Self-denial is not natural - it's not comfortable. Self-denial only comes through submission to a greater authority. So, who is the Jesus that you say you believe in? What you believe about Jesus will completely determine the way that you follow Him.
"'Do you believe in Jesus' is not the most important question… the most important question is who exactly is the Jesus that you say you believe in? Who you say Jesus is will completely and fully determine the way that you follow Him."
"The church must be made up of people who believe in this Jesus – the Messiah, the Son of the Living God – and the church must be made up of people who know Him intimately."
"Discipleship begins with believing correctly about Jesus – believing that He is who He claimed to be. He is the Messiah. He is the Son of the Living God. And then… allowing that belief to shape everything else about us."
"When we believe correctly about Jesus and when we allow that belief to drive our actions, that is the only time that denying ourselves can make any sense at all. If we believe incorrectly or incompletely about Jesus, we will never recognize His authority in our lives that says that we must deny ourselves."
"Self-denial is not natural. Self-denial only comes through submission to a greater authority. Self-denial is not easy. It is not comfortable. But remember – it is impossible to be comfortable while carrying a cross."
