Dying to self is uncomfortable, but necessary to truly follow Jesus.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   We don’t like to think about death too much do we? But the very real truth is that we must die to live. Over the past few years, my husband and I have lost three of our parents. You’re never ready for that, but through it, we have understood more and more the truth we read in Ecclesiastes 7:2 that says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men.” Going to the house of mourning for a believer in Christ, while yes is a time of mourning, it is good and full of hope, because it’s a time to remember this is not the end. It’s a time to celebrate one who is more alive in death than they were here on this earth. For the believer in Christ, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Because of that truth and my faith in Jesus, heaven for me simply gets sweeter and sweeter. Jesus conquered sin and death on a cross. God loved us so much He gave His son to die and pay the price for our sins. He rose again on the third day and traded his crown of thorns for a crown of victory. This was God’s plan all along. He made a way to redeem what was lost through Jesus. 1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” By his wounds we have been healed. Jesus paid a very high price for you and me. He carried the weight of the sins of the world and died so that we might live. This was not an easy task. Go read the prayer Jesus prayed in the garden before he went to the cross. He sweat drops of blood. He asked for another way. Still he humbled himself and did the will of the Father. What is our response? He bore our sins so that we might die to sins and LIVE for righteousness. When we come face to face with the cross, and our response to it, it can be uncomfortable because if we are a follower of Jesus, we are called to die and carry our cross. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Galatians 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. It’s not the comfortable thing to die to self. It’s not the easy way to surrender my will for the Father’s. It’s counter culture to live for anything other than SELF. But you see my life is not my own. I’ve been bought by a price and paid for by the precious blood of the lamb. The spirit of the living God lives IN me. I am forgiven. I am made new. I am redeemed. I am a child of God. And even through the struggles, pain, loss and uncomfortable seasons and pits of this life, I have joy and I have bright hope for tomorrow. And because Jesus died, I now live. That’s the truth. Thanks for joining me as we made our way through this uncomfortably hot month of July digging deeper into uncomfortable moments in scripture. You can find them all at lifeword.org. Remember, God didn’t call us to comfort. He calls us to a great adventure that leads to life everlasting. So get comfortable with being uncomfortable and watch what God does IN and through YOU. I’m Lori Cline.