Sunday9/5/2010 9:54:00 AM

Weekly Devotional

What Are Your Motives?

Scripture: Luke 20:45-47

45While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46"Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." (NIV)

In this passage of scripture Jesus tells us to beware of our motives and intents for service and worship to God. He says that when we offer service to and worship of God with our agenda, ulterior motives or vain glory in mind, that we will receive greater damnation. Whenever Jesus uses the word, BEWARE, He means BEWARE or Be Aware of. We miss God and great opportunities for genuine service and worship when we seek to impress and receive acknowledgement from people. God is the ONLY one that we should seek to please. God will acknowledge our service and worship as acceptable and pleasing, not because of what we do but the motive by which we do it.

We can keep or motives pure by remembering that God always knows the intent and motives of our heart, and by asking ourselves three simple questions:

1. Why am I serving and worshipping God? This question checks our motives.

2. What is the goal of my service and worship to God? This question checks our intent.

3. Who gets the glory for my service to and worship of God? This question checks our desire for acknowledgement.

Let us always BEWARE of our motives in everything that we do in life, especially in our service to and worship of God, for if they are not pure then we put ourselves in position for greater damnation and not greater blessings.

read previous weekly devotionals here...