Deny yourself. That’s what Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-26; “Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be my disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also]. For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting]. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life [his blessed life in the kingdom of God]? AMP

Compare the same in Mark 8:34-38-“36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” KJV

Matthew 16:27-“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory (majesty, splendor) of His Father with His angels, and then He will render account and reward every man in accordance with what he had done.” AMP

In verses 24 and 25 of Matthew 16 (above), if we focus on what’s inside the first set of brackets, it says disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests. In the second set of brackets we have cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also.

The first set tells us to forget about what WE want, and the second set tells us how to do that, which is, by conforming completely to Jesus’ example, and “in dying also” (to me) means, it’s going to hurt to put ourselves last, but we can do it because Jesus did it. He “served us,” by obeying God, and He said in John 5:30-“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

Deny yourself. When you’re down to the last two pieces of pie in the plate, and you’d like to have the best piece, but you’re serving yourself and your spouse. Will your conscience let you take the best piece? Mine won’t. The Holy Ghost knows my thoughts. There is a song written, based on Matthew 25:31-46, and it has a verse that says: “whatsoever you do to the least of your brethren, that you do unto Me.” Jesus is in me, and He’s in my husband (in Spirit). God knows my heart. If I take the best piece, I’m fulfilling ‘self (ish), so I HAVE to give it to Lawrence. It’s not because I want to, it’s because I believe that God sees all, and I fear God. Lawrence is a lucky man (blessed)!

The bible tells us to serve our Lord in Deuteronomy 10:12-“And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”

God is LOVE (1 John 4:16), and LOVE, according to 1 Corinthians 13:5-“Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;”

Jesus said in Luke 14:26-27-“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” KJV

(Remember, find your pastor for clarification and pray and ask God for understanding.)

Jesus said in John 12:25-“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” KJV

Deny myself, love and obey God. It’s not about me, it’s about Him. Deny myself, seek God first, serve others with an attitude that shows that I place more importance on my husband and family than myself; bear my crosses, whatever they may be, as they change from day to day (without complaining), and follow Jesus by obeying His commands to love God more than anyone or anything else, and love others like myself, and His love will flow through me into others as I’m putting them first. In this way, through my faith and belief in God’s Word, am I a disciple of Christ Jesus.