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Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters dot com. You're listening to Daily devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stangey, and today's devotion is inspired by Luke chapter nine, verses twenty three and twenty four, which says, 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. The things of this world have an allure that's difficult to shake. There are all kinds of things that Christ knows we may begin to covet if left to our natural preferences, but he invites us to experience a different kind of life than that. In some respects, it's a harder kind of life, but in all respects, it's a better life than the one we leave behind. A true follower of Christ gives up the idolization of the best things of this world because they know they have everything they need in Jesus. A true follower of Christ is willing to be rejected in this world because they find perfect acceptance in Jesus. A true follower of Christ welcomes the leading of the Lord in their life and follows his prompting. There is nothing that this world can offer us that can't be eventually taken away. If we become consumed with temporary things, we're setting ourselves up for failure and disappointment. But if we recognize that Jesus is who our hearts truly long for, we find peace and satisfaction in him, and he assures us that in him we will find the life we truly crave. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and we thank you for the privilege that it is to be able to look at this portion of Scripture together today. And Lord, we're grateful for the fact that we don't need to spend our lives convince that the things of this world are going to ultimately satisfy the longing of our hearts. We know, Lord, that the deepest longings of our soul can only be satisfied through your son, Jesus Christ. And if we claim to be true followers of Christ, we need to give up the idolization of the things of this world. You show us in your word that a true follower of Christ is willing to be rejected in this world because we recognize that we are perfectly accepted by Jesus Father. We're grateful that this has been accomplished on our behalf, and we're grateful that we don't need to go through our life on this earth convince that anything less than Jesus will satisfy the deepest longing of our heart. By your grace, Lord, we pray that you would remind us of this truth if we're ever tempted to drift back into the covetousness that we once had for the things of this particular age. We know that we're surrounded by people that are convinced that worldly things will satisfy them. But you've shown us the truth. You've shown us that your son, Jesus Christ, is the way. You've shown us that we will find true life through your son, and no substitute can take his place. So thank you for teaching us these things, and thank you for reminding us of them from your word today. And we commit this day to your care and pray this all in Jesus's name. Amen.