Motivation

09/28/12 My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work (John 4:34). Ministry to our Lord should be enjoyable and a blessing. If you are in the service of the Lord Jesus and you don’t feel as if you are being blessed something is wrong. The Lord Himself said that doing His Father’s will was like was like partaking of food; it brought strength and nourishment to Him. If you aren’t experiencing joy in the ministry one area that is usually suspect is your motivation. If your motivation is anything other than love for God and His glory then as far as God is concerned you aren’t serving. When Paul was describing the ministry he said the love of Christ compelled him (2 Cor.5:14). The word ‘compel’ means to be shut up or be closed in so that you can only move in one direction. (See Phil.1:23 for an another example of this word.) Paul had one direction or purpose in his heart and that was his love for the Lord and the Lord’s love for him. Paul was surrounded and controlled by the love that Christ had displayed for him on the cross and that brought him great joy. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” This is why Paul could continue ministering to people who wanted to harm him. He knew that the Lord loved him even while he was in active rebellion against the very One who died for the sins he was committing. (Rom.5:6-8) God sends people into your life that are difficult to love. Sometimes they are more like enemies (Matt.5:44). And certainly they don’t deserve to be loved. But that is exactly the point. Paul didn’t deserve Christ’s love either but he received it. And since Christ has poured His love into Paul, Paul wanted to love others the way His Lord loved him. When we love the way Jesus loves that is a supernatural act as God works in you and through you. This love brings glory to God because God loves others through you. And you are filled with joy and strength! Do you really love the Lord? Could you list people right now that you love that don’t love you? Prayer: Father, I pray this morning for myself. I need your Holy Spirit to fill me so that I can love with the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Increase my love! In Jesus name, amen.