From the Heart of the Pastor

​          Matthew 16: 24-26 states, “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?’”
          I realize that most of the readership of this little article is saved.  I know that most of you who just read those verses probably thought – AMEN!  As well you should.  These are verses that certainly have in mind salvation.  I am thankful that you have lost your own life to Christ, and in the process been saved eternally.  That is all wonderful.  But look at the verses again and read them slowly.  There is something important for those of us who are saved too.
          I wonder if sometime even we who are saved still don’t try to save our own lives.  You may not know what I mean, let me explain.  I wonder if sometimes we worry so much about what is happening in our own lives that we let a lost and dying world around us slip right past.  Denying ourselves and dying to ourselves is not something we do only once when we accept Jesus, it should be a daily, hourly activity.  We should constantly put the needs of our family and our friends and our neighbors and especially the Lord, before our own concerns.  Every moment we should be seeking to use our God given giftedness in service to the Lord.
          I want to ask you something that may offend you, but it is only an exhortation in love.  How many hours last week did you spend thinking about and acting on behalf of someone other than yourself?  The verse says, “what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”  You may not be in danger of forfeiting you soul, but are you trying to gain the world at the expense of your God given ministry?  We must always be willing to give up the finer material things for the cause of the gospel.  Pour yourself out as a drink offering unto the Lord.  I will be very honest with you.  I think Oak Crest is just at the surface of the deep potential we have in the Lord.  God is ready to do so much more with his church at Oak Crest.  Let’s die today.  Let’s die to our comfort and our desires and the American dream.  Let’s die to self and serve the one who bought us!
 
In Christ, 
Blain Craig