Article Library

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By Pastor Chuck Swindoll

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Follow and Obey

“Following Christ means more than believing in Him. It includes obeying Him. Question. Is there an area of your life that is in disobedience to Him? If there is, nothing is more important today than for you to deal with that area of disobedience. I urge you; I even warn you, don’t learn to go on shrugging off areas of disobedience. Following Christ means more than believing in Him. It includes obeying Him. Second, obeying Him means more than accepting truth. It means tasting death. At times, saying no to something is like a death, the death of a dream, the death of a romance, the death of a hope, the death of your plan. Number three, tasting death means more than an occasional act of unselfishness. It means dying to something every day.”

Take up Your Cross Daily

“I willingly take up my cross. It’s a daily discipline because every day represents something else you’ll need to die to. And it’s one detail for one person and an altogether different set of details for another. In many ways, cross bearing is a very private thing. I cannot even predict what it will include for you in this new year. It’ll be different from last year. Quite likely, it’ll be harder than last year. There’ll be demands placed on you that weren’t placed on you before, and you’ll want to rebel against them. You’ll want to resist them. You’ll want to run from them. But taking up one’s cross daily is a part of the year that must happen.”

Put the Lord First in Everything

“We’re filled to the brim in this culture with narcissism. It’s in virtually everything around us and modeled by most in leadership. It’s all about me, my, mine, ours. So this cuts cross grain against us. Instead, this person who is willingly following says, ‘I deliberately put the Lord Jesus Christ in first place in everything.’ Every choice, every decision. He’s the Potter, I’m the clay, and I love it. He’s the Master, I’m the servant, I willingly bow.”

Deny Yourself

“You must deny yourself. Hang there for a moment. Let it linger. If deny throws you, think of three words. Say no to. That’ll help. It goes against everything within us to do that. It includes a refusal to set one’s will or desires against the will of his master. It says, ‘I relinquish my plans, my preferences, my desires, my dreams, my reputation.’ And instead, ‘I acquiesce. I defer. I pursue. I commit myself to another’s will. I say no to what I’d prefer.’”

Follow Christ Daily

“You keep on following. You follow day in and day out. You follow when it’s hot or cold. You follow when things are going well or not going well, whether the grades are good or they’re not. Sick or well, you follow. You follow. You keep on following. You keep on following.’”

Additional Resources

First, sign up for our Chuck’s Insights on Ministry email where we bring you his best thoughts on preaching, leadership, and ministry each week. By signing up, you’ll instantly receive a one-page checklist with 20 preaching insights from Chuck. See this page’s sidebar.

Second, check out our new Preach The Word articles and video series on YouTube where we’re teaching Chuck’s best insights on this important calling.

Third, listen to Chuck’s messages to those in ministry through our Seminary Chapels page. For decades, he offered students at Dallas Theological Seminary his best thoughts on church leadership and ministry. Now, we have put them at your fingertips. Also, you can find them through this YouTube playlist we created for you.

Fourth, if you don’t own a copy of Chuck’s book on preaching, Saying It Well, we highly recommend you add it to your library. It’s his preaching memoir that is also like a practical preaching manual. You won’t be able to put it down.

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