Living for Christ....

I have been reading in "True Spirituality" by Francis Schaeffer......

"Is it not true that our thoughts, our prayers for ourselves and those we love, and our conversation is almost entirely aimed at getting rid of the negative at any cost - rather than praying that the negatives might be faced in the proper attitude?  How much prayer do we make for our children and those we love that they may indeed be willing to walk, by the grace of God, through the steps of rejection and being slain?  We are infiltrated by the world with its attitudes, rather than the attitudes of the perspective of the Kingdom of God."  ~Francis Schaeffer

This reminded me of the passage in Acts 4 where after Peter and John were threatened, their companions prayed for boldness for them.  They didn't pray for safety.  If I had been there I probably would have. We tend to get too focused on our comfort and safety and not enough on living in boldness and in the fear of God. 

"Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." ~ Luke 9:23 
 

"Self denial was a common thread in Christ's teaching to His disciples.  The kind of self-denial He sought was not a reclusive asceticism, but a willingness to obey His commandments, serve one another, and suffer -- perhaps even die -- for His sake."
~John MacArthur

"In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,"
 ~ Proverbs 14:26a