superb
Sep 7th 2008, 11:00 PM
In my studies of scripture, I have found one thing true among all things humanly related. That we all are motivated by something and nothing is done without being motivated.
Then I had to find what those motivations are. I believe there are only four. Love,fear,necessity,and anger.
I will start with love. Because it is what motivated God to create all things. It is why he gave us free will. It is why Christ gave himself as a sacrifice to save mankind. It is also why we are to obey God's commands. For no other reason are we to go to God. I refer to Phi. 4: 6-7 Don't worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with THANKSGIVING let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses every thought will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Thanksgiving. The greatest honor to God. The motivation for prayer. We go to God for our needs because we know he answers. But is that the only reason we are to go to him? How can one be thankful without first being humble and accepting. We humble ourselves before God and accept his will. Why? Because we love him.
Love is also pat of the two greatest commands. Love your God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your strength. Then to love your neighbor. Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loves the church. Let love be your motivation and watch God work through you. With love as our primary motivation, the others become more distant.
Now for the other motivators. Fear, necessity, and anger.
Fear is what keeps many from coming to God as well as anger. Fear of what others will think, what will the restrictions of Christianity be,how will this change my marriage? Fear is also what keeps Christians from confessing sin and repenting.
Anger is in my opinion the biggest motivator. People angry at God for how their lives are, or the loss of a loved one. Anger destroys more relationships and is the barricade from forgiveness.
Necessity is the worst. It makes us prideful. "I have to go to work. So since I have to, I'm going to make everyone know how important it is for me to be there." No one really says this out loud or thinks of it this way, but it's what it comes down to. I'm sure we all have worked with at least one person who thinks they are the most important employee yet does the least. They are the ones motivated by necessity. Although it is necessary for us to work, it does not need to be our motivation.
This is also true for tithing.(No I am not a minister) God loves a cheerful giver. Don't tithe because you feel it is necessary, do it out of...? Thanksgiving.
So to review, What should motivate us?
Love = thanksgiving, humility,servant's heart,obedience.
Fear,anger,necessity = unforgiving,bitterness,pride,jealousy,unrepentant. All barriers from God.
God bless.
Then I had to find what those motivations are. I believe there are only four. Love,fear,necessity,and anger.
I will start with love. Because it is what motivated God to create all things. It is why he gave us free will. It is why Christ gave himself as a sacrifice to save mankind. It is also why we are to obey God's commands. For no other reason are we to go to God. I refer to Phi. 4: 6-7 Don't worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with THANKSGIVING let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses every thought will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Thanksgiving. The greatest honor to God. The motivation for prayer. We go to God for our needs because we know he answers. But is that the only reason we are to go to him? How can one be thankful without first being humble and accepting. We humble ourselves before God and accept his will. Why? Because we love him.
Love is also pat of the two greatest commands. Love your God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your strength. Then to love your neighbor. Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loves the church. Let love be your motivation and watch God work through you. With love as our primary motivation, the others become more distant.
Now for the other motivators. Fear, necessity, and anger.
Fear is what keeps many from coming to God as well as anger. Fear of what others will think, what will the restrictions of Christianity be,how will this change my marriage? Fear is also what keeps Christians from confessing sin and repenting.
Anger is in my opinion the biggest motivator. People angry at God for how their lives are, or the loss of a loved one. Anger destroys more relationships and is the barricade from forgiveness.
Necessity is the worst. It makes us prideful. "I have to go to work. So since I have to, I'm going to make everyone know how important it is for me to be there." No one really says this out loud or thinks of it this way, but it's what it comes down to. I'm sure we all have worked with at least one person who thinks they are the most important employee yet does the least. They are the ones motivated by necessity. Although it is necessary for us to work, it does not need to be our motivation.
This is also true for tithing.(No I am not a minister) God loves a cheerful giver. Don't tithe because you feel it is necessary, do it out of...? Thanksgiving.
So to review, What should motivate us?
Love = thanksgiving, humility,servant's heart,obedience.
Fear,anger,necessity = unforgiving,bitterness,pride,jealousy,unrepentant. All barriers from God.
God bless.