30 Days of Prayer for the Harvest
Day 18 – Thursday, January 29, 2026
Read Mark 8:34-38
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Yesterday, we concluded from 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 that a crucified Savior can only be proclaimed with divine power by a crucified people. As followers of Christ must be people of the cross. Jesus said in Mark 8:34 says, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
First, followers of Jesus will be those who deny themselves. Denying self is not the same thing as self-denial. Some people will practice self-denial by withholding certain things from themselves, like some people give up chocolate during Lent. That is not what Jesus is talking about. The word “deny” means to “disavow any connection with something.” It is the very word used to refer to Peter’s denial of Jesus while the Lord was on trial (Matt. 26:68-75, this Sunday’s sermon!).
When I truly deny myself, I have no will but His will. I have no plans but His plans. I have no wants but what He wants for me. When I deny myself, I give up all my rights, and I relinquish all control of my life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Second, followers of Jesus will take up their cross. When a man took up a cross in Jesus’ day, that meant only one thing. That man was going to die by crucifixion. Taking up your cross means willingly bearing the shame, the reproach, the humiliation, the suffering, the hatred, the alienation, and even the death that may come to those who are associated with Christ.
Third, followers of Jesus will keep following Him. Following Jesus means going the distance. You don’t just start out on the path, but you continue to die daily unto self as you keep following Jesus for the rest of your life. Some people follow on Sunday, but take a different path on Monday. Some people follow the Lord when they need help, but take another path when things get better. True Jesus followers keep following Him through the good and bad.
Tomorrow we will think about why we are to be followers like this who deny self, take up our cross, and keep following Christ.
Today’s Prayer
Father, thank You for showing me what it means to be a person of the cross. You know that in and of myself, I could never attain to such devotion. But You have provided for my sanctification through the redemption of Christ at the cross. By Your grace I am a follower of Christ.
Lord, enable me by Your grace and the power of Your Holy Spirit to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow my Lord Jesus Christ. Cause me to say no to myself and yes to Jesus. Let me die daily to sin and the ways of this world. Make me faithful to bear the shame and reproach of the cross. Move my feet to keep following Jesus wherever He leads.
Use me to call others to the Savior Jesus. Let them see in me the beauty of the cross despite the shame that Christ bore. Let me live every day as a person who has died with Christ and is alive to You.
Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou, from hence, my all shall be.
Perish ev’ry fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition:
God and heav’n are still my own![1]
Amen.
Today’s Action
Remember to pray for someone to come to church with you on February 15.
Please take time to share with me who you have invited that I can be praying for you and them also. Comment on this post with your prayer request (You can use initials if you want).
[1] Henry Francis Lyte, Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken, Public Domain 1825. Baptist Hymnal 2008 #438.
