Luke 9:23
“And He said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

Every John Piper book I read is my favorite Piper book, :), but the one I’m reading right now is soooooo good! It is presently my favorite! Haha!

Actually, I am reading a book titled, STAND A CALL FOR THE ENDURANCE OF THE SAINTS , and it is a compilation of authors edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. In a chapter, by Piper, I was very affected by a story he told about the martyr Polycarp who died for his faith in 155 AD. I am amazed at the power of God’s grace at the time of Polycarp’s death!

Piper says, “The proconsul sent word that is should be proclaimed aloud to the crowd three times, “Polycarp hath confessed himself to be a Christian.” After the crowd found out there were no beasts available for the task, they cried out for him to be burned alive. The wood was gathered, and as they were about to nail is hands to the timber he said, “Let me be as I am. He that granted me to endure will grant me also to remain at the pyre unmoved, without being secured with nails.” The fire did not consume him, but an executioner drove a dagger into his body. “And all the multitude marveled at the great difference between the unbelievers and the elect.” When we are so satisfied in Christ that we are enabled to willingly die for Him, we are freed to love the lost as never before, and Christ is shown to be a great Treasure. (Stand, p.45)

ummmm. WOW! This man treasured Christ so deeply, securely and sincerely that he KNEW that God’s grace would keep him in the fire as he willingly died for his faith! Amazing. I’ve been thinking about this ever since I read it several days ago. Here, in America, we are not put to death for being Christians. We are not even persecuted like our brothers and sisters were in days gone by and presently are in countries like China, India, North Korea, Saudi Arabia…etc. So, all we have to do is die to self! Why is it so hard to do so? I can see how being burned at the stake would be hard, but to die to self??? Why do I get offended so easily? Why can’t I die to self? Why do I get annoyed at others so easily? Why can’t I die to self? Why is my anger so easily ignited? Could it be because I have more stake in this world than I do in Christ? Could it be that I treasure my desires and my wants more than I treasure Christ? That is easily the reason why it is so difficult to die to self.

My prayer today and for days to come is that by God’s grace I would treasure Christ more than I treasure anything in this world. That I would treasure Christ more than I treasure respect, reputation, myself… THEN by His grace, I will be able to die to self.