In the words of Elisabeth Elliot, "To be a follower of the Crucified means one day a personal encounter with the cross. And the cross always entails loss."

Jesus said that if we want to be His followers we should "deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him." He invites us to experience what He experienced and that includes suffering/death and resurrection/life. Suffering is never for nothing, it has a purpose and the purpose is so that we can know God and that we may be mature and complete Christians lacking nothing. This is a call to embrace suffering as much as we embrace the benefits and blessings that come with our faith. Happy listening and God bless you. ❤️🙌🇿🇦

One thing I love about the Apostle Paul was his integrity in ministry and his dedication and commitment to ensuring that Christ is seen and glorified and that the gospel is preached to many people. We can learn a lot from his life, and one of the things we can learn from this podcast is that boasting as a Christian leader is not in line with the character of God. We see a lot of this in pulpits, people boasting about their supernatural experiences and stuff, in order to assert their authority on their followers, this is not good. God is showing us through the Apostle Paul, that the motive and intention behind all that we do is important, we should always ask why are we doing what we are doing? Is it to glorify Christ or self? Is it to draw people to Christ or so they can respect you because of your experiences? There is a lot to unpack and hopefully we have covered a bit, by God's grace. Happy listening!! ❤️‍🔥🇿🇦

Matthew 26:39 AMP

[39] And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Aligning Our Desires with God's Word in Prayer

In our journey of faith, aligning our desires with the Word of God is crucial for a transformative prayer life. Prayer is not just about asking for what we want but about being vulnerable, open, and honest with God about our deepest desires while seeking to align them to His will. By grounding our prayers in Scripture, we ensure that our requests are shaped by God's promises and purposes, rather than merely reflecting our personal needs or ambitions.

In moments of vulnerability, we bring our true selves before God, sharing our hopes and fears with Him. This openness allows us to align our desires with His divine will, moving from self-centered requests to prayers that seek His glory and the advancement of His kingdom. Through this honest communication with God, we invite His Word to reshape our desires and guide us towards a deeper, more authentic relationship with Him.

So, in order for this to be possible, I'm reminded of the words of Jesus in John 15 (if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you shall ask whatever you want and it shall be done for you).