Friday, January 24 || CHRISTIANITY IS SELF-DENIAL NOT SELF-LOVE

Read : Isaiah 30:8-18

“You must speak My words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.” - Ezekiel 2:7

Human nature is fickle. Because of this we have a tendency to adopt a slow, easy and comfortable religion. In other words, we like to have “arm chair Christianity.” Imagine a circus knife thrower.  The human target stands still and motionless in front of a board.  The knife thrower throws deadly knives that strike and stick close to the human body - between his legs, under his arms, past his ears, over his head and each side of his neck.   The art being, not to hit the human target. Isn’t it true that we too like to hear preaching like this, so long as it does not hit or hurt us?  Isn’t it true that we want to hear only the pleasant things spoken to us by the preachers?  It is common to the natural heart of man, to like to hear only agreeable things. But as Christians if we want to continue to live this way, we are sure to degenerate.  The result of learning only pleasant “messages” is that it  starves us spiritually.

	In today’s text, we read how the Lord condemned the Israelites who said to the seers, “See no more visions!” and to the prophets “Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions.”  Even today we see people running behind “prophets”  to hear prosperity messages.  They tend to avoid the words of the servants of God who point them of their sin, judgment and hell.  

	Dear friends, let us not be deceived.  Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)  The cross means self-denial.  It hurts and pains but without cross one can never get the unfading eternal crown of glory. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, let me not settle down to have “arm chair Christianity” tuning my ears to listen to the words of those preachers who talk about prosperity and comfort alone. Let me remember that without cross, there is no crown. Let me follow the way of Jesus. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.  

Subscribe for Honey Drops

Honey Drops || Daily Devotion

---

Our Contact:

EL-SHADDAI LITERATURE MINISTRIES TRUST, CHENNAI - 59.

Office: +91 9444456177 || https://www.honeydropsonline.com