"Then he said to them all, if anyone would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)
Following Jesus requires self denial. The human nature is the opposite. The natural reaction is to look out for your self interest. It is to defend yourself and not turn the other cheek. It is to take and not give whether it be in the world or sadly in the church.
I would be safe to assume that all, if not most human beings love to be correct and dislike being corrected. I think this is interesting. I've yet to meet a person who satisfies the requirement Jesus states in denying him/herself "daily" including myself. The term "daily" is not mentioned in the other synoptic gospels of Matthew and Mark but I like the emphasis. I've been praying a lot recently to be more like Jesus. This is what it is to be like Jesus;
"...who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God, something to be grasped but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in apperance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!" (Phil 2: 5-8)
This is exactly why He deserves praise. This is why we exalt Him on high. This is why we glorify our King. This is why we magnify Jesus. Because He is the only one worthy of praise. Amen!
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