In Matthew 16:24, Jesus told his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” It is absolutely essential for a man to take up his cross if he will be a follower of Jesus; Jesus expressed the other side of this necessity, by stating in Matthew 10:38, “…he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”

What, then, does it mean to take up the cross? From John 19:17, we learn that part of the punishment for a man who was sentenced to crucifixion was to carry the cross upon which he would be nailed to the place of his execution. Matthew 27:31-32 shows that at some point during the trek Simon of Cyrene was compelled to bear the cross of Christ, Jesus evidently buckling physically under the burdensome beams that would be instrumental in His death. Thus, to “take up his cross” is an expression by which our Lord meant bearing whatever burden and shame is involved in a man following Him. Discomfort and disgrace are an inherent part of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, an oft-forgotten truth among some Christians (1 Pet. 4:12).

Have you had to bear some burdens because of your commitment to Christ? Perhaps you have been derided for your beliefs. Perhaps your foes are of your own household (Mt. 10:36; Jn. 7:1-5). Remember how Christ was mocked and beaten (Mk. 15:20; Lk. 22:64). Strive to bear persecution patiently in following the example of our beloved Lord (1 Pet. 2:20-24).

Have persecutions been absent in your life? While we should not seek out persecution, we should recognize that if we stand up for Christ, some maltreatment will come our way from time to time. 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Suffering for the sake of suffering is not a righteous endeavor, but living godly and suffering because one is a Christian is a reason to glorify God (1 Peter 4:14-16). Remember Luke’s account of Christ’s cross-bearing comment includes the word “daily” (Lk. 9:23). If I stand up for Christ on Sunday, but not during the week at where I work or attend school, then my everyday life does not radiate the light of Christ (Mt. 5:16). If all we do in word or deed is done in the name of Christ (Col. 3:17), then some are bound to notice.

Is it worth it to take up the cross and suffer for Christ? Definitely. Paul, a persecuted apostle, by inspiration wrote, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us,” (2 Tim. 2:12). This apostle reckoned himself “crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20), and recognized that suffering for Christ is a sign of salvation, “And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:28-29). So take up your cross, and I’ll take up mine, knowing that if we give our earthly lives to serving Christ, we shall find abundant life here and in the hereafter (Mt. 16:25).

-Mark Day

What role does prayer play in your life? Do you pray before meals, even in public? Do you pray when you arise from bed? Do you pray when you pillow your head at night? Do you pray in times of deep sorrow? What about in times of great joy? Prayer should play a significant role in a Christian’s daily life. Yet over the years for many Christians, prayer disappears from their life outside the assembly. Paul said we should “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5 :17). This is not a reference to the opening and closing prayers of the assembly. This is not referring to the prayer before meals. As important as these are, Paul is referring to the importance of prayer in life itself.

Kevin Rhodes in his book “Building Blocks – Strengthening Your Faith” said regarding prayer, “We also minimize prayer’s meaning for us personally. If we do not pray, it is because we have convinced ourselves that we do not need to pray or maybe that we do not think that it will do any good. We worry, but we do not pray (Philippians 4:6). We get depressed because people do not care, but we do not pray (1 Peter 5:7). We have bountiful blessings from above, but we do not pray (James 1:17). The problem is that while we read about these things in the Bible, we often fail to personalize it. When we run into problems at work, we agonize over it but not pray about it. When we feel alone and dejected, we brood and may even cry, but we do not pray. We enjoy blessings every day, but we do not think to pray. While we might think that these would be the times that prayer would come naturally, it does not do so because we have not made prayer our personal natural reaction.” pg. 53.

Many people recognize that their prayer life is not what it needs to be (including this writer -JDS) and they do not know how or where to begin improving it. Making changes in our daily lives regarding prayer is a good place to start.

First, resolve to give thanks before each meal, both privately and in public, at home and at work. While there is no command that says we are to pray before eating, what we do see in Scripture is examples of Jesus giving thanks before eating a meal. “And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” (Matthew 15:36). See also John 6:23 and Paul in Acts 27:35.

Second, put a note on your bathroom mirror to remind you to pray in the morning. The psalmist said in Psalm 88:13, “But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.” Jesus prayed in the morning, “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).

Third, before you go to bed at night, go to our heavenly Father in prayer. At all times of the day we should be ready to bow our hearts to God in prayer. Psalm 55 :17, “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.”

With diligence on the part of a Christian, Paul’s exhortation to “pray without ceasing” can be a description of your life. However, such a commitment is not just for a few weeks but for a lifetime.

-Jerry D. Sturgill