Let us ask a question.

Why would God create man on the earth, give him access to many kinds of things, relationships, experiences, and then command him to deny himself?

This sounds like poor planning on God's part.

Why create little gods from the dust of the ground and then say to them, "Take up your cross and follow me"? "Present your body a living sacrifice to Me"?

The answer is, men are just that—little gods.

There are heavenly beings who are so tremendously large and intelligent, so filled with glory that we would be unable to stand in their presence. Some of these do God's will. Others joined with Satan in the rebellion against the Father.

God, in His unfathomable wisdom, reached down to the dust of the earth and from it created little gods—creatures who one day will judge the angels, who one day will be served by the most exalted of God's creatures.

What next?

The predictable—the first little God born on the earth murdered the second because of envy.

The little gods had to be given the chance to do whatever they wanted, although the Lord realized that the result would be six thousand years of agony as the dust- gods strove to glorify themselves.

Then God presented to these inexperienced divinities the only possible solution to their madness: "Take up your cross of self-denial so I may become one with you. Let Me bring forth My life in you. You can realize your foreordained destiny only by entering My death and My life."

It is the story of the prodigal son, the story of man. The Father gives us our inheritance. We end up with the pigs, having lost our inheritance in riotous living. We come to ourselves and return home—to the Father. We have learned we do not have the wisdom to use properly what has been given us.

For two thousand years the Christian churches have attempted to serve God by using His grace and gifts to build a tower that reaches to Heaven. The same attempt is being made today and soon will be supported with signs and wonders.

Some "Christian" leaders are busily engaged in teaching Christians how to live, how to profit by the grace and gifts of God, how to find victory and success in the present world.

They should be teaching the believers how to die in the Lord!

What God said to the Apostles of the Lamb He still is saying to His Church: "It is only by your death that you can live in My Presence. Enter My death and resurrection. Death is the only path to the Throne of God."

By death we mean the surrender of our personality to God, allowing Him to fill us with His Life. We tell the Lord we are His bondslave forever. Our delight is to do the will of God only. We have learned that to follow the desires of our own life brings frustration and pain.

Is this your point of view? (from Dying in the Lord)