WALK BY FAITH DEVOTIONAL – 5/7
HOLY MOTIVES
Ever heard of HOLY MOTIVES? Me neither – not until the words just came to me, anyway. But the subject’s been on my mind for the past few days. I was taught years ago to check my motives, but back then I had nothing HOLY to check them against. Sure, I had an awareness of “morals” and “values”, but suffice it to say my so-called morals and values at the time had nothing to do with Jesus Christ. Now that He’s the love of my life, I don’t just have an obligation to check my motives. I have a DESIRE to live my life with HOLY MOTIVES.
So what exactly are HOLY MOTIVES? Ahem. Well – Let me see. Considering the words just popped into my heart minutes ago, what can I say? Actually, I can say quite a bit. After all, I love to talk. And I love to write. Even when I don’t know what I’m talking about, or writing about. But in this case, I do. I know exactly what HOLY MOTIVES are.
When I have HOLY MOTIVES, I have the desire, the incentive, the inspiration, the reason, the purpose, the hunger to do the RIGHT THING for the RIGHT REASON. In plain and simple terms, I want to do GOD’S WILL for HIS GLORY. I want to live according to HIS WORD (the Bible) for HIM. How simple, huh? Easy? I didn’t say easy. I said simple.
Let me give you an example. I have been wanting to get the writing I do for the Lord distributed to a wider audience, so I have been researching possibilities. HOLY MOTIVES? I have had to ask myself, what is my reason? Do I simply want to bring attention to myself, or do I want to bring glory to God? Do I want to please man, or do I want to please God? Do I want to pat myself on the back, or do I want to be used by God to help build His Kingdom? I know my heart, but most importantly so does the Lord.
He knows when my heart is pure, and He knows when it is not. I believe we can do the RIGHT THING for the WRONG REASON. Want an example? Okay. You asked. I can find a volunteer/intern to provide publicity and promotion for Walk by Faith Ministry and the writing I do to bring praise to myself. I have no desire to do that, in case you don’t know my heart! Or, I can find a volunteer/intern to provide publicity and promotion for Walk by Faith Ministry and the writing I do TO ALLOW THE LORD TO USE THE MINISTRY AND WRITING to share the Gospel while ministering the Lord’s love to a world in need. Now, that’s my heart!
But if the truth be known, as much as I crave to have a pure heart, and as much as I desperately desire to have HOLY MOTIVES, I fall short every day in every area of my life. This is not only where grace and mercy come in, but it is also where I have the opportunity for the Lord to continue to perfect His love in me.
I am learning that WRONG MOTIVES are not a reason for judgment and condemnation. Instead, they are a catalyst for me to REPENT and to press into the Lord as I learn to walk in His Spirit rather than in my flesh.
HOLY MOTIVES anyone? Yeah, me, too. I need constant refining. The Lord is refining my life, and He is refining my heart.
What about your life? And what about your heart?
Got HOLY MOTIVES?
Mat 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Psa 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.”
DEAR FATHER, YOU ARE SO PRECIOUS TO ME! THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE AND YOUR MERCY, YOUR LOVE AND FORGIVENESS. THANK YOU FOR THE HEART YOU HAVE GIVEN ME, AND THANK YOU FOR NEVER GIVING UP ON ME. THANK YOU BY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT FOR CHASTENING ME WHEN I FALL SHORT OF YOUR GLORY, AND FOR SHOWING ME WHEN MY MOTIVES ARE NOT HOLY. LORD, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP ME TO BE HOLY AS YOU ARE HOLY. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP ME TO HAVE HOLY MOTIVES. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD PURGE FROM MY LIFE ANY AND ALL JUNK, AND THAT YOU WOULD FILL ME ALL OVER AGAIN, AND AGAIN, WITH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT. BY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT, ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD, TEACH ME YOUR WAYS, OH LORD. AND HELP ME TO WALK IN THEM. HELP ME TO WALK IN YOU, AND YOU IN ME. I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART. HELP ME TO WORSHIP YOU IN EVERYTHING I DO, AND HELP ME TO LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART – FOREVER AND EVER! AMEN!!!!!!!!!
Please visit Walk by Faith Ministry at https://www.walkbyfaithministry.com.