The Cost of Discipleship: Denying Self and Following Jesus - Ep 10

Here's a 5-day Bible reading plan and devotional guide based on Episode 10 of the Milk to Meat Discipleship Podcast.
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5-Day Devotional: From Milk to Meat Episode 10 The Cost of Discipleship: Denying Self and Following Jesus

5-Day Devotional: The Cost and Joy of Discipleship

Day 1: The Invitation to All
**Reading: Luke 9:23-25**

**Devotional:**
Jesus extends His invitation universally—"if anyone wishes to come after me." There are no prerequisites, no qualifications that exclude you from His call. This isn't about your past, your failures, or your perceived worthiness. It's about His grace reaching toward every human heart. But notice: it's an invitation, not a command. Jesus respects your freedom to choose. The question isn't whether you're good enough; it's whether you're willing to respond. Today, recognize that Jesus is calling you personally. Not the person next to you, not someone more spiritual—you. His invitation requires movement, a step toward Him in faith. Will you accept?

Day 2: Denying Self, Not Hating Self
**Reading: Philippians 2:3-8**

**Devotional:**
To "deny yourself" doesn't mean self-hatred or thinking you're worthless. It means surrendering self-rule—stepping down from the throne of your own life. It's renouncing your ego, comfort, and desires as the ultimate authority. Christ modeled this perfectly, humbling Himself even to death on a cross. This is self-surrender, not self-destruction. When you deny yourself, you're simply acknowledging that God's ways are higher than yours, that His will is better than your plans. It's trading your limited perspective for His infinite wisdom. Today, identify one area where you're still trying to maintain control. What would it look like to surrender that to Jesus? His desires become ours not through force, but through intimacy.

Day 3: Taking Up Your Cross Daily
**Reading: Romans 12:1-2**

**Devotional:**
"Daily" is the key word. Discipleship isn't a one-time decision; it's a lifestyle change. Every morning presents a fresh opportunity to die to selfish ambition, pride, and comfort. Paul calls this presenting your body as a living sacrifice. Unlike the Old Testament sacrifices that died once, you're called to die daily—to continuously choose God's way over your own. This isn't glamorous. It's often uncomfortable, inconvenient, and countercultural. But it's in this daily surrender that transformation happens. Your mind is renewed, your character is refined, and Christ is formed in you. Today, what does taking up your cross look like practically? Maybe it's choosing forgiveness over bitterness, generosity over greed, or service over self-promotion. Make that choice today.

 Day 4: God's Upside-Down Kingdom
**Reading: Matthew 5:1-12 (The Beatitudes)**

**Devotional:**
God's accounting system defies worldly logic. The first are last. The poor are rich. The weak are strong. Those who lose their life find it. Jesus teaches that blessing comes through mourning, meekness, and persecution. This paradox reveals a profound truth: God's kingdom operates on entirely different principles than the world's system. When you give control to God, the ride becomes bumpy because you're no longer navigating by earthly maps. You're following divine GPS that sometimes takes you through valleys to reach mountaintops. The world says climb the ladder; Jesus says descend to serve. The world says protect yourself; Jesus says lay down your life. Today, identify one area where God's ways contradict the world's wisdom. Choose His way, even if it seems backward.

Day 5: Strength Made Perfect in Weakness
**Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10**

**Devotional:**
Paul discovered what many of us resist: God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. When you finally exhaust your own resources—when you can't even tie your shoes—that's when you're positioned for God's power. It's not that God enjoys watching us struggle; it's that our self-sufficiency blocks His supernatural provision. Like a 17-year-old who couldn't face the day without divine help, we all reach moments where we're simply not enough. And that's exactly where God wants us—dependent, humble, and desperately aware of our need for Him. God doesn't promise to remove every storm, but He promises His presence in it. Today, what weakness are you trying to hide or overcome in your own strength? Bring it to God. Let Him be strong where you are weak.

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*As you journey through this week, remember: discipleship costs everything but gives you everything worth having. You may lose the world's approval, but you gain the Father's pleasure. That's a trade worth making.*