Whose Agenda and Whose Priorities Are You Pursuing?

Mark 8:34 (NIV) – Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple MUST DENY THEMSELVES and take up their cross and follow me.

Mark 8:34 (Contemporary English Version) – Jesus then told the crowd and the disciples to come closer, and he said: If any of you want to be my followers, YOU MUST FORGET ABOUT YOURSELF. You must take up your cross and follow me. 

Mark 8:34 (Amplified Bible) – Jesus called the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [SET ASIDE SELFISH INTERESTS], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].

Mark 8:34 (New Living Translation ) – Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, YOU MUST GIVE UP YOUR OWN WAY, take up your cross, and follow me.

Mark 8:34 (Message Bible ) – Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. YOU’RE NOT IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT; I AM. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how.

A disciple must deny himself or herself. What does that mean? What does it mean to deny yourself? Self denial has been made a condition for discipleship. Unless we deny ourselves, we are not disciples of Jesus. If we are not disciples of Jesus, we are hopeless and lost. Therefore to be a disciple of Jesus, we must deny ourselves!

The various Bible versions cited above have translated the concept of self denial in various ways to make it easy to understand. The various renderings gives us an idea of what it means to deny yourself. A condition for discipleship.

To deny yourself has been translated as forgetting about yourself. To deny yourself has also been translated as to set aside selfish interests. Selfish interests are those things that are very personal to you and don’t benefit anyone else. To deny yourself has also been defined as giving up your own way. You were pursuing your own way then you change to a way that isn’t yours. Finally to deny yourself has also been translated as getting out of the driver’s seat and letting Jesus drive.

It is therefore safe to conclude that denying yourself is changing your priorities and agenda and adopting that of Jesus. A true disciple has no personal agenda nor priorities. The first step in discipleship is giving up your agenda and priorities.

Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV) – 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

When Jesus called the disciples, He found them fishing or in the tax collector office. They had their own agenda for the day and for their lives. They had burning priorities. Then Jesus called them. Immediately they abandoned their own agenda and priorities and followed Jesus!

Discipleship has always begun with change of agenda and priorities. If you haven’t given up your agenda and priorities, you haven’t become a disciple. You are an impostor, a fake disciple. A con man or woman masquerading as a disciple yet you are not.

Luke 18:18 (NIV) – A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Luke 18:22-23 (NIV) – 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.

The rich young ruler wanted eternal life in heaven. He had enjoyed everything on earth and he didn’t want to miss eternal life in heaven. He was wise enough to know that it’s foolish to enjoy this short life and suffer in the endless life after this. Therefore he wanted to know what to do NOW that will guarantee eternal life.

To inherit eternal life there are things you must do TODAY actually NOW. You can’t live a sinful life and hope to jump into eternal life. Decisions and changes for eternal life must be made NOW!

Finally, Jesus told the rich young ruler that what he must do NOW, is to change agenda and priorities. Change it from pursuit of wealth to pursuit of eternal life. Sell everything and give the poor, then follow Jesus. That means your agenda and priorities will be what Jesus dictates.

The rich young ruler was unable to change his agenda and priorities. He walked away from discipleship. He walked away from eternal life. You can’t be a disciple unless you give up your agenda and priorities. You will never have eternal life if you can’t change your agenda and priorities. Give up your agenda and priorities and adopt those given to you by Jesus!

Adam and Eve moved from God’s agenda and priorities and tried to gain wisdom though a forbidden fruit, and they failed. Cain gave an offering that wasn’t online with God’s agenda and priorities and he was rejected by God. Those who built the Tower of Babel had their own agenda and priorities and they failed. Success, peace, joy and happiness is in giving up your own agenda and priorities and adopting those of Jesus!

When God called Abraham, he gave up his agenda and priorities and followed God. Abraham had his plans with his son, then God asked him to kill his son, that meant change of agenda and priorities and Abraham was willing to change. He was counted righteous.

Moses had been in Midian for forty years. He had agenda and priorities for his sheep business. Then God appears in a burning bush and gives him new agenda and new priorities. Moses abandoned his agenda and priorities and followed what God gave him.

Everyone who ever served God faithfully and in outstanding ways, had to abandon their own agenda and priorities and take up what God gave. Jeremiah had to abandon childhood and even marriage. Jonah had to abandon comfort and go where he hated to go. You can’t succeed with God unless you deny yourself, change your agenda and priorities to what God wants!

God’s agenda and priorities for us includes returning tithes and offerings. You had plans for that percentage of your income but now you must deny yourself. You must change your agenda and priorities for a percentage of your income.

God’s agenda and priorities includes the fact that you keep the Sabbath. Forgive those who offend you. Change your lifestyle. Change your entertainment. Change your dressing. Change your friends. Change your daily routine to include prayer and Bible study. Change your engagement with others by considering them better than you. Abandoning traditions and practices that conflict scripture. Deny yourself! Change your agenda and priorities!

As we read the Bible prayerfully everyday, we will keep on knowing what God wants us to abandon and what agenda and priorities we are to take up. That is what it means to deny ourselves. It means accepting transfers to serve God in places and positions we may not like. It means to end conflicts by letting others win. It means allowing God to revenge. 

Dear God, help me to abandon my agenda and priorities. Help me to be willing and ready to adopt any agenda or priority that You give me. In Jesus’s name, Amen!

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