“In the world, your inheritance is divided by all the members of your family. That is because there is only so much to be divided. No matter how large the estate might be, it is limited. With Me, each of you has an inheritance that is yours alone. That treasure is not something that is to be shared with anyone. It is yours alone, specifically designed for you. My resources are unlimited, My estate is eternal. You came into this inheritance with the death and resurrection of Jesus and your acceptance of His Lordship. Now you are family.
"In My economy, you can add to your treasure. The additions, however, are not for your consumption. They are eternal additions of presentations to Jesus for His glory. They are something that you give away. This means that you need to purify your motives and practice the life of My Son to make them yours. Some of you have seen fit to work little for treasures that will be given away, even to Him. Since you do not benefit from them directly, you feel it is not necessary to involve yourself. How selfish your attitude is. What you don’t understand is that your lack of desire to bless Him indicates the hardness of your heart. It reveals an opportunistic heart and is the cause of much of your dilemma at present, and your empty-handedness in the eternal future.
"Hidden deep within the shadows of your heart, all of My plan is still all about you, for your benefit. I am after that scar. Those of you seeking the heart of a purified bride will submit this seed of selfishness to Me so that I might destroy it. When it is completely destroyed, you will begin to understand full and absolute surrender. You will have begun the process of cleansing your garments. I will then make them spotless, so that you will be prepared for the wondrous time that is soon to come.”
Rev. 19:7-8 AMP
7) Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come and His bride has prepared herself.
8) She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white – for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteous (the upright, just, and Godly living, deeds and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God’s holy people).
Any seed of selfishness destroys the purity of our walk with the Lord. When we look out for our own advantage in any situation, our lives no longer resemble the life of Jesus. He held nothing for Himself. He even gave His last breath for us.
Have you ever noticed Christian marriages? By all standards and elementary observances, most marriages seem to be in order. Deep investigation in many cases, however, reveals deeply disguised self–centeredness somewhere, especially with those less happy partners.
When marriages are not working well, there is generally a craving on the part of one or both spouses to gain some comfort for themselves from the marriage, whether it be security, communication, time, or whatever else makes the person feel wanted, needed, or loved. That seed of discontent colors all other aspects of the marriage and hinders it from being the example of Christ and the church. Joy has usually left long ago and demands, spoken or silent, replace selfless service to the other.
What is not understood by married couples is the fact that the very elements of discontent in their marriage are the motives that the Lord is correcting in their own hearts. That seed of discontent is what must be destroyed before they can be ready to meet their eternal Bridegroom.
The bride of Christ will have the same heart that Jesus has. She will be totally dead to any need to be satisfied. Her only desire will be to satisfy her Lord. As He died for her, she will have died to everything in her that has self–motive as its source.
Create in me a clean heart, Lord, and renew right motives in me,
Jim Corbett