DENYING MYSELF????

Titus 2:11-12 For the Grace of God that brings Salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age.

It is a western philosophy but so prevalent in America and especially in the current culture; it is the philosophy of, “I SHOULD NOT BE DENIED ANYTHING!”

We have access to any and every type of food imaginable.  We create food concoctions that are decadent, artery-clogging and tempting.  We have convinced ourselves that we deserve any and every food that pleases our eyes and tempts our tastebuds and it should be super-sized – America ranks 10^th in the world in obesity and it is on the rise because we refuse to DENY OURSELVES.

Every medium-size city has a mall, multiple grocery stores, specialty shops, electronic and sporting goods stores; you name the item and it can be found in most locations…if not, there is always Amazon…and I should have the latest and greatest, just because I want it.  The United States ranks 9^th in consumer debt per adult, because why should I DENY MYSELF a thousand dollar cell phone or a new fully loaded car or my dream home or more shoes or…..I have a credit card that is not yet maxed out.

Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.

NON-DENIAL, it isn’t an American or 21^st century phenomenon; it started in the Garden.  Satan convinced Eve that God only wanted to deny her THE RIGHT to know things that only He knew because God did not want her to be like Him……So NOT DENYING ourselves of sin began.

I want to…it makes me feel good…God wants me happy…everyone else does…the Bible doesn’t say…it doesn’t really affect me…I HAVE A RIGHT…Satan will whisper every excuse imaginable to our hearts, appealing to our lusts and tempting us to sample the pleasures of sin…after all why should I DENY MYSELF?

BECAUSE…TRUTH IS STILL TRUTH!

Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him DENY himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Denial is about DISCIPLESHIP; it is about RIGHTEOUSNESS: it is about GODLINESS …even in this PRESENT AGE!

Right and Wrong; Good and Evil; Holy or Profane; Desire or Denial; Flesh or Spirit…They are still choices that we make…Will I DENY MYSELF to follow after the Spirit or SATISFY MY FLESH to follow after my lusts?