In Matthew 28, Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel:
“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” (verse 20).
In Mark 8, we read one of the most important things that He told them. Read it carefully and receive it in your heart:
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. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it (Mark 8:34-35).
In The Amplified Bible Jesus said it this way:
If any one intends to come after Me, let him deny himself—forget, ignore, disown, lose sight of himself and his own interests—and take up his cross, and…follow with Me—continually, [that is,] cleave steadfastly to Me. For whoever wants to save his…life, will lose [the lower, natural, temporal life...]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived (only) on earth], for My sake and the Gospel’s, will save [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God].
Now Jesus not only was talking about our going to heaven, although that is included. He also was talking about our living for Him while in the earth. To live for Him, we cannot cling to our natural lives, or the things our souls desire in the natural realm—ambition, money, recognition, or any other desires of the flesh—things that natural man seeks after with his whole heart.
He was saying, “If you will lay down your natural desires, lose sight of yourself and your own interests, you will lose that lower life. Take up your cross. Do what you are told. Follow Me and you will find that higher life.”
Kenneth Copeland Ministries
God is searching our hearts to see what is inside us. He is searching for a people who will do what He says and be dedicated to Him. Jesus is loyal to God. He lives His life for God. This same Jesus lives in us. We are His Body. He is endeavoring to get us to live totally for God. He does it. We are to do it, too.
Jesus said, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). When He was on the earth, He did not live His life for Himself. He lived it loving God with His whole heart, soul and might.
Keeping the Word and obeying God’s voice, Jesus also said, “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29). Don’t you know it was a delight to the Father’s heart to see a man in the earth keep His Word, obey His voice and live life totally for Him? Likewise, our Father wants this to be the word of the Church today: “I do always those things that please Him.”
But we need to change. And change starts with individuals—with you and me. We are members of the Body, but members in particular. God wants us to be able to honestly say, “I do always the things that please Him.”
It is important to understand that Jesus laid down His life before He ever went to the cross. During His time on earth He continually laid down His life to please God. Do you think He lived an unhappy life? Did He miss out on very much because He did not seek His own will or His own interests? Did He pay too great a price to walk pleasing to God as far as the rewards of this life are concerned? Of course not!
Did He fail at anything? Yes! He never got around to committing a sin, never experienced sickness, never knew defeat. Just think how much He missed! Would you miss much if you walked the earth as Jesus did with such power, anointing and glory? No, you wouldn’t miss a thing. You would walk in that same high life. God is trying to get blessings to you, and this is the way they will come to you unhindered, and in full measure—by your being obedient to the Lord and by doing what you are told to do.
Jesus walked in total victory. He put Satan down at every turn. Satan could not touch Him because Jesus was allowing God to be God in His life. The Father was an enemy to His enemy, and a friend to His friend.
Because Jesus kept God’s Word and obeyed His voice, God could manifest His power through Him without measure. Jesus did not even speak His own words. Everywhere He went, if they would receive Him, He made the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear. He delivered those who were demon possessed. The wind and the sea obeyed His voice. Every need He had was met by God’s power and action.
Kenneth Copeland Ministries
We can’t pretend that money isn’t important. It is
important. Jesus said where our treasure is (which
includes our money), there will our heart be also
(Matthew 6:21). He fully understood that people will
invest in what is close to their heart. So where and
how we spend our money tells a lot about our priorities
and what’s most important to us.
The attitude of our heart and our motives determine
whether our giving pleases God or not. In
Malachi, it says He rejected Israel’s offering because
they brought Him defective animals—blind calves
and injured ones they couldn’t use. God said it offended
Him. But in 2 Corinthians 9:7, The Amplified Bible
says, “God loves (that is, He takes pleasure in, prizes above
other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without)
a cheerful (joyous, prompt-to-do-it) giver—whose heart is in
his giving.”
The entire kingdom of God is governed
by the law of sowing and reaping. But it’s
not enough just to give. What matters most
is how and why we give. That’s why Jesus
emphasized the attitude of heart when He
taught on the importance of giving.
Matthew 6:3-6
KJV—When thou doest alms, let not thy
left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
that thine alms may be in secret: and thy
Father which seeth in secret himself shall
reward thee openly. And when thou
prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites
are: for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and in the corners of the
streets, that they may be seen of men.
Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter
into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy
door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;
and thy Father which seeth in secret shall
reward thee openly.
Amp—When you give to charity, do not let
your left hand know what your right hand
is doing, So that your deeds of charity may
be in secret; and your Father Who sees in
secret will reward you openly. Also when
you pray you must not be like the hypocrites,
for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and on the corners of the
streets, that they may be seen by people.
Truly, I tell you, they have their reward—in
full already. But when you pray, go into
your most private room, and closing the
door, pray to your Father Who is in secret;
and your Father Who sees in secret will reward
you in the open.
Moffatt—When you give alms, never let
your left hand know what your right hand
is doing, so as to keep your alms secret;
then your Father who sees what is secret
will reward you openly. Also, when you
pray, you must not be like the hypocrites,
for they like to stand and pray in the synagogues
and at the street-corners, so as to
be seen by men; I tell you truly, they do get
their reward. When you pray, go into your
room and shut the door, pray to your
Father who is in secret, and your Father
who sees what is secret will reward you.
NIV—When you give to the needy, do not
let your left hand know what your right hand
is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in
secret, will reward you. And when you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites, for they love
to pray standing in the synagogues and on
the street corners to be seen by men. I tell
you the truth, they have received their reward
in full. But when you pray, go into your
room, close the door and pray to your
Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who
sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Kenneth Copeland Ministries
