Monday
Open: Jesus, I want to follow You today — lead me and I will come.
Read: Read Mark 8:34–38 — deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Me.
This year is about learning to follow Jesus — not merely knowing facts about Him, but faithfully walking with Him for the rest of your life. We begin with one of the clearest and most deeply serious calls Jesus ever gave to anyone. This reaches every person who considers becoming His disciple. In Mark 8:34-38, Jesus gathers the crowd and says, "Whosoever will come after me, let him DENY himself, and take up his CROSS, and FOLLOW me." Look closely at those three commands, because they define what it means to be a real disciple. First, "deny yourself" means giving up your right to run your own life, saying no to your selfish desires when they clash with Jesus. Second, "take up your cross" — in Jesus' day a cross was an instrument of death, so this means being willing to die to your own way daily. Third, "follow me" means actually going where Jesus leads, obeying Him step by step. Think about how honest Jesus is here. He doesn't promise that following Him will be easy or comfortable. He tells you upfront that it costs something — it costs YOU, your self-rule. But He also says that whoever loses his life for Jesus will truly find it. Salvation is free, purchased by Jesus and received through repentant faith; but following Him as Lord will cost you everything you once called your own — and it is worth it. So today, think about what obedience may require you to lay down, and journal your answer.
Talk about:
- What does Jesus ask? (Deny self, take up cross, follow!)
- Is it costly? (Yes!)
Remember: "Let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mark 8:34).
Pray: Jesus, give me courage to follow whatever it costs.