Charles Stanley http://www.suffering.net/afflict.htm
Many think this is a hard saying: “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus,” but it will be much harder to hear those final words: “Depart from me, (you) cursed, into everlasting fire.”
When the Lord Jesus comes in judgement, all the servants of the cross who conformed themselves to Jesus crucified will approach Christ the judge with full confidence. Why do we then fear to carry the cross?
In the cross we have salvation; in the cross we have life; in the cross we have protection from our enemies. In the cross alone we find our eternal salvation and hope of everlasting life.
We take up our cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and we will pass into unending life. Everything is funded on the cross and everything depends on our taking up the cross. There is no other way to life and interior peace except the holy way of the cross and our daily dying to self.
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