Matthew 10:38 English Standard Version (ESV) And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

What does it take to pick up your own cross? It is a symbol of death. If we have died with Christ as Paul cries out to us in Romans 6:8 and now live with Him what is the purpose of my cross?

Sacrifice, a willingness to sacrifice self just as Christ was willing to sacrifice Himself for us.

Paul said he counted all things as lost to win Christ. I cannot pick up my cross and carry with it the things of this world. I cannot even take attitudes and emotions with me to my cross. I have to lay all those things at the foot of my cross and not pick them up again. A thing lost to me is a thing that must not be longed for while a bear my cross. If I do, it is not lost to me.

If we are not willing to choose Christ over all things we have not won Christ. Only Christ has the right to say to us, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” If you think those are laws, you really don’t understand Christ. His command is to love God with all your heart mind, soul and strength. If we can do that He will handle the rest.

1 Corinthians 13:13 English Standard Version (ESV) So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

The Father gave us faith, the Holy Spirit gives us hope and Christ is love.

Love gets it done. We can only sacrifice things we love less than God.

What do we place before God?