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What does the bible mean when it tells us to die to self and to lose this life?
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. 25 For whoever wants to save their life, will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
What does it mean to die to self? How does one do that and how does it look like in our daily livin to die to self?
What does the bible mean by: "whoever wants to save their life, will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it?"
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Carla on
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Dying to self means that we have given up the old sinful ways we used to live by, and we now live to please God---His Ways not our own.
It's a process.. lifelong. The process begins at the moment of the rebirth, and continues throughout our lives as we are sanctified.
The Holy Spirit plays a significant role in this process. He is our guide, our counsellor, the Spirit of Truth, our comforter. He shows us our sin, and at the same time, He shows us God's Love and Forgiveness. He will always Glorify Jesus.
That's one big way we know how to identify false teachers...anyone who would steer us away from Jesus or His teachings.
The Holy Spirit is turning us into the likeness of Christ.
Yeah---so dying to self means to give up our old ways, and make way for the New ways. It's a radical way to live.
We can't make the change on our own.. It's God work. We need to humble ourselves, God does the rest.
... short answer.
Blessings, Carla
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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... Are you suggesting that I must go to Thailand??? :-) (joking)
As we learn to discern God's Voice, HE directs us to the areas He wants us to serve.
The process is painful and requires submission and humility on our part.
The amazing thing is that as we begin to respond He strengthens us and equips us. It's beautiful. I'm not saying it's an easy process... It's hard. But it's good just as God is good. Whatever it is that God is calling us to will bring us Joy and Peace as we respond. Work through the hard part to bring God Glory... :-)
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hahaha no don't move to Thailand sis.
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Amen beloved, amen!
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Amanda,
You asked these questions:
>>how do I let go so that God will give it back to me? I suppose you are saying I must die to self. How do I do that?
How do we let go, so that God can give it back to us. I could point you to Abraham who gave up Isaac, He knew that God had gave His word about making a great nation out of him. He didn't understand every detail I am sure, but He knew that God was worthy to be trusted, so the old man died to his will and gave up what was most precious to him, only to have God not take it from him, but simply placed in the right priority in His life. God must be sitting in the throne of our heart beloved. Not the hubby, our ABILITIES TO RESOLVE CONFLICT AND HELP OTHERS, NOT OUR KIDS, NOT OUR POSSESIONS ETC...
God will yank whatever it is that has placed roots in our heart's only to place it in its right order, so we can then use it for His glory. Some stuff God rips from our heart's to throw away, to replace it with something Godly.
Jesus is always our example on how to do anything He requires of us. Listen to our Lord:
John 6:35-40
English Standard Version (ESV)
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
So why are we hungering and thirsting? The answers are many and time does not permit us to go into all of the possible scenarios. God can be dealing with someone in that state, you know, that state where He seems to be far away because He wants us to walk the walk relying on the truth we know and not the feeling we feel. It could be that we are studying books and topics about the Lord and not eating the bread of life. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUDE FOR EATING THE BREAD OF LIFE, NO SUBSTITUDE FOR STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD, NOT BOOKS ABOUT THE WORD, WHICH SHOULD BE STUDYIED, BUT NOTHING SUBSTITUDES THE WORD. Maybe we have taken a million courses and classes on how to help others and we are not use to being helped. We have always been self sufficient, but now we can't figure it out, we don't understand and we are confused. Nothing seems to work. God wants us to die to all that, so we can give it back to us in the right perspective.
36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.
Do we believe Christ or like Jacob, who spend most of his life manipulating events and situations, depend on our ways and methods or do we believe God.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
We belong to him beloved, that is settle.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
This is dying to self. Not to do our own will, but God's will. How do we know God's will, well, we eat the bread of life.
39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
How do we let go of this life, well, we understand that this is not it. This is not it beloved family. Our hope is in the Lord and our inheritance which starts today. We can rejoice through it all as we know we are eternal and have eternal promises.
There is much more to be said, but I got to go for now.
Love and blessing to you.
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Well said Seeking.
I said:
God wants us to die to all that, so we can give it back to us in the right perspective.
I meant to say:
God wants us to die to all that, so He can give it back to us in the right perspective.
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Wow - my panita - my brother from another mother - very well stated.
Hey , I am trying to make sometime, so i can visit your groups on FB.
>>We have to take Christ at His own terms not ours. BEAUTIFUL!!
LOve and blessings to you my brotha.
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Permalink Reply by trey on
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i thank god for you. i needed that understanding, oh how i felt your words deep inside of my soul , i love you man i love you thanks a million. you open the eyes to the blind love you man love you "raul abbott"
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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David, I truly appreciate you taking time to address my questions. What you have outlined certainly does seem to be what has been taking place in my life. Learning what is God's will for me now, after everything that has happened to me and what I am still going through, has been most difficult. Little by little it is all coming together.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
We belong to him beloved, that is settle.
I certainly need that re-assurance. Thanks for saying it.
Love and blessing to you, too.
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I suppose dying to self is about rising above one's circumstances and learning to be content no matter what we are facing. I received this devotion in my email tonight from the new minister and his wife at my old church.
Secret to Contentment
by Charles R. SwindollRead Acts 16:16--40; Philippians 1:12--18
Paul is under house arrest in rented quarters; he refuses to focus on that. He is far from home, and his future is uncertain; he doesn't let that concern him. He is bound to a Roman guard every day; no problem. Because he has made Christ the object of his life, contentment has replaced frustration. He's taught himself to live above his circumstances. The benefits?
First, the progress of the gospel is accelerated; it's never delayed. In his letter to the Christians in Philippi, Paul passionately confesses, "I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel" (Philippians 1:12). Because of Paul's attitude regarding his predicament, his testimony spread like a firestorm through the ranks of the Roman guard. Systematically, God's Spirit leveled the towering pride of the Roman military.
Second, when you live above your circumstances, the edge of the message is sharpened; it's never dulled. Paul exclaimed that his chains had become the reason the entire palace guard had come under the hearing of the gospel. That was no insignificant statistic. By Paul's account, the message of Christ's love permeated the ranks of the imperial guard, which some scholars suggest were as many as nine thousand. Amazingly, the revival started with one Roman soldier chained to one man---but not just any man. That forced union became a springtide of grace to the whole Praetorian Guard.
There's a third benefit to living above your circumstances: the courage of others is strengthened, never weakened. Paul's unlikely converts were not sheepish about their newfound faith in Christ. I take it that they didn't hold back. Rather, they grew increasingly more courageous in their witness. I find that so exciting!
The secret to Paul's contentment did not emerge from a manual on how to live the Christian life or from a workshop on positive thinking. He didn't have access to a stack of self-help scrolls promising to shore up his sagging self-confidence. Paul's secret was not found in a program, but in a Person. Christ made the difference. He taught His servant to endure all situations, every circumstance, each difficult challenge, no matter how adverse, through His power. Paul released all rights to His Master and, in turn, He released all the strength Paul needed.
Excerpted from Charles R. Swindoll, Great Days with the Great Lives (Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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