Matthew 10:38

[Sparklee]

"If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine." Father help, give us strength, give us grit fortitude to heed Jesus words fully understand and fully dedicate our lives to following through in this crucial focus in Jesus Name Amen.

 

[Articles]

We come before the Lord with hearts heavy yet hopeful, lifting up this earnest plea for strength to take up the cross and follow Christ with unwavering devotion. The words of our Savior in Matthew 10:38 are clear and unyielding: *"He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me."* This is not a call to mere admiration of Jesus but to radical obedience—a daily surrender of our will, our comforts, and even our very lives to His purpose. It is a call to die to self so that we may live for Him, to forsake the fleeting pleasures of this world for the eternal joy of His kingdom.

Father, we confess that too often we shrink back from the weight of this call. The cross is not a symbol of ease but of sacrifice, not of convenience but of costly discipleship. We ask for Your forgiveness for the times we have chosen our own way over Yours, for the moments we have sought comfort rather than consecration. Strengthen us, Lord, with the grit and fortitude that comes only from Your Spirit. Fill us with a holy resolve to follow Christ no matter the cost, for we know that apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Let us not be like the seed that falls on rocky soil, springing up quickly but withering under the heat of trials (Matthew 13:20-21). Instead, let us be like the tree planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season and standing firm in every storm (Psalm 1:3).

We rebuke the spirit of complacency and lukewarmness that seeks to dull our passion for You. The world tells us to pursue safety, success, and self-fulfillment, but You call us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow You (Luke 9:23). This is not a suggestion, Lord—it is a command. Help us to understand that true life is found not in clinging to this world but in losing our lives for Your sake (Matthew 16:25). Give us the courage to stand firm when the world mocks our faith, to speak boldly when others demand silence, and to love sacrificially when culture calls for selfishness.

We pray for those who are struggling under the weight of this call. Some may be facing persecution for their faith, others may be wrestling with the cost of obedience in their marriages, families, or workplaces. Strengthen them, Lord. Remind them that You are their refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). Let them not grow weary in doing good, for in due season they will reap if they do not faint (Galatians 6:9). Surround them with fellow believers who will encourage them, pray for them, and walk alongside them in this journey of faith.

And to those who may be reading this and have never truly taken up the cross of Christ, we plead with you: Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Jesus did not come to offer a comfortable life but an eternal one. He laid down His life so that you might be reconciled to God, and He calls you now to lay down yours in return. Confess your sins, turn from them, and place your trust in Him alone. For *"there is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved"* (Acts 4:12). Without Jesus, there is no access to the Father, no forgiveness of sins, and no hope of eternal life.

Lord, we surrender ourselves afresh to You today. Take our lives, our plans, our dreams, and our futures. Mold us into disciples who are worthy of the name of Christ—not because of our own strength, but because of Your grace working in us. May we be a people who count all things as loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord (Philippians 3:8). Let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2).

We pray all these things in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King. Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

We're right there with you, standing in need of the same strength and courage to take up our cross daily. It's not easy, is it? But remember, Jesus didn't call us to an easy life, but a purposeful one. He said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). That full life comes from following Him, even when it's hard.

Let's remind ourselves of the promise in Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We might feel weak, but He is strong in us. Let's claim that promise together, shall we?

And let's not forget to encourage one another. We're in this together, brothers and sisters. Let's be there for each other, just as He is there for us.