January 16

21 "From that time forth began Jesus to chew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto

me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of me.

24 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Christianity can never be made popular. It always calls for self-denial and self-sacrifice.

"Carnal fancy imagineth a path strewed with lilies and roses; we are too tender-footed to think of briars and thorns."—T. Manton, D. D.

Self-denial not partial. "As Saul slew some of the cattle, but spared the fat, and Agag. Many can deny themselves in many things, but they are loath to give up all to God, without bounds and reservations."—I. Manton, D. D.

Our self-denials lie just where our duties do. We are so far humble, as we deny ourselves in the matter of pride; so far heavenly-minded, as we deny our earthly inclinations; so far charitable, as we deny our tempers of self-love and envy; so far temperate and pure, as we restrain our lower passions and lusts.

"Self-denial is only one meaning of religion. If I should say of a garden, 'It is a place fenced in,' what idea would you have of its clusters of roses, and pyramids of honeysuckles, and beds of odorous flowers, and rows of blossoming shrubs and fruit-bearing trees? If I should say of a cathedral, 'It is built of stone, cold stone,' what idea would you have of its wondrous carvings, and its gorgeous openings for door and window, and its evanescing spire? Now, if you regard religion merely as self-denial, you stop at the fence, and see nothing of the beauty of the garden; you think only of the stone, and not of the marvellous beauty into which it is fashioned."—H. W. Beecher.

Closet Promise.—In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path.—Prov. iii. 6.

"There is no uncertainty as to what path the Lord has undertaken to direct; for he has written, 'All thy paths.' Not only in the dark way, when we are perplexed; not only when the heart is in heaviness through manifold temptations; but also when we tarry in the pleasant shade of Elim's palm-trees, as well as by Marah's bitter waters—yea, all our ways he will direct and guide as every day's need requires."—Anna Shipton.