Let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Acts 20:17-24

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.” Acts 20:17

Ephesus was just north of Miletus, as seen on the map below. From Miletus, Paul called for the elders of the Church at Ephesus to come to him in Miletus. The Church was not a manmade building that anyone would be able to recognize as being a church. The Church was a gathering of Believers and the elders of the Church were people who guided others in the Way of Jesus Christ. That is still the definition of the Church today. We are the temple of God, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 Jesus Christ is our Priest who lives within our heart and soul through the Holy Spirit.

 “And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:18-21

When the elders of the Ephesian Church came to Paul in Miletus, Paul spoke words to them that should be within the heart of every follower of Jesus Christ. We should be able to be an example in the Spirit of serving Jesus Christ with humility, not being aggressive, nor arrogant, nor argumentative, nor filled with debate, nor harshness, conflict, etc.

We are an example of faithfulness to God through Jesus Christ within many hardships, trials, difficulties, and afflictions. Today’s culture is atheistic and serves the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel, which is hostile to belief in God, living for Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:18;20

Shortly before Jesus would be delivered up to be crucified, he said, “…Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” Matthew 20:22 Jesus says to us, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24

As followers of Jesus Christ, we do not keep anything back from our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, even though it is rare to come across a true Believer nowadays. But if we ever do meet another Believer, we would not want to keep anything back about our born-gain testimony, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ written on our heart. We want to make known the repentance towards God through our faith in Jesus Christ. We repent of our unbelief in God the Creator, repent of our rejection of Jesus Christ, and repent of fighting against the Holy Spirit.

“And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.” Acts 20:22-23 

In every city of today’s culture, which is global, the prohibition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ prevails. Chains and tribulations are laid out for Christianity. People in every city are synchronized in their opposition to the testimony of Jesus by the beast giving them what to speak, do, think, and feel. That beast gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people as they are groomed to the mark, name, and number of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

We live in a culture today where the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all of Christianity are kept bound. A crown of thorns was put on the head of Jesus to cause Him pain and suffering. A crown of thorns is put on our head as the beast that gives what to think and feel browbeats the thoughts devoted to God through Jesus Christ. The Good News of Jesus is being crucified from within our thoughts. The heart of Jesus was pierced with a sword, from which blood and water poured out. Our heart is being pierced with a sword through the many heartaches arising from the hostilities to Christian fellowship, families, and loved ones of all types. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” John 16:20 The hands and feet of Jesus were nailed to the Cross. Today, our hands and feet are nailed to the Cross to prevent sharing and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

With Paul, may we be able to say through the Holy Spirit that nothing is more important than the ministry given to us from our Lord Jesus Christ. That ministry is to share the Gospel of the grace of God. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 At the end of our journey through this life, when we are about to experience the reawakening of our resurrection into eternal life, may the joy of the Lord be with us.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11