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[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Etch. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:14] Be blessed. In Matthew chapter 16 verse 24, 25, 26 and 27, I will leave 27 now but I will just take it from 24, 25, 26. He said you have to take your cross and follow me.

[0:30] Then Jesus said, who said? Jesus. Who said? Jesus. Is it possible we are all really out together? Yes, it is. Let's go. Then Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take your cross and follow me.

[0:49] He said you want to come after me? Don't come. It starts with something. You must be in a certain state before you can follow, else your following will not be successful. Conditions for, terms and conditions for following Jesus is deny yourself.

[1:06] Oh, that's for me. I don't like this. That's for me. That's for me. Shut up. Deny yourself. I'll just forget it. You can't follow Jesus. Deny yourself. Deny yourself. So that tells you that it's going to be a real issue for many people in our generation because very selfish generation.

[1:22] Everybody is so self-centered, thinking about themselves, thinking about their happiness, their pleasure, and what is fine for them, what is good for them. This generation, we all grew up in this generation being so self-centered and materialistic.

[1:37] Self-centered. Self-centered. We will hurt anybody to get what we want. In fact, we will walk on other people's head to get to the top.

[1:51] Self-centered, materialistic. Because I want this, I'm going to push and give myself to it. I'm going to get it. Self-centeredness and materialism.

[2:05] Yeah. Yeah. Self-centeredness. So, because of that, it looks like if you have been conditioned to be self-centered for most of your life, it's going to be a problem becoming a good Christian.

[2:24] Because it starts with deny yourself. The way you associate, I said deny yourself. When they say deny yourself, it means that you have to just deny what you know you have right to.

[2:35] As long as, if it's, unless it does not conflict what God wants you to do. What the scripture teaches you. But if, for the sake of Christ, I'm in church, I really don't like the way that lady talks to me.

[2:50] But you know what? I just ignore it. I'm just going to stay focused. It's not about me. That's why self-denial comes in. Because naturally, you don't like those things. But it's not naturally. It's supernaturally.

[3:01] You choose to deny yourself. Deny yourself. Take up your cross. But I don't have a cross. Oh, you do. Jesus wouldn't say take up your cross. When I was growing up, they used to sing a song.

[3:13] Said, I will carry your cross. I will carry your cross, oh Jesus. No, he didn't say carry my cross. Your own. You have your own. Take your own. And carry your own. And follow me.

[3:25] A certain man had his own cross. He'd been carrying it. And every time, he said, God, this cross is too heavy. God, this thing that I'm carrying is hard.

[3:38] Oh God. The man has been carrying the cross. He said, Lord, this is too hard. This is too heavy. Every time, do I have to fast? Do I have to go to church? Do I have to forgive? God is. And one day, God told him, come, come.

[3:49] Bring, bring. Come, let me swap the cross for you. So God took him, asked him, showed him. And he went into a big room. When he entered the room, he saw different types of cross.

[4:01] Some were so huge, like a whale or elephant. Others were different sizes, different sizes of cross. So God said, go, just choose whichever you want.

[4:15] Choose whichever. So he saw different. So he put his own down and started looking. Looking, check this. Oh, no, this is too heavy. You take this. Oh, this is not too heavy. It looks mobile.

[4:25] So long. It's compass. The way my height is and the place I go, this can't work. Left it for about five hours from cross to cross.

[4:36] And finally, somebody say finally. Finally. Finally, he found one. Ah, he said, this one is better. I can't carry this with ease and I can move around easily. He said, Lord, I like this one.

[4:48] This is better. I'm happy. God said, that's the one you've been carrying all along. Which you are complaining about, does it? It's the same thing you have been carrying. When you compare it to other ones, you realize that this one is bespoke.

[5:00] It's fit for your life. Hallelujah. He said, take up your cross and follow me. You deny yourself. Say, deny yourself. Deny yourself.

[5:10] Look at someone on television. Deny yourself. Deny yourself. Deny yourself. Take up your cross and follow me. Twenty-six. Twenty-five. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it.

[5:22] Whoever desires to save his life. Yes, man. I will save my money. I will save marriage. I will stay with him like that. So, hey, I won't do anything too much. This church, I won't do it too much.

[5:32] So that potential husband won't tell me that I'm doing something too much. Okay. You save your life. Whoever desires to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake.

[5:46] If you did this, you lost something for me. He said, you'll gain it. You'll gain it. This is the one who created heaven and earth. He's telling you, if you lose something for me, you'll gain it.

[5:56] This is what a lot of Christians have lost sight of. Then the twenty-six is more scary. He said, what shall a man, what shall he profit a man?

[6:07] If you gain all the jobs, gain all the money, all the clothes, all the houses, all the cars, you gain everything at the expense of your soul. Who you really are.

[6:19] You have lost yourself. You are always miserable. You have lost your identity. Confused. You are confused. You are not happy. But you have money. What does he gain? What does a person gain? If you profit.

[6:30] If you gain the whole wealth and lose your soul. You lose your soul. What does it? For what profit is it to a man? If he gains the whole wealth and loses his own soul.

[6:42] Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Nothing. Nothing compares to your soul. The value of the soul. Then he talks about how when the son of man is coming back, he will come in the glory of the father with holy angels.

[6:56] He's going to come back. When he's coming, he's going to give reward to some people. Yeah. For the son of man will come in the glory of his father with his angels, and then he will reward each one according to his works.

[7:11] Day of reckoning is coming. Day of accountability is coming. Day of reward is coming. Somebody say amen. Day of reward. Day of reward. Day of reward. Day of reward. Day of reward. Day of reward. Day of reward. So, how can you live the Christian life denying yourself taking it, denying yourself taking a cross and follow because it's necessary.

[7:30] It is asking for somebody to die. Yeah. You have to be crucified. In Galatians 2.20, he said, I am crucified with Christ.

[7:43] Nevertheless, I live. Yet, not I. And the life which I now live. King James, I am crucified with Christ.

[7:55] Nevertheless, I live. So, you see me still alive. But I thought you were crucified. Yeah. But I'm still alive. How? Yet, not I. Christ has taken over. He's become my master.

[8:07] He determines. Sometimes, I don't even like it, but I have to do what he says I have to do. You know, when, I don't know how many of you know somebody who has been in prison before, visited somebody in prison. You don't determine when you wake up.

[8:18] They tell you when you wake up, when you eat. When you're a prisoner, you don't control your life. Sometimes, if they have to give you a day release, you don't say, give me a day release. If they can tell you, okay, we will give you. They tell you, they tell you when they will release you.

[8:32] Yeah. When you're a prisoner, and when you're a slave, it's even worse. When you're a slave, you don't own your life. Another person owns you. They can sell you. In those days, slaves, you can kill a slave because it's your property.

[8:47] And with that ancient understanding of slavery, Bible says that we are slaves to Christ. So, we live for him. Ask for me. They say, I can't stand this thing.

[8:58] Ask for me. Drop the ask for me. Drop it because you don't matter. It is Christ who matters. It is Christ who matters. Drop it.

[9:09] Unless you are not following him. If you are following him, forget about yourself. Let's go. But Jesus said, let's go. He has given his try. He's going. Follow me or you go. But I'm going.

[9:20] If he said, follow me, that means he started going already. Just follow me. Sometimes you don't even look back. You have to follow. Bible said, Enoch worked with God. Not God worked with Enoch. Enoch worked with God.

[9:31] They are two different things. Enoch worked with God. So, then he has to take steps like God takes steps. Because if you are walking with me, I move very fast. You have to keep running.

[9:43] Running. Because my legs are long. Enoch worked with God. So, if you are following him, you have to work with him. You can't do it on your terms. Can't do it on your terms. Why would you?

[9:56] Because you are so desperate. You like this guy. You know you are going out with him. But you know that Jesus is not in agreement with that. Yeah. Yeah, you are doing things.

[10:10] You are doing things. But you know, that's what he wants. I want him to be happy. Yeah. Alright. So, you have to deny yourself.

[10:23] Deny yourself. And trust God. I thought you said you were a Christian. I thought you said you were a Christian. It's like you are fake. Trust God.

[10:34] That's what it means to be a Christian. I trust him to the end. Trust in him. That's right. And he said, I will reward you. Trust God. Whatever you are compromising, doing, it's going to catch up with you.

[10:49] Mark my words, mark my lips. It's going to catch up with you. You know I'm talking to you. Go on. Go on. It's going to catch up with you.

[11:01] Yeah. There is a blessing in doing it God's way. Amen. If there is anything you should be praying for, don't be praying for money. Don't pray for grace to deny yourself.

[11:13] These are the things that we should be praying. Help me. Help me. Break me. Help me to deny myself. To follow you. Take up my cross. So you don't complain.

[11:24] Everything you are whining. Every time. We are going for out here again. We have fasting. Again. Every time. Anything Christian comes to you as a big chore.

[11:38] It's because you have not fully denied yourself. That's why you are feeling it. Amen. Paul said in Philippians chapter 3 verse 7.

[11:49] Verse 7 says that, but whatsoever things were gained to me, these I counted loss for Christ. Say for Christ.

[12:00] Do you remember Jesus said if you lose anything for my name's sake. This is for Christ. If you want to please me, you can please God. I think Galatians chapter 1, I think 10 or so.

[12:14] Galatians 1.10. For do I now persuade man or God? Or do I seek to please man? For if I still please man, I will not be a bond.

[12:24] The bond servant is a slave. If you want to please man. So if you want to do God's work, get ready. People just will not like you. Some of them close allies, close family members will turn against you.

[12:41] And what have you done? Simply because you have chosen to do God's work and take Christ serious, you are asking for trouble. That's why you have to start by denying yourself and taking your cross.

[12:53] Whatsoever things was gained to me, I count loss for Christ. Verse 8. Yet, indeed, I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of.

[13:08] Have you suffered anything for Jesus? You haven't started Christian work if you have not suffered. Get ready. Christianity means suffering. Suffering.

[13:19] But Satan fears you. Satan can touch you. By human means, he will touch you. And if God has a plan for you to get to Rome, they can kill you on the way.

[13:32] No one can change the plan of God. Don't fear anybody. And count them as rubbish. Not that they are lost alone. I count them, even though I count them as lost, I count them rubbish as well.

[13:43] Why? That I may gain Christ. Verse 9. And be found in him. I want to be found. When you're looking for me, you'll find me. The next verse, verse 10, is where I'm trying to get to. He says that I might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering be made conformable to his death.

[14:06] That's Christianity. I want to know him. And I want to know him. I want to know the power of his resurrection. Why have we neutralized the fellowship of his suffering?

[14:19] Why have we muted being made conformable to his death? It is in dying that we live. In Christianity, our living comes through dying.

[14:34] I'll give you a scripture. I'll give you a scripture. I will give you a scripture. 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 11. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 11 and 12. I'll give you a scripture. I'll give you a scripture.

[14:46] Check it and see. Check it and see. Check it and see. We live through dying. It says that this is a faithful saying for if we die with him, we shall live with him.

[15:02] If we die with him, we shall. It says this is a faithful saying. It's a truism. It's a faithful saying. No one can deny it. This is a truth.

[15:13] It's the truth. Fundamental truth. That if we die. Why is it that you don't want to die with Christ? I don't understand people who have come to church and they are so kind of.

[15:24] Born again, you are so kind of. Oh, I mean this kind of preaching. I mean I don't like this person. I don't talk to this one. That's what it is. You are in a church and you don't talk to somebody in the church.

[15:36] Are you really born again? Are you really, really, really born again? Are you really, really born again? Are you really, really born again?

[15:48] Are you really, really born again? Are you really, really born again? Are you really, really born again? Are you? You.

[16:01] You. You. You don't let me come after you. You. You. Be in the spirit.

[16:11] Are you really born again? Never take it lightly when a Christian is making statements and sometimes they say it with impunity and audacity.

[16:26] I am being made conformable to his death. I am conforming. That means that is not my original state. But I am adapting and being shaped into it.

[16:41] I am conforming and being made conformable to his death. We live with him only when we die with him. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 11 and 12.

[16:51] Amazing text. I think we have to take it from verse 10. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse. Always carrying in our body. What? Did you see that?

[17:02] We Christians. We are always carrying in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus. Why? That the life of Jesus also may be made manifested in our body. You want to have the life without the dying.

[17:15] It starts with the dying in our body. We are carrying that and being made conformable to his death. We are dying in the body so that the life also may be manifested. Not our life.

[17:26] The life of Christ. The reason why we can't see the life of Christ in you is because you are not carrying or being made conformable to his death. Look at the next verse. Let's go.

[17:37] For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake. But the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body so that you are.

[17:48] We are alive. But we are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake. Remember I told you that he's sick. If it's for gossiping's sake, it's not Christianity.

[18:03] You are suffering because you went and did something wrong. You are suffering because your baby mother has taken your name to government agencies. Please don't say you are suffering for Christ.

[18:17] If you are suffering for your former benefit fraud and now you've stopped but now things have come after you. Don't say you are suffering for Christ. You are suffering for your own things.

[18:28] But believe God since you have stopped that he will help you be able to carry the challenge and work through it. Have you read verse 11 already? 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 11.

[18:40] Okay, look at verse 12. So then, let's already out together. So then, death is working in us, but life in you. Because we are working for God and being blessed.

[18:53] We can't work for God without death working in you. Something must die. Look at how poor Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 31. He said, I die daily. Not occasionally.

[19:06] Some of you, it's occasional. When you feel, he, he, he, Jesus. He, that is what I will die for Jesus. Afterwards, you stop. You die occasionally. I affirm by the boasting in you, yeah, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

[19:23] I die weekly. I die monthly. Occasionally. No. Daily. Every day I wake up, I know I'm dying for Jesus.

[19:35] I'm dying for Jesus. I'm dying for Jesus. I'm dying for Jesus. I'm dying for Jesus. I'm dying for Jesus. I'm sharing some strong stuff. I'm dying for Jesus.

[19:48] I'm dying for 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 23. 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 23. And then 2 Corinthians chapter 6, 9. As unknown and yet well known.

[19:59] As dying. That's talking about the apostles. And behold, we live. We are dying. As chasing and yet not killed. So it's like we almost look like every time we are dying, but we are still living.

[20:11] We are fine. We are dying. People feel sorry for us, but we are fine. Yeah. 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 9. It said we despaired of life. Yes.

[20:22] We had the sentence of death in ourselves. That we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. We had the sentence of death.

[20:33] You know that you are living, but you are almost dead. It says 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 23. We didn't read that one. Are they ministers?

[20:44] Yes. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a food. I am more. In labors more abundantly. In stripes above measure. In prisons frequently. In deaths often.

[20:56] How can you die often? You die once. So this is not talking about physical death. We are almost dead every time. We are almost dead every time.

[21:08] For the sake of Christ. Philippians chapter 1 verse 20. We have been saying for me to live is Christ. That's Philippians 121. But before 121. Look at what verse 20 says.

[21:20] According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed. But with all boldness as always. So now also Christ will be magnified in my body.

[21:33] How? Whether by life or by death. Whatever the state. Christ must be magnified in my body. And let me give you one more scripture. Romans chapter 8 verse 36.

[21:49] Hey! Let's already. This is good. This is interesting. Let's go. Did you see that?

[22:03] You have to embrace death. And you can't if you don't deny yourself and take your cross. Being made conformable to his suffering. You are too much alive.

[22:14] You are too much alive. You are too much alive. God can't use you. You are too alive. And as for me. This is what I don't like the kind of thing. As for me. I'm like this.

[22:24] As for me. Would you please shut up and know that for me to live is Christ. To die is gain. If you are living for Christ. Stop saying as for me. And people can say things like.

[22:35] You don't know me. Yeah. I don't want to know you. I thought you were Christian. I don't want to know you. They don't know me. What I can do. Excuse me. Oh. So. Oh. Okay. Who are you then?

[22:47] They don't know you. We don't want to know you. Because you. Originally. You are rubbish. You are. You are only good for hell. Only good for hell.

[23:00] I am only good for hell. You are only good for hell. We are only good for hell. He had mercy on us. And put. Downloaded his life into us. So that people.

[23:10] We look very. Don't you know that. Don't you see that when you come to church. It looks like. Everybody in church is a nice person. No. Don't be deceived. It's Christ that has made you what you are. So stop trying to prove anything about.

[23:23] What you could do. And who you used to be. Anyone. Don't want to cross me. Stop it. Die. Die. So that the beauty of Christ.

[23:34] Can also manifest through you. Except a grain of wheat. Falls to the ground. And dies. If I buy. But when it dies. That's when you can become fruitful. In the hands of God.

[23:44] Most people say. Pastor anoint me. That God can use me. No. Forget it. Start dying. When you start dying. I can pray. Because anointing doesn't work. In living bodies.

[23:56] It works in dead bodies. Amen. Did you receive something? We thank God for using his servant.

[24:08] Reverend Dr. David Andrew. To share this awesome word. If this message has blessed you in any way. Please spread the word by sharing it. And send us an email. To amen. At karis.org Remember to stay connected with us.

[24:21] On Facebook. Instagram. YouTube. And Twitter. For regular updates. On what God is doing here. At Karis Ministries. Stay blessed. First.

[24:31]  Thank you. Thank you. Mr. David Andrew. Good morning. Good morning. We thank god for sharing how to share.