Question:
Regarding Matthew 16:24; Jesus said "If any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." What was the significance of the cross prior to Jesus' crucifixion? What would "take up his cross" mean to the disciples before Jesus had taken up His own? Is that applicable to us today?

This is a good question and is really at the heart of the issues with false doctrine. Yes, He did heal the lame and the sick; but He didn't heal ALL of the lame people nor did He heal ALL of the sick people. There were instances where He healed everyone at one time, but He didn't heal everyone all of the time. Example: John 5 where Jesus healed the man at the Pool of Bethesda.

The word for tithe in the Greek of the New Testament is apodekatoo, which means to take from or give from a tenth. It is a compound Greek word from apo, which is the preposition that means from and dekatos, which means a tenth.

Actually, Christians don't take it literally enough.

Cock is an Old English word used in the King James Translation text of Matthew 26:34 for the Greek word ALEKTOR (ah-lek-toor).  It literally means a male bird of any kind and more specifically here, a rooster.  Jesus was telling Peter that before the rooster crows three times, he (Peter) would deny Him.