Friday, February 20th | Daily Devotion
- Feb 20
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 21
“And He said to all, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” –Luke 9:23-25
TRANSCRIPTION:
Good morning, good morning. Grace and peace be unto all of you, my Father’s children.
As we enter this wonderful and incredible Friday, I’m Dr. Powell, and here we are again for our morning devotion.
Our Scripture this morning comes from the Gospel according to Luke—a familiar passage that echoes this ongoing theme of sacrifice. Luke chapter 9, beginning at verse 23:
“And He said to all, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?’”
This passage comes on the heels of Christ’s instruction to His disciples. He has been teaching them lesson after lesson, preparing them to understand the weight and gravity of His calling. Just a few verses earlier, He foretells His death.
As the disciples grow closer to Him, they begin to understand what it truly costs to follow Christ. It is easy to be enamored by the miracles—watching Him feed the five thousand, witnessing the healings, seeing the extraordinary unfold. But here, we see Christ speaking about the other side of discipleship—the sacrifice side.
In many ways, being Christian has become culturally acceptable. It is no longer taboo to say you attend church. But truly following Christ requires sacrifice—so much so that it interrupts your own desires.
That is the heart of sacrifice: denying yourself.
We are not just talking about fasting. Fasting is one aspect. But living a life that considers the needs of others above your own—that is sacrifice. Living a life that seeks to please the Lord, even when you are disappointed in yourself—that is sacrifice. Choosing paths that allow others to experience abundance, even when it means denying your own comfort—that is sacrifice.
If you were with us last night, you heard Brother Loki share about the sacrifices it took for someone in a position of privilege to step outside of himself and support those facing oppression and injustice. That kind of sacrifice requires intention. It requires action.
And so there is a call for us to ask: What would Christ do—even when it is uncomfortable for us?
That is what it means to take up your cross daily. The cross represents the calling, the burden, the assignment on your life that seeks to please God—even when you are navigating your own struggles.
That is sacrifice.
Lent is an incredible opportunity to examine how we move and operate. So I challenge you this weekend and throughout this season:
What is God calling you to step outside of yourself for?
What is God calling you to carry?
What weight is He asking you to absorb—not a weight to your life, but a weight to your comfort?
What is God asking you to deny so that you do not lose yourself?
I pray this empowers you. I pray it gives you marching orders as we continue moving forward by faith.
Join us tomorrow for Saturday morning prayer at 8:00 AM. Ladies, as you gather for the women’s breakfast, you will observe your Sabbath from the fast on Sunday instead of Saturday, allowing you to enjoy your time together.
I pray you have an empowered and meaningful time.
If I do not see you Sunday morning, I will see you on Monday.
God bless you. Have a great day.