Matthew 16:24 KJV

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

I was born and raised in a Christian home. I went to church when the doors were open. While I did backslide for a while after moving out of the house, I rededicated my life to God just a few years later. I have been in full time ministry for many years now. I was what most people would definitely call a Christian.

Then one morning several years back God began to deal with me. I felt impressed to get away and pray. As I prayed, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “Are you ready to die?” He instructed me to read Matthew 16:24-28. As I meditated on and prayed over these scriptures, he continued to deal with my heart. He revealed to me that he didn’t have all of me. I hadn’t surrendered the whole of my life to him. He didn’t want part of my life, he wanted all of my life. He wanted my thoughts, words, actions, body, and everything that I was and had. While it took some time to make the adjustments he’d shown me, I decided to give him everything. I decided to fully commit the whole of myself to him. My life has completely changed for the better since making that decision! 

I want to be his disciple! Matthew 16:24 says, “… If any man will come after me, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, and take up his cross, and follow me.” When the Lord asked me if I was ready to die, he wasn’t talking about physical death. He was talking about dying to anything and everything in my life that took away from him. 

How much of you does God have today? Part time Christian’s place God in their schedules where he fits in. Whether it’s church, bible study, fellowships, etc. they do these things when they fit in. Education, entertainment, sports, and social activities are first place in their lives, and these are the things they work around. 

The greatest decision you will ever make in your life is to go all in for God! My life has changed more in the last several years than it did all the years prior. Why didn’t God move in my life before? I simply had no room for more of him. Is there room in your life for more of God today? Is he first place in all that you do?

I’ve heard a saying through the years that says, “God wants full custody, not just weekend visitation.” That saying is so true! Give God all that you are and all that you have today! You will never regret it!