What Am I Denying Myself?

My Heart Is On Fire by Doug Apple - a short Christian devotional to open the Scriptures and make your heart burn within you!

I’m Doug Apple...and my heart is on fire. (Luke 24:32) Do you want to be a follower of Jesus? If so, He gives a prerequisite. Jesus said if we want to follow Him, we must deny ourselves. So the question is, what am I denying myself? It’s almost un-American to deny ourselves anything. King Solomon denied himself nothing at all, and it wrecked his kingdom. I approach this in a childlike way. I just say, “God, I am denying myself this because I’m so hungry for You.” Deny myself what? It’s been many things over the years, and it’s always something. Yesterday a friend said, “Would you like a muffin? Or are you fasting muffins now? I can’t keep track of what you are fasting.” Well, right now I’m fasting candy and cookies and frozen dairy treats. I’ve actually been fasting candy and cookies for three years now. I pray, “Father, I’m denying myself these things that are pleasant in this world because I’m so hungry for the things of the Kingdom of God.” I’m currently fasting all beverages except what I call the front-line soldier beverages of water and black coffee. I pray, “Father, I’m fasting all drinks besides water and black coffee because I’m so thirsty for You. As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after Thee.” I don’t really know exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “Deny yourself,” but I’m pretty sure that if I’m denying myself nothing, I’m not meeting the standard. So like I said, I approach it like a child. I just pick some things and deny them to myself. I fast from them. I do it out of a heart and a passion to follow Jesus. He is the Good Shepherd. I want to be a sheep that follows closely. I’m desperately hungry for that, to follow as closely as I possibly can. And He said that if I want to follow Him, then I must deny myself, so that is what I’m doing, in my own humble, child-like, sheep-like way. And I hope you consider doing the same. May God bless you today. I’m Doug Apple.