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For the week of August 28, 2023 The Power of Our Motives

As Christians, we see plenty of evil, ungodly things. It troubles us, and rightfully so, because the believer’s ways of thinking are vastly different than the world’s ways of thinking. We see the same things that unbelievers do; however, the way we process what we observe and respond to has to do with the motives behind our actions. The motivations guiding our behavior are one of the major differences between the saved and the unsaved.

The world has forgotten about God. We can sense it all around us in the atmosphere, and it’s obvious that the believer doesn’t fit in. In the Old Testament, the people were warned not to forget God when He brought them into the land that He had promised to give them—He gave them cities they hadn’t built, wells that they hadn’t dug, and vineyards and olive trees that they hadn’t planted. However, they forgot God even after being warned not to; this is still evident today.

People motivated by greed and selfishness take credit for themselves for the good things God blessed them with. They see themselves as their own source. God certainly gives us good things in life, but we mustn’t get mixed up. He is our source. When we seek first His kingdom, everything else will be added unto us.

In contrast to impure motives, what pleases God is when we regard Him above all else. Believers give Him the credit for all of the good things that happen. We must reach the point where we acknowledge, “This is the Lord’s doing; it’s marvelous in our eyes.”

Thankfully, we now live under grace. Soon after God made the earth and mankind, He saw that every imagination of the thoughts of people’s hearts was continually evil. He eventually destroyed everyone, except for Noah and his family. However, God no longer punishes or destroys, but blesses; being motivated by gratefulness for His mercy despite our shortcomings keeps our hearts pure.

Prayer:

God, what’s in our hearts is of great concern to You. Our motives determine what we do, and ultimately, the direction of our lives. Pure motives point us in the right direction, and allow You to work Your will with us. Thank You for Your Word on this. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 6:10-12

Matthew 6:33

Psalm 118:23

Genesis 6:5-8
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