Weekly Message / Prayer Request

Acts 2:42 Men’s Fellowship

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me…’” Mark 8:34 NIV

This is a very difficult passage to cover because I find myself in the midst of the battle.

Denying one’s self and taking up their cross is a very difficult thing to do at times; especially when the pride of life kicks in. Yet this is key to being a disciple of Christ. We are to surrender our pride and live a life of humility. Our life is to be marked by a submission to God’s authority.

The world lives counter to this thinking and denies His place in our life. Just look at all the “self help” products which exist today. There are books, infomercials, and internet sites dedicated to helping people fix any problem they may have. Instead of relying on others or even God to help us fix our lives, we have become our own physician. We have become the Ipod generation where everything is about me…

But the Lord has made it clear in my life that I cannot do an honest discussion about being a disciple or talking about the disciple-making process without discussing the cost (Luke 14:28). For the road may look full of joy because the Great Physician is there waiting to help you, but there are cost associated with walking this road. We must realize that denying ourselves is at that the center of this living.

Taking ourselves into the depth of this denial takes us to a place which is foreign to each one of us. For only one man has ever denied every human desire and that is Jesus Christ himself. Yet the Greek word used here is aparneomai (aparneomai) which means ‘to deny utterly, i.e. to disown or abstain’. This is a strong word because it is a call of separation from one’s self and to essentially disown ourselves from our self.

Therefore the Lord is asking each one of us to put any selfish ambition aside, anything we desire that is not of Christ, anything we feel is best based upon our own feelings, and give it all up to the Lord.

It is of no coincidence why Jesus shares this here in chapter eight of the gospel of Mark because just prior Peter rebuked Jesus for His submission to the Father’s will (Mark 8:32). Yet Christ makes it clear where the depths of pride will take any man in the following verse—it will take a man into alignment with the plans of Satan himself.

Now, knowing how difficult this is because we all have hobbies and passions which seep into our DNA, we must learn to live this life if we are to become one of His disciples. And the greatest thing is we do not live this life alone.

As the book of Proverbs shares with us:

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 NIV

This is why I am so passionate about this group. None of us are able to be our own physician and become entirely self-denying on our own. The Lord uses others to help see where pride may still reside in your life. He has done this numerous times during my study into His Word with other men.

If we immerse into the scriptures together, fellowship deeply with one another, pray with earnest to the Lord together; this group will be able to live out this verse (Proverbs 27:17). The result will be a self-denial that will lead to building a stronger disciple out of each one of us. My prayer is that all of this will be done with so much love that self-denial will be the lifestyle of all of us…

So consider joining us at our next meeting so we can live out this journey together. For all of us fit within this body, for we all have a place and a purpose within the ‘body of Christ’.


Prayer requests

Tim – pray that the Lord will help guide his future and that he may provide a direction for His life

Craig – pray that he will be able to continue to seek God and find Him throughout his life

Steve S – pray that friend can find employment and strength during tough time, pray for friend’s newborn child

Ramon – pray that he will be able to finish work prior to leaving, pray that he will have a blessed time with wife in Hawaii and a relaxing time

Gary – pray for strength in working with IRS, pray that he will have the strength to work extended hours as his staff is shorthanded

Carmine – pray that his cousin Benjamin will have a successful surgery and recovery

Greg – pray for all the people within the Church who is having trouble and need comfort

Ernie – pray that Joe may find Christ so that he can regather his life, pray that his daughter will be able to work with mortgage company in order to keep house

Kelcy – pray that he will be kept safe during racing opportunities and others will be kept safe as well, pray that the Church will pray

Bret – pray for faith

David – pray that he will have a blessed trip to Wisconsin and a safe trip home, pray that the street ministry Al is leading will be a blessing to others who need to hear the voice of the Lord

Keith – pray that their youngest daughter will be able to do well in college, pray that Nate will be able to find a job

Mark – pray that I will be able to deny myself in my discipleship with Christ while I continue to love others more then I love myself, pray for a healthy child coming in June, pray that I will be able to minister to others in their needs

***Pray for relationship building throughout the Northshore Christian Church


Continued prayer needs

Monte – pray for his employment situation and that he will find work soon, pray that he will find someone who can help him work on his car

Gary Cercone – pray that daughter Jennifer and grandson will receive continued blessings from the Lord

Norman – praise for the health of daughter in dealing with her seizures

Larry – pray for leadership in leading group of men with CTL, pray for making an impact within Northshore with married couples

Dick – pray for strength in new employment

Joe – pray that his condo may sell and that he may finally be settled here in Mukilteo

Chad – pray for continued seeking of purity in his life


Future Meetings

Wednesday, April 23rd, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting in the Fireside room at Northshore Christian Church

Wednesday, May 7th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church

Wednesday, May 14th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at Northshore Christian Church


Memory Verse

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV