Questions

"I have been crucified with Christ".....Galatians 2:20......have you? What does it mean to you to have been crucified with Christ? Have you died to anything of yourself? I have often shared the things that I have been shown and the teachings that the Spirit has gently guided me into, but today this is a tough one....for me it will be much easier to ask you some questions and have you consider....

Have you been crucified with Christ?
What does it mean to be crucified?   It means to be killed, right?
So...you have been killed, "crucified" with Christ...

but you're still alive or  you couldn't be reading this, correct?

"it is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me"....so we know it doesn't mean we've actually died a physical death, but....
...is there anything in you that has died?
     I want to be transparent here and say that the reason this is a difficult blog post for me is because I know all too well that there is too much in me that has not died! I still hold onto my comfort, my preferences, my entertainment, too often my "opinions". But we're supposed to be at this new level.....

"and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me"

     I am asking myself and I'll ask you, are you living for yourself, or for Christ? Are you still living to please yourself, or do you live to please Christ?
     Daily do you start the day with the thought, "What would my Lord and Master have me do today?", or do you think..what do I want to do today or what do I "have" to get done today?
     The Holy Spirit has been opening to me that my Master and Saviour wants it all! Jesus gave His all and we say that we are His followers so it makes sense that He would ask for "all" from us too, doesn't it?!
     If there is an area that you hesitate to give to Him, in it's entirety, then I dare say that you have not completed the dying to self part of becoming His follower or disciple. If you are a new believer then it's normal to go through a process of letting go of the world, but there are many people that are not "new" believers that are still holding out! They want to hold onto areas in their lives that they think are not really bad, so our Master shouldn't mind if we keep them, but did you ask Him?
     Remember it is now Him that lives in you....are the things you are holding onto things that He would hold onto? Are you holding onto unforgiveness, offenses, bitterness, anger, judgements, criticism...those are some of the biggies! But how about the things we consider little...gossip, covetness, off-color entertainment, "white lies"? There are many more things....you know yours as well as I know my own....
     When are you going to die to them? When are you going to take seriously the fact that you were supposed to have died to the things that are not from God? That is it supposed to be Jesus living in you now...is He comfortable with your habits, your choices, your hobbies, your expenses, your music, your clothing, your friends, your words, your thoughts?
     Time to look at your life and start putting some things on the cross!