We are to deny ourselves- sin.

Mat_16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself

When you've thought on this for a while ask yourself a question- What are you to deny?

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 

Mar 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

Mar 10:21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

Luk 9:24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 

Luk 9:25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 

Luk 9:26  For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. 

Luk 9:27  But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. 

Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church

1Th 3:3  That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 

1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

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We are to deny ourselves the lusts of the flesh.

Moses chose purposefully to suffer rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin.

Sin is filled with pleasure, and those pleasures are fleeting up against eternity.

Can we live with the cross- the cross which is the way to eternity?

Christ did not come and tell us to follow Him and no more. Christ came preaching the gospel of the kingdom-  eternity in Christ. Christ came to teach us that this life is temporary to eternity. Christ came to give us hope in a world what will offer us no hope. Christ's hope is our only hope. We can desire life here and now to be good to us, to be kind to us, but for the most part that will not happen. We can have moments and a lot of them that are good, but they will not last.

We are told time and again that to live to please ourselves with so many lusts- things perverted by sin,  is wrong.  We tell ourselves that God wants us to enjoy ourselves or we wouldn't have the ability to do so. We forget all about sin damaging us so that the ability to enjoy ourselves has become very warped.

More on this tomorrow….by the grace of God.