What Is Your Gain?

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For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:26

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:8-11

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In this world there are many pitfalls, distractions and detours that want to derail us from God being our treasure and sole gain in life. Have you ever had a moment of sobriety before God - an honesty of your life-motives laid before Him? What are you running after? What are your desires - is it a deeper walk with the wind of God's Spirit or a chasing after the wind of the world, empty vanities? Is Christ your gain or is it the world?

As you soberly answer the above questions, you will have an insight into what you treasure in life - the riches of the world that perish or the inexhaustible riches of Christ. May the everlasting service to God be the sole motivator of your life. God knows how to lead you in His paths of righteousness for His name's sake and how to enrich you in all things so you can be a blessing to many. Trust His lead as you fully submit to gaining Him alone, just as Apostle Paul did!

In scripture we have the example of the two tax collectors Matthew and Zacchaeus walking away from the grip of selfish wealth accumulation. In Mark chapter 10, we also have the story of the rich young ruler running after Jesus only to find out that he could not both follow after God and serve money. He had to forsake the grip wealth had on him in order to wholeheartedly follow after God. Jesus did say that no one can serve two masters, that either he will hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. One cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).

It is God that lavishly gives us all things to enjoy and it is God alone that can add to us riches with no attached worldly-sorrow. Do not conform to the ways of the world and their way of 'earning-a-living' as it carries a piecing sorrow with it (1Timothy 6:10). Many have suffered personal shipwrecks in the pursuit of earthly wealth. The Word of God commends us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and that all these things will be added to us (Matthew 6:33). God knows what you have need of. Trust His faithful provision.

Meditate the below passages of scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to realign the motives of your heart- that you serve Him alone. May Christ alone be your gain!

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Matthew 13:44-46 NKJV

Treasure God above all!