Motive

The subheading over 1 Corinthians 13 in my Bible says, "The Way of Love". That's a good description of the way Jesus lived, and the way we hope to live, but often get caught up in the how and what of life, forgetting the why.


1 Corithians 13:1-3 says,

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing."


Motive is everything. If I do not love others, I have missed the point completely.
That changes everything...

If you busy yourself with serving, ministry, giving, and even become a martyr, but have no love for those you are doing it for-it is really worthless. That is what Paul is saying. You should ask yourself why you are doing it. Make sure that your motives are centered around your love for the individual or group you are serving. If not love, what?

Paul listed some characteristics of love in verses 4-7, that will give you a clue to where your motives lie.

1 Corithians 13:4-7,

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

After viewing that I saw that I needed to reflect and make some changes. Maybe you feel the same. A few thoughts to consider:

*Begin to rethink your activities. Stop those that are not motivated by pure love, or if possible, change your motivation.

*Ask God to help you to love others as He does; love for what you are doing;love for Him.

*Begin something new that is fueled solely by your love. It doesn't have to be big, but it does have to be personal to you.

"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love." -Johann Wolfgang

Outside of God's Holiness, I do not think anything comes closer to God's heart than pure love...

Guitar Practice

I borrowed a good friend's guitar, for a lack of having something decent to practice with. I have really felt God moving me towards getting good with an instrument, so that I could glorify Him in the church band, or leading worship during an alternative service.

As I practiced yesterday, it all sounded like music to me. It probably didn't to Andrea. I am sure it didn't to anyone else hearing it. But I knew that I would eventually get better at it, so what I was hearing was steady progress forward. Though I messed up several times, I was learning knew chords and finger positions. It was awesome! My finger tips are shredded at this point-but it is good.

God views our lives like that. They may be messy sometimes and not always sound like what a perfect Christian should.

But they are music to God's ears, because you are making steady progression towards Him-towards spiritual maturity-towards the day when your life will become a full on orchestral majesty that will shine with His glory.

Many times I have heard people quote Romans 3:23
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

But they don't mention the next verse,
"and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
As the music instructor listens to the imperfect performance of a persistent student and smiles with joy, so God smiles on those who live an imperfect life with persistence to live for Him.

You won't be perfect this side of Heaven, and your Father knows this-And still loves you.

Peace be with You...

When I am bogged down with “stuff” and the Christian life is not looking like what I had envisioned it, I tend to get a little discouraged. I ask questions like, “Am I doing what God asked of me? Or “Did I do something wrong to have this happen?”
It is in those times that God brings His encouragement and peace, and points me again towards His mission.
In John Chapter 20, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, The Disciples, and then again to Thomas. The chapter starts with Mary at the tomb, searching frantically for the body of her dead savior. Jesus asks her what she is doing and she fails to see that it is Him. The Disciples hear from Mary that Jesus is alive, and they fail to believe her. Thomas hears from the Disciples and refuses to believe unless he has proof.
In each of these Jesus appears and addresses the disbelief of each person. The first thing He says is,
“Peace be with you.”
When we truly encounter Christ, he brings His peace into our situation. He wants us to know that He has everything under His control, and ease our hearts. It is only then that we can hear what He has to say. Jesus said what each person needed to hear. Each situation was specific. Mary needed to hear her Savior call her by name once again. The Disciples needed reassurance and guidance as they followed His directives, and Thomas needed some amount of calculated proof that Jesus was truly alive again.
I received a call for a visit to a woman with terminal cancer. The woman had been given a few weeks to live. I knew that I should go, but was afraid that I would be ineffectual at comforting her or answering her questions about life and death. John wrote and lived for the express purpose of making Jesus known. As I hung up the phone and finished reading chapter 20 in the book of John, the last verse rung out the meaning of Jesus’ encouragement.
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31
In those moments Jesus said to me, “Peace be with you.” He was doing for me what he did for Mary, His Disciples, and yes, even Thomas. All that they did and all that we do must amount to this one last verse.
When uncertain struggles challenge our faith and paralyze us with fear, we must remember that Jesus will sustain us. He calms us by His presence and lets us see things through His eyes. When He does, it shows to our family and friends, glorifying Him. It is then that we realize that the purpose of our lives is,
“That you may believe…”