Thursday, July 16 – Beg God to help us understand that taking up our cross requires dealing with sin in our lives and obeying Him. Ask Him to help us surrender to His terms of discipleship.

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother. . . yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27, KJV).

Friday, July 17 – Implore the Lord to help us fully understand and participate in the truth that God makes exact and demanding conditions for discipleship which require radical and continuous dealing with our sin. Ask Him to reveal and help us repent of any uncrucified areas of self.

“And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me” (Matt. 10:38, AMP).

Saturday, July 18 – Ask God to forgive us for preaching a gospel that has removed the cross, with its pain and suffering, and our accountability in dealing with sin that is part of following Jesus. Ask God to help us see that such teaching originates from Satan, that it is a stumbling block to God and His work, and for boldness to expose when we see it in our churches.

“ . . . Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go . . . and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests . . . and be killed, and be raised up . . . Peter . . . began to rebuke Him saying, ‘God forbid it’ . . . But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s’” (Matt. 16:21-23, NASB).

Sunday, July 19 – Entreat the Lord to help us surrender to the most complete fellowship with the cross possible. Ask Him for grace to fully deny self and to help us have no desire to save our lives, but to release them to God.

“And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown . . . forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me . . . ” (Luke 9:23, AMP).

Monday, July 20 – Cry out for God to inspire us to let Christ’s mindset become ours in giving over our legitimate right to our lives. Ask God to help us know what it is about self that needs to be dealt with, that our lives may be an effective witness for all mankind.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who…made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men . . . he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:5-8, KJV).

Tuesday, July 21 – Seek awakening to walk in the light of the truth that evangelism love relationship with Christ yields artificial fruit of activity. Ask God to bring us back to help us fall more in love with Him.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:19-20, NIV).

Wednesday, July 22 – Ask the Lord to help us refocus on the demands and priorities of Christ fin discipleship.

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Phil. 3:10, NIV).