Self-Denial - Part 2 — Joshua Daniel

Jesus’ Call to Self-Denial and Daily Discipleship

Now, dear friends, I want to briefly bring you to some of the basics. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ said, those that would be my disciples. What context did he say that also? We'll just look at the ninth chapter of Luke.

Here, he was foretelling his suffering. Ninth chapter of Luke and the 22nd verse. The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

So here, the Lord Jesus Christ foretold his approaching cross, his suffering, and his death. And then he went on to say, under these circumstances, he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

The Religion of Acquisition Versus Sacrificial Discipleship

What we are taught today is the religion of acquisition. You see, if there's something to grab, something to acquire, yes, I want it. Something to renounce, well, we find it very hard. Old habits, old desires, old ambitions, you know, and family traits.

Don't forget, some of our families hardly have a history or even a strain of missionary love or sacrifice. That should be a painful thing. Well, tracing back our roots, how many of our fathers, great uncles, great great great granddads, and so on and so forth, how many of them ever went the way of true discipleship?

You know, the missionary heart does not necessarily mean crossing an ocean. Today, there are many oceans to cross. You see, even the very people who are around you appear to be so indifferent. What do we do under those circumstances?

We pray. While we are praying, there will come a wide open opportunity when they will seek help. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. Take up his cross daily and follow me. You know, small things lead to great missionary enterprises.

Small things, small sacrifices, but that is discipleship. You know, if my father had said, oh how am I going to resign this position? It's going to make me the principal of this big place. How am I going to resign this?

I've got three children and a fourth one is on the way. How can I do it with no assured salary? My dear friends, if my dad had turned his back upon that step of trust and obedience, this work of God which is now reaching out to places and people whom I will never meet on earth.

Personal Stories of the Gospel’s Reach

You know, I know of at least three cases of people who had decided to commit suicide when they just happened to turn to our telecast. They were all set upon committing suicide. Now, I know of three. I don't know how many others there are.

You know, I take most of the time giving the word. So, when we come to the end of the telecast, we just quickly run over. If you need help, write to and so on. And there are many people who are writing.

The variety of needs I cannot imagine. You cannot imagine. My husband died of AIDS and now I am an AIDS patient. My child also has got AIDS. Pray for us. Oh my dear friends, when I see AIDS patients being healed, I rejoice greatly because I know that medically they can't be healed.

Their life can only be prolonged a little. But when the Lord Jesus is doing that, you know, a little self-denial has gone into all this. You know, the burden of sin is heavy. The burden of self is heavy.

You know, it can crush you. The burden of self. But the cross which Jesus Christ gives us. He took the pain upon himself. He took the load and the weight upon himself. And he says, just bear this for me, my son.

It is not heavy, but bear it daily. I give you a cross to carry. There is a purpose in your life. We notice in the third chapter of Mark, once again let us look at those familiar verses when Jesus chose his disciples.

Cleansed Vessels and Empowered Disciples

Why did he choose them? Fourteenth verse, Mark 3, 14. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.

So these men had this purpose. You be with me, you learn of me, and then I send you forth with power. See my friends, this power comes to us in a clean heart. One of the things that God taught me early was very simple, simple lesson.

Clean up the vessel, I'll do the rest. Don't expect me to pour my power into an unclean vessel. Clean up the vessel, and I'll do the rest. So that's all the assignment that God gave me. My business was to keep humble, to keep broken, and keep my eye on Jesus, and not put self first.

So, it was simple. And then he did the work. He took the burden. Now that is a secret which all of you need to learn. Because in the calling of a soul, God has a great purpose, great purpose. And when I look at any congregation which I address, I am amazed.

I see such a wide variety of people, most unlikely people, hard people, people whom nobody in the world could have ever changed, but the Lord's touch came upon them. And I see how the loving Savior has a great purpose for each life, each life.

Rejecting a Wandering Life for God’s Calling

So folks, one of the temptations of today is to be just wandering around. One of our boys in Australia is Rodney. Rodney was an excellent tennis player, and the Lord met him at one of our meetings over there in Australia.

And Rodney was telling me, that man is a butterfly. I never heard of a man being a butterfly. I said, I never heard that expression. He is a butterfly, you know, just flitting about. There are some people like that.

That's the mindset of people. But Jesus gave a job to his disciple, and not to be butterflies, wandering, you know, where some attractive flower appears on the scene. My dear folks, that's the mindset of many people today.

Where can I find a high-paying job? You know, some of our people have been taking such low-paying jobs, saying, I'm going to stay here. There is a work which God wants me to do. So, I will take this low-paying job.

They're offering me a big pay packet in the next city, but I'm not going. You see, that is a mindset on doing God's will. You know, Dr. Danny, when he went to Guyana, he worked in a hospital which paid him $100 a month.

Would you take that job? Anybody here? Volunteers? You will run from that job. But he never complained. He never told me. It's, well, I knew it was not a high-paying job. I had been preaching in Guyana.

I saw that poor hospital. They said, children are here, the equipment is here, but no doctors. I said, why not? We'll find the doctors. So, Dr. Danny and his wife, Dr. Esther, who is with the Lord now, went.

What? Money doesn't decide where you should go. That is a very poor mind. You know, in the old days, we used to call them coolies. Nowadays, they call them workers and so on. By coolies, you only meant laborers who would haggle for a few coins.

Cheap labor. See, I'll hire myself out today to work in your fields. You just gave me so much. Well, if you give me 10 or 12 or 20, you know, I saw people working for pennies. Literally, I saw some people being used by their employers.

Discipleship Amid Workplace Exploitation

What? That's exploitation. That's a different story. But, however, we see that same mindset in people today. I'll hire myself out. You know, it's very tragic that when it comes to unemployment and the way some of these girls are being exploited by employers today, the workplace has become a place of sexual harassment.

It is so dreadful. If a girl wants to keep herself, she must know how to say firmly, no, I'm not here to be touched and fondled. You know, folks, no purpose. I'll hire myself out. But Jesus says, follow me.

Deny yourself. Take up your cross daily and follow me. How wonderful it is. Doing our secular jobs and following Jesus, being a light where God has placed you. Now, if, of course, God's call comes to you to come into full-time service, he will prepare you.

He won't turn you into a beggar. Some people have a very cheap idea of God's work. You know, over in Australia, they told me something which shocked me. A missionary said, you know, people send us from abroad some gifts, packets, and one of the gifts is used tea bags.

Can you believe that? Used tea bags. You know, I've taken all the goodness out of this bag. Now, I'll give the rest to God. Give the rest to God. Use tea bags. You know, people get that kind of cheap mindset.

Be careful. That might be right in you. Or let others do it. Let others pay the price. Let others bear the cross. I will sacrifice used tea bags and give them to Jesus. No. No. Jesus deserves better. Let us pray.

Prayer for Faithful and Wholehearted Discipleship

Tell God, Lord, teach me the path of discipleship. Teach me to be a disciple, not a butterfly, nor a person that gives to God used tea bags. His name reduced to a swear word on the shop floor or in the marketplace.

Forgive us, Lord, if people saw us treasure Jesus, if people saw us living like Jesus, if people saw the fruit of true discipleship, how much blessing there would be. Dear Lord, thou hast said, The righteous I have been young, now am I old.

Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor their seed begging bread. His water and bread shall be sure. Thank you for your living word. Even in the times of famine and want, you will not forsake your children.

And seeing that today, many are passing through rough times. Lord Jesus, you said, My rod and my staff will comfort you. I will prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies. And we shall say with the psalmist, My cup runneth over.

And surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life as I walk this pilgrim path, this way of discipleship. So bless and give real faith to all of us in Jesus' name. Amen.