Post by Zac Loh on Dec 8, 2008 0:49:25 GMT -5
Dear Fellow Servants Of The Lord,
"To God be the glory." This phrase encapsulates our underlying motivation for everything that we do for the Lord.
We want to be sent from His presence. We want to hear from Him. We want to speak what He told us to speak. And we want to see His glory.
A False Motivation
Matthew 24:13
But he who endures to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13)
I am careening into a dangerous territory, a controversial subject to some. The subject matter at hand is our inner motivation.
each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. (1 Corinthians 3:13)
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)
Motive is very important because God looks beyond our exterior works into the motive of our heart. It’s not just about a pure and sincere motive, but the motive that God is looking for is: “Are we doing it because we love Him?” This question is the essence of the true motivation that God is looking for.
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)
There are many noble and beneficial things we can do for others, they are either pleasing to others or to self. But God is going to rapture those who are pleasing to Himself.
Whether you are in politics or doing charitable works or in spiritual ministry; you have to let God throw His light into your motive.
Truth is the denomination. The Bible says that there are false apostles, false prophets and false teachers. Truth is a most precious commodity. It is no wonder that the devil targets the truth. It is said that the first casualty of war is truth.
One of the most surprising revelations which I ever had is found in this passage:
Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. (John 7:14-18)
It is written as clear as day in the above scripture, that the criteria to ascertaining truth is not academic training, but the motive of the heart. The student who wills to do God’s will; will eventually find out the truth.
The teacher, who seeks God’s glory and speaks from what He heard from God, will speak the truth as he best knows how. The teacher, who is from God, and for God, will lead others to God who is the Truth Himself.
This is the unchanging principle: the teaching will eventually produce the fruit of the real inner purpose of the teacher.
Today, doctrine is scrutinized by its content.
Contrastingly …Jesus was going at it …on a different plane …the motive supersedes the content.
So, what drives us? What propels our daily living? What is the inner motive of the life projects which we are undertaking? What is our life mission? What propels us from day to day?
Has the devil diverted us from the purposes of God? Have we been deceived, while deceiving ourselves; because we think that we are serving God while moved by our own human agenda?
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
Are we active in the purposes of the society and the culture that we are in, more than the purposes that Christ had laid down His life for?
It’s time to re-look and find the traces of divine motivation in our hearts …and follow them.
To the faithful soldiers of the cross, let’s endure to the end …saving others and ourselves.
"To God be the glory." This phrase encapsulates our underlying motivation for everything that we do for the Lord.
We want to be sent from His presence. We want to hear from Him. We want to speak what He told us to speak. And we want to see His glory.
A False Motivation
Matthew 24:13
But he who endures to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13)
I am careening into a dangerous territory, a controversial subject to some. The subject matter at hand is our inner motivation.
each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. (1 Corinthians 3:13)
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)
Motive is very important because God looks beyond our exterior works into the motive of our heart. It’s not just about a pure and sincere motive, but the motive that God is looking for is: “Are we doing it because we love Him?” This question is the essence of the true motivation that God is looking for.
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)
There are many noble and beneficial things we can do for others, they are either pleasing to others or to self. But God is going to rapture those who are pleasing to Himself.
Whether you are in politics or doing charitable works or in spiritual ministry; you have to let God throw His light into your motive.
Truth is the denomination. The Bible says that there are false apostles, false prophets and false teachers. Truth is a most precious commodity. It is no wonder that the devil targets the truth. It is said that the first casualty of war is truth.
One of the most surprising revelations which I ever had is found in this passage:
Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. (John 7:14-18)
It is written as clear as day in the above scripture, that the criteria to ascertaining truth is not academic training, but the motive of the heart. The student who wills to do God’s will; will eventually find out the truth.
The teacher, who seeks God’s glory and speaks from what He heard from God, will speak the truth as he best knows how. The teacher, who is from God, and for God, will lead others to God who is the Truth Himself.
This is the unchanging principle: the teaching will eventually produce the fruit of the real inner purpose of the teacher.
Today, doctrine is scrutinized by its content.
Contrastingly …Jesus was going at it …on a different plane …the motive supersedes the content.
So, what drives us? What propels our daily living? What is the inner motive of the life projects which we are undertaking? What is our life mission? What propels us from day to day?
Has the devil diverted us from the purposes of God? Have we been deceived, while deceiving ourselves; because we think that we are serving God while moved by our own human agenda?
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
Are we active in the purposes of the society and the culture that we are in, more than the purposes that Christ had laid down His life for?
It’s time to re-look and find the traces of divine motivation in our hearts …and follow them.
To the faithful soldiers of the cross, let’s endure to the end …saving others and ourselves.