Proper Motivation

1 Thessalonians 2

4 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.

I LOVE Paul’s attitude here. He knows that it is not his purpose to please men, but it is his purpose to please God. That is the way I want to live my life. My desire is to please God with all I do, with all I say, with all I am. May my heart be examined by the Creator of everything and may I be found to be motivated only by a desire to please You, O Lord.

Proper Motivation

Revelation 2

2 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.

4 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.

The church at Epehesus gets a harsh rebuke from the Lord in the book of Revelation. While known for patient endurance, not tolerating evil, etc., BUT look at the complaint Jesus has against this body of believers: “You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!” Our actions must be accompanied by proper motivation. Love is the motivation for Christians, and when we act without love, we are not acting in a Christ-like manner.