"Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase. Lord God, You warn me that if I sow sparingly I will also reap sparingly, and if I sow bountifully I will also reap bountifully. So on the first day of the week let me lay something aside, storing up as I may prosper. God, You are not unjust to forget my work and labor of love which I have shown toward Your name, in that I have ministered to the saints, and do minister. By Your mercies, Lord God, I present my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is my reasonable service. The love of Christ constrains me, because I judge thus: that if Jesus died for me, then I died; and He died for me, that I who live should live no longer for myself, but for Him who died for me and rose again. Whether I eat or drink, or whatever I do, I do all to Your glory, Lord God.
You are the Giver of all good gifts—and I can be so selfish, withholding from those You want to bless through me and being more concerned about my own glory than Yours. Forgive me and transform me, Father God!"
PROVERBS 3:9; 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6; 1 CORINTHIANS 16:2; HEBREWS 6:10; ROMANS 12:1; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:14–15; 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31
Dr. David Jeremiah Life-Changing Moments with God
What motivates you after you get up in the morning to do the things that you do?
Are you motivated by doing what you do for yourself, for others or for God?
Trying to find happiness in life at times can seem fleeting. Like it's just outside of your grasp.
Selfish motivation is easily recorded many many times in the Gospels concerning the Pharisees and Sadducee's lives. Jesus exposed them as hypocrites. Many times declaring to all who could hear to beware of them.
We also read of every one doing what's right in their own eyes. When we come to Jesus Christ for salvation we relinquish that right. We indeed may still find that Jesus wants of us some of the same things as us, sometimes not. But keep in mind it's His Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, not ours.
We also must not focus on the negative things of this world, this too is Spiritually unhealthy. We are told to set our minds on things above not on the things of this world. We are to consider songs, hymns and spiritual songs, making melody in our hearts towards God.
We are to prefer one another above ourselves. We have more than enough to be doing in order to become like Christ if our priorities are right. Are there signs pointing toward the imminent return of Jesus? Yes. Should that be our focus or should it be the point of the Great Commission?
Why do you do what you do do do?
Are you living a life peppered with bouts of worry because you are unhappy with how life is for you? Before you go any further, stop and consider the real reason for your unhappiness might just be because you aren't doing what you are for the right reasons.
Are you living a life that's peppered with negativity? Stop and see that is not God's Will for you. God's Will is your sanctification. 2 Thessalonians 4:3.
Are you at all considering Romans 12...that you indeed have a part to be doing in the body of Christ, should you indeed be saved, that's meant for you to be doing? If you aren't doing it, this too will bring unhappiness. You are also causing the Spirit to need to use someone else to do what is yours to be doing.
It's unhealthy to focus on the wrong things in life. You add stress to your life, you weaken your faith. It's another life application to choose this day whom you serve. Yourself or God.
You must decide before you set out for the day whom is driving the car called your life.
It's taken me much of my life to get to the place where I am, that indeed should this be the day Christ Jesus returns, I want to be found doing what it was He tasked me with doing.
That's why I do what I do. Colossians 3:23-24 NASB "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."
Consider the end of Romans 12...whereas it be possible be at peace with all people. It may not be possible, but strive for that.
As someone has tagged...have an attitude of gratitude. Be thankful in the little things as well as the big things in life.
As Jesus taught in Luke 12 on greed, worrying and priorities...read it and keep these things in mind.
So you aren't getting what you wanted out of this life. You're dealing with grief, dealing with sorrow. Jesus was a man of sorrows, well acquainted with grief. He does understand and does get it. But He also said that God is the God of all comfort. Rest in Him and if you don't have the words don't worry about it, the Spirit will get the pain if your heart across to the Father.
So you're not happy that where you went to Church isn't what it used to be, or maybe it's not there anymore. Is that any reason to not keep looking and praying for where you are to be? You have a part in the body of Christ, you have a part in the Plan of God, your being disobedient to Christ by not moving on.
So your work might be in the way. Pray for God's favor in working out how you can be aligned with His Will for you. That you may find your place in the body to worship and serve.
We are certain to fail at life when we want out of life what isn't ours to have.
We will certainly find unhappiness when our motivation isn't whatever God wants out of us and from us.
We read many times in the New Testament of being stirred up by way of reminder. Read those and take them to heart. The Spirit will remind you over and over until you change your mind on what you are doing and why you are doing it.
Romans 12 tells us of being transformed by the renewing of your mind. Are you putting in your mind the substances that make for a transformed life?
If unhappiness, stress, worry, gloomy days are what you face each morning, it's time to reevaluate and change course. If you aren't in a Bible believing, Bible preaching Church, keep seeking until you find one. You, as a Christian, a Child of God, have something to be doing in the body for Christ if indeed you are saved.
It's not a life of missing out on living. Quite the contrary, it's about finding life. Jesus said that.
Matthew 16:25 NASB "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
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