Are you truly for Him or for yourself?

Often we prayed for more blessing, bigger car, bigger house, bigger holidays. And we asked for more income, higher position, better job and we said it is for His Kingdom, for His glory. We said: "Lord, bless me so that I can bless the others", "Make me wealthy so that I can be the heir of the world", "Make me rich so I can reign as king"... But the question is are we truly for Him or for ourselves?

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Mat 13:44-46)

Who is the hidden treasure and who is the man that found it? Also who is the fine pearl and who is the merchant that bought it? Is it Christ that gave up everything for us or we to give up everything for Christ?

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:24-25)

Again who is the fallen wheat that died? Is it Christ who died and so produced much grain or we are to die in order to produce much grain?

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (Mat 16:24-25, Mark 8:34-35, Luke 9:23 -24)

Now who is the one to deny himself and take up his cross? Is it Christ or us or both? Or should we say Christ has denied Himself, and took up the cross for us, and that we no longer need to deny ourselves and take up our own cross? Or we say that's the divine exchange and it is a gift and not of ourselves and so justified us to continue to live our own flesh? Don't you think it is important that this same scripture appeared three times in the Bible? Is denying ourselves a sacrifice to us?

I am not saying that we do not want blessing. Indeed we are already blessed. We are already the heir of the world. We are already reigned as kings if we are in Christ. Denying ourselves is never our sacrifice but His love. Because He loves us so and denied His own righteousness and took our sins on the cross so that we can deny our sinful nature and become the righteousness of God in Christ. Because of His love, His sacrifice, His death on the cross and His resurrection, we now can receive His righteousness and become the new creation in Christ. It is not of ourselves. It is certainly not a sacrifice to give up the things which are rubbish to us in exchange to receive the things which are heaven best. Why then are we still holding on to ourselves, holding on to our own desires, holding on to our flesh?

If only we truly know who we are in Christ, we won't be able to deny ourselves even if we want to. Our selves denial is of the flesh, is of work, is of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It'll never accomplish anything. But with Christ's revelation knowing how much He and the Father love us and made us in Christ, we can't wait to let go ourselves and to let Christ lives for us because for in Him is our Victory, our Healing, our Prosperity, our everything pertaining to life.

The truth is within us. Ask, and it will be given to you... (Mat 7:7) Pray: "Lord, I'm willing, use me" and He shall open your eyes to see His way, know His truth and live His life. Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Set our eyes only on Christ and Christ only... we shall truly live His LIFE. Only then we shall produce much grain. Only then the world can see our true blessing.

Apostle Paul: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20) Do you think Apostle Paul denied himself? Hear Him!