearing ItStirred to Love
February
A Soul That Magnifies the LordStrong Where It Matters MostWalking Through the Darkest ValleyThe Golden WayA Word That Lifts the WeightRun With PurposeTraining for What LastsJoy That Grows Under PressureWhen Anxiety Multiplies, God SustainsRefined by the FireGrace That OverflowsStrength for Every SeasonUnashamed to Bear His NameDevoted to One AnotherThe Joy of a Righteous ChildWalking in LoveThe Glory That Fills the EarthFinish WellThe Pain That Produces PeaceOur Only AimThe Way, The Truth, The LifeStrength to Seek HimThe Whole Duty of ManTreasure Hidden in the FieldO Lord, You Are My GodDelight Yourself in the LordWalk in His StepsFriend Who Sticks Closer
March
The Long-Suffering Love of GodOvercome Evil with GoodBe Strong and CourageousMorning GuidanceThe Quiet Power of GenerosityWhat We See Is Not All There IsThe Faithful ProtectorStrength and DignityCasting What We CarryCharm Fades, But Reverence RemainsThe Voice of the Good ShepherdPeace That Changes EverythingBefore Everything ElseFor Such a Time as ThisWhen Life Turns, Turn to GodMake His Name KnownTrusting the God Who Sees the Whole RoadGreater Is He Within YouSurely Goodness and Love Will FollowThere Is Still a Rest for YouWhen Fear KnocksA Sorrow That Leads to LifeWhen Your Soul Thirsts for MoreOpen Hands, Open HeavenUnstoppable PeaceWhen Seeking Becomes SurrenderUnited in Spirit, Rooted in ChristThe Lifter of My HeadBlessed Is the KingBehold the Lamb Who Takes Away SinThe King Who Came to Serve
No Comments