“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself...” (Luke 9:23)

Why would any man desire to “come after” Jesus?  Simple answer is because of who Jesus is. He is the holy, sinless, most powerful, Son of God.  Luke had just told us about Jesus feeding five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish and then filling twelve “empty baskets” with the left overs.  Any man seeing that would be intrigued.  Now comes the invitation, but there is a condition attached...”If.”  Is the man willing to “come after” Jesus?  If so, he must “deny himself.”  Self denial is the willingness to have the “malady of meism” brought an end.  Herein is the reason many people are never filled with the fulness of Jesus.  They never become “empty baskets” because there is too much “me” left in the basket.  A man says, “I crave Jesus, but I have no joy.”  No, he doesn’t because he will not “deny himself.”  He wants joy while holding on to the “pleasure of sin.”  The “pleasure of sin” will always hinder the “pleasure of Jesus.”  A man cannot serve two masters.  

Today is August 27.  Take inventory of your basket.

Blessings,

Jim