Word for the day: “Your motives matter.”
John 6:25 (NKJV) “Rabbi, when did You come here?” And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him,26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
BELOVED LEADERS,
Maintaining wholesome motives is one of the most challenging aspects of a leader's life. The allure of getting ahead and being successful can often cause leaders to compromise by not doing what’s best for people and the business/ministry they lead. I sincerely hope today’s message inspires some deep introspection of where you are in your motives, intentions, and leadership journey.
MOTIVES ARE CRITICAL IN ALL THINGS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.
Which interests you more, who Jesus is or what the Lord can do for you? I’m afraid that too many of us are more concerned about what the Lord can give us than about getting to know the Lord relationally. But this is nothing new; Jesus had this problem when He walked on earth. The crowds often sought Him out for what He could do for them.
Even though their needs were quite often legitimate, Christ knew their motives. And the Lord knows our motives now as well. There is nothing wrong with needing the Lord, but we must make sure about our relational motives with the Lord. It’s time to reflect on our relationship with God!
Where are you in your relationship with God?
THERE IS A THIN LINE BETWEEN SINCERE AND SELFISH.
There is a fine line between selfishly trying to use the Lord to get what we want and humbly coming to God with our needs and struggles. Some of the issues we bring to God are so pressing and urgent in our minds that our desire for a genuine relationship becomes the least of our concerns. We want the Lord to act in the way we want, and this motive becomes more significant than our willingness to submit to the Lord’s purposeful will in our lives. Sometimes, we function in our “faith” as a “have it your way type of faith.”
We must remember that our demands will end, but Jesus Christ will remain forever. If our prayers have dealt only with presenting our requests to the Lord, we have missed a great opportunity to get to know the One with whom we’ll spend eternity. Let’s invest time in pursuing intimacy with Christ. Then, we can enjoy the benefits of that relationship forever.
POINT TO PONDER
How much of your communion with God is devoted to your needs—even legitimate ones? Are you spending any time getting to know the Lord? Although God delights in our prayers and tells us to pray about everything, God also wants us to come into His presence because we enjoy being His child and intimacy with the Lord.
I’m in no way casting condemnation in today’s message. My sole intent is to inspire a growth mindset practice that will cause you to flourish beyond human comprehension with the Lord. These messages are birthed out of my experiences and challenges with the Lord. Please know I love you all with all my heart. Have a fantastic day!
Special thanks!
Chief Encouragement Officer (CEO) James Baker, Jr. and our leadership team are especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in July 2024, by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st century season: Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. David and Annette Straker, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Ms. Itholear Abbott, Mrs. Barbara Mason, Ms. Jeanette Grant, Ms. Michelle Winder Branch, Ms. Brenda Spoach, Ms. Angie Scraders-Murphy, Mr. Calvin Jackson, Mr. William Jones, Mr. William Buchanan, Mr. William Wilson, Mrs. Angela Harrison, Ms. Gertrude Scott.
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Kingdom Blessings,