Forgotten Self

There is no room in the world's doctrine of "self love/care" for identifying with the sufferings and rejection Christ faced and endured for us...You cannot "deny yourself, take up your cross daily*, and follow" Him while you are putting your needs first and prioritizing your feelings and comfort above all else.

All the good that I am is Christ in me; only by His love am I anything but dead in my sins.

We deserve Hell. Only by the grace of God do we have life, forgiveness, and the hope of Heaven; there is no other correct response to this reality than to live lives of self-denial and service to Him.

NOTE: to deny self is not "to think less of myself"...but to forget myself. To not even consider myself because when I follow Jesus and believe/obey His word, I surrender control to Him and He is faithful to meet every need while I am/should be busy serving Him. 

*This is a conscious daily choice we must make, to take up our cross and follow Him.

As my pastor says: "We live better under the weight of the cross."