Daily Motivations

Have you ever seen, read or heard daily motivations that are intended to inspire you to greater things? These come from many different sources like, people, organizations, self-help books and articles.

Let's look at some questions that will provoke some thought about our personal motivations.

What are my current thoughts motivating me to think or do?

What is my motive when I interact with another person?

What motivates me to take action?

I can go on and on, but with those questions you can see the challenges we all face? God looks at all of our motives. Be them sinful, self serving, or God pleasing. No one is exempt.

What does the Bible say about our motives? Proverbs 16:2 (NKJV) says, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Because the human heart is very deceitful."

I believe this means that we as the human race don't consider God all the time when it comes to all of our actions, thoughts, and deeds. Those that do not believe in Jesus may not even consider God at all. I believe God speaks to everyone regardless of their relationship with Him.

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." With this promise I believe God gives everyone the chance to repent. In so doing He communicates with all of us.

With everything that enters our minds our motives get measured. Are they self-serving or God pleasing?

Let's talk about some common life choices that make our motives self evident. These are some of the topics that are in the news every day, but should help us really understand how our motives affect our lives.

ABORTIONS - I believe most people have an opinion on this topic, for, or against. Seldom do I here of someone being indifferent. But, no matter what your opinion is, the motivating factors are still there for each of us.

On one side of the debate, most opinions revolve around protecting the individual from some type of harm. It could be it financial, it could be the burdens it would create or medical issues, and so on...To lesson the severity and our conscience, we use words like protective rights, or it's my body, my choice. On the other side of the fence the opinions focus on what we sincerely believe is a baby's life while others who take on a more sanctimonious position. Either way, there are things that motivate us to make take a position.

MURDERS- Murders happen everyday. Some calculated, while others are a snap decisions. At the end of the day everyone involved is motivate during that moment. One to protect their life and the other to take a life. One could be completely innocent and never suspect that they'll be in a position that could end in their life. The other motivated by anger, greed, or the desire to protect their identity. As our society deteriorates, we're seeing people killed for no apparent reason at all.

LIES AND DECEIT- How many of us have told a little white lie? How many of us have told big lies? What motivates us to do this? Are we trying to protect ourselves? Do we want to keep something hidden? Are we concerned about our image in the other person's eyes?

We can sit here all day and come up with an endless amount of reasons why we lie. Something motivates us to do this almost every day. And few are innocent. Have you ever said good morning to someone and really meant it or is it just a common greeting we say? It may be sincere...and then again it may not be. I think you get my point.

JUDGING OTHERS- Everyday we are judging something or someone. No one is innocent. As Gods' word says in Genesis 6:5; "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

This was in the beginning and continues even today for both Christians and non-christians alike. One side points the finger at the other in every case. Words don't have to be spoken to be guilty of this. Everyone we see gets' judged. We are hopeless without Jesus paying the ultimate sacrifice for all of our sins. Being a Christian doesn't absolve us from sinning.

These are just a few examples that can help us understand what impact this is having on all of our lives.

The Biggest question now is can we as humans overcome our own self motivating sins? The answer in our next segment.

Our Court Date Part 1

When I was a teenager, I had finally reached that age where I could get my drivers license. As many new drivers experience, I found my new freedom exhilarating and exciting. I remember my father telling me not to get in a wreck or hit anyone. Needless to say my focus was limited. I'm sure many of you can relate to this. However, that lack of focus was soon hit with a dose of reality.

While out enjoying my freedom, I unknowingly passed a police car hidden from my sight and only realized it when I saw his flashing lights behind me. Imagine my fear of coming to know I had done something wrong. My first thought was being put in a jail cell. Needless to say, with the ticket in hand, I was made to understand that laws were created to protect me and to protect others.

A month later, I was to appear in court to face the judge to account for my transgression. Scared to death, as I stood before the judge, I was asked how do you plea? Deep down, I wanted to say that I was innocent, but I knew I was guilty. Acknowledging my guilt, the judge assessed me a fine to pay for breaking the law. A fine that I could not have paid if not for the help of my parents.

Do you realize that one day we will all face the judge (God) at the last judgment?

Acts 17:31 says; For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man (Jesus Christ) he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

Let's look at a few common laws we break...Question: How many lies have you told in your life? What do you call someone who lies to you? (A Liar)...Have you ever stolen anything, for example, a pen from work? What do you call someone who steals from you? (A Thief)...Have you ever used God's name in vain? For example, in a curse word? Do you realize that's called blasphemy, which is punishable by death? These are just a few of everyday examples of breaking the laws of God. Little white lies, the taking of a 5-cent pen, the use of God's name in vain, or, in my case, speeding over the posted speed limit....all of these are examples of us breaking the law; all of these will require us to pay a fine...

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When we stand before God, we will find that no one can go through life without breaking the laws God has set before us in the Ten Commandments. All of us will have to pay the fine. In the bible, the fines imposed on us are called wages.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here we see that any time we sin, even if it seems tiny and insignificant to us, it’s punishable by death. If I compare my sin to your sin, it may seem trivial, but to God, they’ll both receive the wage and penalty of death. Each of us gets our just reward. As I write this, I’m thinking about the sin in my life and the fear I feel of disappointing God.

Looking at the second half of Romans 6:23, we see the word BUT…. "The gift of God is eternal life, in Christ Jesus our Lord." You see, Jesus, who entered this world through the virgin birth of Mary as a sinless man (He was not born in sin), lived a perfect life without ever sinning. Yet, He stood before a judge, Pontius Pilate, and was convicted without ever breaking the law. For that, He was put to death on the cross…Imagine if you were standing before Pontius Pilate, completely innocent….would you think it's fair to receive the death penalty? It may surprise you that Jesus knew He would be beaten, and bloodied and made to carry His own cross up a mountain. Ultimately being nailed and hung from that cross. It may surprise you even more, when you realize He did it willingly.

Jesus is God in human form, and at any point, He could have avoided all of this if not for His purpose of coming into the world, that purpose was not to judge the world, but to save the world. That means you and me.

John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

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Deep down inside, we all know we sin; no one can deny it, not even those who feel they're a product of their upbringing or environment. No one is innocent. Not Christians and not those who reject Jesus Christ. There is however a difference in how they will be judged.

Romans 6:23 “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ...Jesus came and died for our sins, sins that come with a fine that we can not pay. Jesus sacrificed his life and blood to pay the fine for all of our sins. No sin is unforgivable except one. At our appointed time of judgment, we will either stand alone before God indicating we rejected Jesus sacrifice or we will stand before God with Jesus at our side. God will determine the wages for our sins. We, representing ourselves, cannot pay the fine… but if we have a relationship with Jesus, He will represent us because he has already paid that fine by shedding his blood on the cross.

You have to ask yourself when that Judgement day comes, will you stand alone to account for your sins or will Jesus stand there with you as proof that all of your sins have been forgiven?

John 5:24 NKJV “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life".

Matthew 12:31 NKJV "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven of men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven of men."

What is the blasphemy against the spirit? The rejection of Jesus Christ!

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Most of us experience every day struggles. It's much like climbing a mountain? If one more struggle hits us our life could be over?

It's clear, without Jesus, we have no hope. We cannot live our lives without sinning…The fact is, Jesus can come at any minute and take us away from the sin of this world and from the pain of everyday life. If we don't make that choice we will be left behind in a world that no longer has anyone that believes. Every bad thing that you can imagine will take place. God will judge the world for rejecting him. Death will take priority and only a few will survive. If you reject Christ and his gift of salvation, you will have committed the unpardonable sin. And the wages for that sin will have to be paid.

John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life".

God's word tells us that those who sincerely believe in him shall not come into judgment. To avoid any confusion, this is directly referring to the judgment of death. When you sincerely believe in Jesus, that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, sacrificed himself and was nailed to a cross for all of our sins, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day, and now sits on God's right hand side, your judgment will be different. We will not be put to death for our sins on earth, God forgives all of those sins and rewards us for our faithfulness.

Romans 8:1 There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Our judgment is completely focused on what we have done after we sincerely accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. For this, every Christian will receive rewards and leadership appointments.

In my journey as a Christian, I've heard others Christians say, " we shouldn't be doing things to get rewards. However, the bible clearly states we should seek the rewards that are for us in heaven and not rewards here on earth.

Matt 6:19-21 NIV

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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1st Corinthians 3:13-15

13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

What this means is there are rewards in heaven to which we are able to obtain, however, our motives are examined. If our motives are self serving then that will be revealed and we will not obtain the reward(s) available.

There are two ways that we as Christians will receive these rewards.

1. By doing good works after your salvation confession. (All of your sins are forgiven and you are given a clean slate.)

2. By giving to the kingdom of God. (Tithing and or giving your time to spreading the gospel.)

1st Timothy 6:17-19 NAS

17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.

18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Hebrews 13:16 NIV

16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

There are many ways to give and many ways to share. Contrary to what many pastors are teaching (Prosperity Gospel) Tithing is not the only way to give. This teaching has played a huge part in people leaving the faith or not believing in Jesus' and his sacrifice on the cross. These wolves in sheep's clothing have no interest in you other than guilting you into giving every last penny you have. Prosperity gospel continues to destroy lives and the body of Christ, the church. However, it is biblical to tithe 10% of any income and or contributing in other ways to honor God's' kingdom and the strengthening of the church. A great example: Giving food to your local church pantry. God will bless you and the church. Cont. in Part 2...

The Court Date

Our Court Date Part 2

The Parable of the Talents Mathew 25:14-30

14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.

18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.

21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.

23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming, I would have received back my own with interest.

28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents.

29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

With so many ways to give and share, God has rewards prepared for each of us who have shown they sincerely believe in Jesus Christ. Their actions demonstrating their level of sincerity and belief. Some will receive many rewards, some may receive just a few and even some may receive only a little. You might ask yourself at this point what type of Heavenly rewards will I receive? After you receive your new heavenly body you will receive crowns...

Heavenly Crowns- These Crowns signify positions of authority. Each of us will rule and reign with Christ. Where we reign, and who we rein over, is decided by the crowns we receive. Some may receive only one crown, while others may receive more. It is possible to receive very little of the crowns and or appointments. For example, some death bed confessions of faith, where there are no works. Their salvation is secure, but the crowns may not be given to them based on what they did while on the earth after their conversion.

Ephesians 2:1-10 NKJV

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience

3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them...

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Matthew 6:19-21 NIV

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Let’s be very clear, nothing you do is counted towards your salvation other than sincerely believing and repenting. No amount of works will get you there. You cannot buy your way into heaven and no matter how good you might think you are, all of your sins will be exposed.

These Crowns and Leadership positions are given to Christians for what they have done after they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The crown of Life: This is given for faith in times of persecution or martyrdom. This crown is mentioned in James 1:12 and in Rev 2:10

The Incorruptible crown: Given to those that show determination, discipline, and victory in their Christian life. NKJV 1 Corinthians 9:24, Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. (The key is to live your Christian life with determination and discipline)

The Crown of rejoicing: Given for evangelism and discipleship. Do you rarely share your faith, or do you share it all the time? Are you helping others to grow in their faith? These are questions you must ask yourself. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-10 Describes the disciples' level of faith and their commitment to sharing their faith. Remember, striving to win the race is our goal. Philippians 4: This entire chapter describes how we should live. Every day we should focus on improving the sharing of our faith. Each discipline can be considered a race that we strive to win.

The Crown of glory: Given to those for being faithful in positions of spiritual leadership. 1 Peter 5:4 NIV 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. This entire chapter shows what is expected of our spiritual leaders. If you are not receiving this currently, find it somewhere else. Not all spiritual leaders provide this. God will open your eyes and reveal this to you.

The Crown of Righteousness: Being ready to meet Christ at his return. If you are not looking for and expecting Christ return, you will not receive this crown. Shocking as it may seem many do not believe that Jesus Christ will return. Even some Christians.

The purpose of this series is to help Christians grow and to speak to those who do not believe. Judgment is coming. I pray that we all work to grow in our faith and for those that have no fear of the coming judgment and do not believe in the sacrifice Jesus made, I pray that their hearts be opened to hearing his call and that they do not reject him in these last days. If you are pondering this series, God is speaking to you. You will feel it in your heart. Don’t wait, don't reject him. Believe in him and make that commitment to follow God. Your eternity is a stake, you can choose to face the full wrath of God and the eternal pain and suffering that come with it, or enjoy his complete love where there is no pain, no suffering, and no tears, where sin does not exist. We can't comprehend the total love and happiness we'll experience, but If you feel that your sin is unforgivable you are being deceived. The ony Sin that is unforgivable is the rejection of Jesus Christ and his Sacrifice.

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord & Savior or if you have but do not show it in your daily life, your future in eternity is at risk. Please sincerely pray this prayer...

God I know that I am a sinner, and I know that my sin has separated me from you. But I believe you love me, and I believe that you sent your son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. I believe that with His death all of my sins are have been forgiven, past, present, and future. I believe that after Jesus paid the price for my sins and all the sins of the world, you raised Him from the dead and He now sits with you on your right. I sincerely ask Jesus to come into my heart, To be my Lord and Savior and to forgive me for all of my sins. Amen

Welcome to the family of God, all of your sins have been forgiven and your relationship with God and Jesus is just beginning. Today, you have been changed and you start a new life, the old has passed away. You are a New Creation!

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