Sherry, I think a key word in what you said is “willing”. We should be willing to part with it all. Jesus said, “So therefore, any one of you who does not RENOUNCE ALL that he has cannot be my disciple.” This renunciation is a HEART issue, not necessarily a literal renunciation. Remember the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22. “Take your son, your only son Isaac, WHOM YOU LOVE, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering.” Abraham thought this was to be a literal sacrifice, but God was testing him. Was Abraham’s love for Isaac greater than his love for God? And right before Abraham slayed his son, God stopped him.

In many cases, God will tell you to surrender something, and then will give it back to you. Perhaps it’s a position you’ve been offered but are not sure is God’s plan. Perhaps it’s a person you’d like to marry but are not sure it’s God’s will for you. Perhaps it’s your ministry calling.
God wants us to give it ALL to Him, and then HE decides what He gives back. What we get back, we don’t get back the same way, but with resurrection power.

I believe the “crown of life” is for overcomers only, as in the other passages in Revelation. Overcomers here in John’s words are those who repent. No, this side of eternity, we won’t be perfect, but we KEEP surrendering, we KEEP repenting, we KEEP dying. Of course, “eternal life” is something different, and it’s for believers, yes. But you may make it to life without any crowns, as 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 states: “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”

If I’m understanding correctly, some people will be saved, but will receive little or NO reward for their works, because when they were building, they were not building according to the Only Foundation, which is Jesus Christ. They got sidetracked by other things that were not so important.

I hope this helps!

Through some good instructions from a dear brother, he pointed out some things that can very easily cause us to yield to our self-centered desires. For example; unwillingness to face a difficult situation, unwilling to face the consequences of our own actions, not willing to be disturbed, having a hidden agenda, and wanting to be in control, just to name a few.

We all have to deal with these everyday, that is why a place like what Chip has established is so very important. The one thing that I think is the greatest need in the body of Christ is what is called body ministry.

Body minister is a place where we can be openly honest about our struggles, our misunderstandings and the like, and not be treated like we are some kind of a weirdo, and be shunned and rejected. We need to be able to listen, support, encourage, and even walk with someone through a difficult time that may require being honest and firm at times. We need to stop putting “bandaids” on serious wounds and sores and allow the true healing of God to flow.

To me this is part of what I believe Romans 8:19 is talking about when is talks about the “manifestation of the sons of God”.

Yes we all have to die daily.

Jesus is the centre!

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We haven’t died to Self yet – that’s where I think the misunderstanding is. If everyone who came to Jesus was dead to Self then we wouldn’t need to take up the Cross daily, and the Body of Christ would all be perfectly mature. But they aren’t. That’s why it says, “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord [the Gate] so walk in Him [the Path].” You died to sin when you were born-again; that is the Narrow Gate. You’re still in the process of dying to Self; that is the Difficult Path. It takes both. Salvation was settled when you passed through the Gate. The issue now is not being saved or getting forgiveness – the issue now is growing up and becoming spiritually mature. Dying to Self (and being conformed to Christ) is a Path you walk every day.

This may help: http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/the-two-fold-work-of-the-cross.html