Bible Discussion Thread

What does it mean to take up your cross

Hi Darold , I've heard many great exhortations on this subject , I can only tell you what I believe . Here goes : to me our cross is a burden , the greatest burden I have , the thing that stops me from being the Christian that I want to be is.....me . My existence in this sinfull flesh . My sinfull self in this life of flesh is my biggest burden . I have to eat drink sleep , I have numerous health problems that make daily life for me painful and exhausting , so I can't read the Bible as much as I wish , I can't do the good things that I should be doing , then there is my own desires or lusts if you prefer . I get tangled up in other people's emotions , people that I care about , I worry about them , I say and do things that I shouldn't really but I justify myself in a million sinfull excuses . I am my own burden . My sinfull flesh . This is Christ victory . This is the brassen serpent in the wilderness , this is the serpent in the garden of Eden . This is Christ's enormous and fantastic and awesome and beautiful gift . Greater love hath no man than that . He did it all for us . He did it out of love . Love for us and for his Father and ours , the Holy One of Israel .