What Jesus Did! 'The Way of the Cross!' — Luke 9:23

Saturday, June 10, 2023

[After Jesus said he would be killed and resurrected,] he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me."
— Luke 9:23 NLT

Key Thought

If we are going to be Jesus' followers, his disciples, we're going to have to be willing to walk in the way of the cross. Doing so means giving up our self interests [1] and our pride. [2] It means we live to honor Christ and to bless others in his name. [3] And our trip to the cross must come every day.

[1] Philippians 2:3-8 NIV.
[2] 1 Peter 5:5.
[3] Hebrews 13:16; 1 Peter 4:10.

Today's Prayer

Father, may I never claim glory except for the glorious grace you have given me in the cross of Jesus upon which I have crucified my selfish desires and committed to trusting in the salvation that is found in Jesus alone. In the Lord Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

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30 Related Resources by Heartlight

Luke 9:23
Devo: Today's Verse
"Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.""
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Inspirational illustration of Luke 9:23 -- If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Take Up Your Cross
Illustration of Luke 9:23
Inspirational illustration of Luke 9:23 -- Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
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Devo: Today's Verse
"Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will...."
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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 9:23 NLT — [After Jesus said he would be killed and resurrected,] he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me."

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About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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