Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 

Following Jesus is no bowl of cherries. 

It’s a hard life of sacrifices and burdens. 

I’ve often wondered if when the rubber really meets the road and my loyalty is tested under pressure, will I have made of myself the stuff that will endure? What will be my breaking point if at all?

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬-‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Again, following Jesus is no bowl of cherries. 

To risk use of yet another cliche, I believe we ain’t seen nothing yet. 

We so easily fall into the trap of not taking our position as followers serious enough. 

To be honest, the risk is not in the believing but in the behaving. Faith with works that demonstrate it without shame or the risk of embarrassment. 

The disciples endured beheadings, torture, and worse without wavering faith. 

Whoever loses their life for Jesus and the gospel will save it. 

When the day comes, what will it take to have what it takes?