SPRING FORTH NOW 2025

Friday, April 25, 2025

And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Luke 9:21-24

Jesus warns His followers that both the path to glory and the cost of discipleship will not be found through worldly validation or personal gain. When He says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,” He confronts our natural tendency to look for purpose, strength, and identity in the wrong places, Looking In All The Wrong Places—through power, comfort, or approval. The Hidden Manna—the true spiritual nourishment—is found not in clinging to life as we know it, but in surrendering it for Christ’s sake. Daily self-denial isn’t weakness; it’s the pathway to divine revelation and resurrection power. When we stop trying to save ourselves and allow God to lead, we discover the sustenance that the world can’t see or offer. In this hidden place of sacrifice and obedience, God feeds us with spiritual bread that satisfies deeply and eternally. Don’t be deceived by what looks like gain—real life is hidden in what looks like loss, and glory is revealed when we follow Him fully.