What is our Motive?

Dear Saints

     I think of when a cell phone or any other battery operated device needs to be charged up in order to be strong and most useful, we need to do this for ourselves ever so much more.  I know when I am recharged and strengthened in Him, I do this by taking time to evaluate my motive to live to please Him and being honest to answer the question: "Why do I do what I do?" I believe when we take time to reflect our lives and understand why we do what we do to give God the glory, it gives us strength because their is real value when we live for Him.  It is ironic that the value this world tries to fit each of us to think that when we do things for ourselves, it is most valuable to us.  I don't believe the Bible teaches that we can't look after ourselves, but it is when we consume all of our time on our "selves" to the point we fail to see how we can live to be a blessing to others.  The Bible, which is Gods perfect instructions for our lives always instructs us to live with balance.  I also believe that when we live so much to serve others that we forget to look after ourselves, this is not good either.  Anything taken out of balance is neither good, whether it appears to be good or not (Job 31:6 and Prov 11:1).  

     In 1 Pet 5:8, Paul mentions that when we live out of balance, we are prey to the one who is roaming around, seeking whom he may devour.  I always believe that we cannot be as useful to others when we live out of balance and fail to take the time to look after ourselves or love ourselves in a balanced way.  The devil wants to make people believe that just because we do things for ourselves, we are being selfish.  But yet, he will also make people believe when we look to live to bless others, we fail to ever be fulfilled ourselves.  This is why we always tend to give in to his deceptive ways when we live out of balance.  When we need to look after ourselves at times, we should never feel guilty about that, because we need to look after Gods temple.  Our body is Gods temple which He purchased with His very own blood He shed for us.  Therefore, we are His and we need to look after what belongs to Him.  The Bible talks about how we need to live in balance and not live to the extreme on anything.  The flesh always tends to want to do "all or nothing".  

     When I take the time to evaluate why I do what I do, it helps me to live with balance.  God is not as much interested in just what we do, but why we do what we do.  While man who looks at the outward appearance, God judges the heart of man, which is why it is important that we need to take time to reflect and evaluate our motive.  Here are some findings I gain when I take time to reflect and examine my motive:

• It helps me to stay the course if I have wandered away off the track.  For God tells us that the road that leads to life is narrow.  Therefore, it is easy to get off track when we don't take time to examine our motive.  But God is always interested to keep our ways on track and refrain from going off to the right or left (Joshua 23:6);
•  It helps me to remember what is important in life and not get so caught up in agendas that matter very little.  It reminds me how Christ Himself tells the Pharisees and Saducees that they swallow a camel and strain a gnat (Matt 23:24).  In other words, they failed to understand what is truly important in life;

•  It helps me to correct the errors I have made and make things right with Christ, by repenting and receiving His help to keep me strong in Him.  If I am going through trouble in my life, this is where I may need to evaluate to see if I have not lived by His instructions.  In other words, am I going through trials because of my disobedience to God?  Or am I thinking and speaking negatively in my life when Gods Word tells me that life and death are in the power of the tongue?  We need to use this time to ask Him to help us if we have strayed away from His instruction of how to live;
•  I am strengthened to refrain from sinning against Him when I take this time to meditate His laws until it gets in to my heart (Psalm 119:11);  
• It helps me to reflect on what His will is.  Such as being greatful to Him with a thankful heart all because of His love for us.  He often needs to prove us through trials so we can receive His reward for being faithful.  It is through the hard times that we are proven faithful when we continue to do what is right, even though we may not initially get a right result, not when everything is always going easy for us;
•  It helps me to realize where I need to grow the most and how I can better model Him.  I do this in order to not be disqualified and fail to be a blessing to one another.

     If we try to do good when it is not done for the right reason, do we think God is pleased?  Afterall, God not only knows what we do, but He knows why we do what we do.  It's like the Pharisees and Saducees often did.  They made alot of people think that they were doing alot of good because of what they did.  But Jesus was most displeased with them at the same time because He knew their intentions were of a selfish nature.  What they could pull the wool over peoples eyes, no one can ever pull the wool over Gods eyes...EVER!!  When I see the ministry God has called me to, I need to see the true value of why I do this.  Some of the reasons I have evaluated is because I like to encourage the broken hearted (of which I know there are alot of).  Many people need help and need to be encouraged, and I like to be used to bless people who need encouragement.  I like to see peoples lives renewed and restored in what I share with them.  I want people to know Gods goodness for them because of what He has done for me.  I want people to know that I am not an exception, but know what He has done for me, He wants to do for you.  I want to bring this hope that I have received to give you hope.  Ultimately, I want to give God the glory to testify that He is indeed the Greatest Builder for my very life.  However, I know I can easily be swayed if I don't occassionally reflect and evaluate my intentions, whether they are godly or selfish.  

  

     I know we can all be inundated with alot of messages here and there.  However, we can NEVER GO WRONG when we take time to evaluate and be sure that our motive is to bless others in their time of need, be encouragers to the broken-hearted and put a smile on Gods face simply because we love Him.  I want to encourage you to take time to reflect on what your motive is so you can focus on moving forward in the right direction and stay the course and receive the crown of life that will await those who love Him (1 Cor 9:24,25; James 1:12).   

Will you consider buying my books in support of HelpingCopeThroughHope mission work in Zambia?  You may go to my link below to observe.

In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayerhttp://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife  

Motivated by His Love

Good Day Dear Saints of the Most High!!

     I always want to find ways not only to defeat the enemy with Gods help and to be overcomers in every past negative circumstances that may have occurred in our past, but to also find out what motivates people to do what they do.  Why are some people motivated more to serve the Lord than others?  When I think of what motivates people, it is because they love certain things, hobbies or any goals they want to set.  People love certain things more than others because they see the value of what they do.  If I didn't see the value of encouraging people through this ministry, I wouldn't be able to do this.  It would appear to be more of a duty rather than being motivated by love for others which becomes effortless.  Doing anything out of duty is not what God intends for us, otherwise it becomes legalism rather than doing anything for the Lord out of love, which is what pleases Him.

     When it comes to serving the Lord by praying, encouraging, ministering or any of other type of ministry whom the Lord may have called you to do, a person may not be as passionate to do these things all because they fail to spend the time to reflect Gods Love for us, His goodness and awesome character in every way.  When we see how He was motivated by His love for us to go through much suffering, agony, separation from His closest friends and own family, much physical and emotional pain just to do this for us so we can live the abundant life He wants to give us, I can't think of a better reason to serve Him when I see such love from Him more than anyone in this world would dare to do.  Where a friend may dare to die for one another, He died for the rebellious (of which I was one).  I like the song "When I forget Gethsemene, when I forget thine agony, when I forget Thy love for me...lead me to Calvary".  It helps  remind me of His love for me in a more deeper personal way, which we should realize for ourselves.  When I reflect His unfathomable love for me personally, this motivates me and it should motivate each one.    When we don't take this time to reflect in a deep way, it becomes shallow and has no depth of meaning to what it should have.  We need to know that what He did, He did for each one personally.  We need to speak audibly to ourselves that "God loves me" and He chose to go through much agony because He loves me.  He did not just die for the elect or some one else, but for the whole world (1 John 2:2), including me.  We often think that He did this for others, but not for me.  This is a lie from the enemy.  The problem with much of the world is that they just drift through life and don't take any time to ever reflect what He went through to deliver us from the punishment of sin, hell and the grave.  This is why they are blind to His love for them because they fail to take any thought of this absolute truth of His love for them.  This is absolutely necessary so we do not lose sight or focus on His amazing love for us!

     When we realize who He is, there are a few things we need to reflect on.  He is from the beginning (John 1:1;14).  By Him, all things were created for our enjoyment (Col 1:16).  There is never a time that He was not present everywhere (Psalm 139:8).  There is not a thing that He does not know or never knew (Psalm 139:6).  The future was never hidden from Him who foreknew every event that was/is to take place (Jer 1:5).  We see this through many prophesies mentioned in the old testament that He fulfilled perfectly.  We see events mentioned in Revelation many centuries ago that is taking place today.  Therefore, nothing happens by accident that He did not already know.  He knew when He left His Throne of Glory to come to earth that He was going to live in such pain, agony, rejection, acquainted with many sorrows and yet, He willingly chose to do that for me (insert your name).  When we see how He lived the self-less life in order to redeem us, we should have great admiration and appreciation knowing that He willingly and knowingly suffered greatly at the hands of a betrayer (Judas Iscariot) and suffering excruciating pain on the cross while we were on His mind during this time.  When we can (and should) spend time to reflect on His great love for each of us personally (insert your name), we can be empowered and motivated to live for Him and accomplish much for Him all because we took the time to reflect on His love for us.  This should motivate us to love Him and we should always be amazed when we know the Truth of His awesome attributes in every way.  The Apostle Paul was motivated by His love.  He didn't just want to know about God, He wanted to KNOW GOD personally and know Him in the power of His Resurrection (Phil 3:10).

 

     We should also not only see how He suffered greatly for us, but to realize that He adopts us in to His family.  He offers us abundant life of peace, joy and goodness in this life as well as for all eternity (John 10:10b).  He tells us that we are joint-heirs with Him (Rom 8:17).  He made a way that we can have total victory (when we choose to live His way).  He even has our eternal home which is a mansion built for us in glory, where the streets made of gold, the seas are like crystal, precious stones fill Heaven.  Where flowers never fade and darkness is nowhere to be found in Heaven.  He rewards us with immeasurable beauty that will last forever.  When I take time to meditate on these truths, I can't help but be motivated to live for Him and nor should anyone else who takes time not be able to do the same.

     Another thing that motivates people is when they see their purpose in what they do.  If there is no purpose in what they do, people are not as passionate which means they are not motivated.  It is imperative to reflect on His divine love for us in a deeper more profound way and also take the time to see how awesome our God is (who fills all Heavens and earth), what He has prepared for us and realize that we have the greatest mandate of anyone to be His ministers, which we are all called to do (1 Pet 4:10,11).  When we realize our purpose when He is able to work through people who are motivated by His love and understand that we can be His arms and feet to fulfill the greatest mandate beyond any vocation this world could ever provide, this should motivate us when we know He wants to work through us.  He is able to prepare His people who are WILLING to work mightily to win souls for Him, to be ministers, to be encouragers.  There is nothing in this world that is more satisfying than to know you have made a positive difference in the lives of other people and know that as Gods child, you will be eternally rewarded simply because we were willing and obedient to Him.  I can't think of a better reason to be motivated then to know His awesome love for us, what He has accomplished for us, what He has prepared for us and that He wants to use us in order to bless others.  Knowing He loves you this much should motivate each one to live for Him, love Him and serve Him all the days of our lives while serving others.  This is what puts a smile on Gods face and we should be motivated to do just that.    

Will you consider buying my books in support of HelpingCopeThroughHope mission work in Zambia?  You may go to my link below to observe.

In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife  

Overcoming Rejection

Dearest Saints,

 

     I would like to share something to encourage many Christians who suffer from experiencing rejection by others from the past.  I have experienced this and know the pain it often follows many.  I have been blessed by His Grace to have overcome this horrible mindset.  The only good thing that comes from this is when we can share the hope (after being liberated from these negative circumstances) to help many others be liberated by its stronghold that sets in the minds of many believers.  When we have overcome some negative circumstances from our past, it is important that we don't just keep these to ourselves because there are many whom we can and should offer help in their time of need.  This is when we need to be a channel of His love instead of a resevoir.  I had to realize that being rejected is not negative in itself, it is how we interpret the situation and start thinking that there is something wrong with ourselves is when it gets to be a big problem.  Sometimes, being rejected is a good thing because God doesn't want us to be infected by other peoples behaviour or bad influences they may have on our lives. Maybe being rejected means that God restrains us from becoming proud?  However, many people take this negatively simply because they are trying to win the approval of others, and when they are rejected, this is when real trouble begins.  This is where worldly sorrow comes in, which God tells us that leads to death (2 Cor 7:10) all because we try to become people pleasers or we value ourselves more by what other people think or say of us rather than knowing what God says about us.

 

     We have to stop viewing ourselves what other people say or think.  If they think of you any different than what God says of who you are, they are nothing but deceivers being lead by the one who is considered the Deceiver himself (satan).  Instead of putting myself down because of being rejected by others, I had to reverse that and start believing that if anyone rejected me, it was my gain and their loss.  Some people may think it is bold and arrogant statement to say that.  I don't believe it is, because when you love yourself in a balanced way like God encourages us to do and know that He creates each one specially unique, you don't have to be a prisoner of what anyone else thinks or says.  I started to feel much better about myself in the right way by giving NO VALUE of what others had thought or said if it didn't agree to what God says.  Otherwise I would have developed a stronghold of having an inferiority complex, which I mentioned in the past messages how this can be very destructive.  I can say that many Christians who remain a prisoner of Rejection fail to be a rich blessing to so many others in their time of need because they cannot be effectively used by God when they remain a prisoner of what others may think or say of them.  This is where the enemy not only robs Christians from being a blessing, but robs so many others who could have been blessed by those who remain a prisoner to the lies of the enemy.  It is sometimes scary to think how many people failed to be blessed because we allowed ourselves to be held back?  Although He wants each of us to become more like Christ, He still wants us to be ourselves and stop trying to be like anyone else.  You will notice that the Bible has four gospels and not just one.  Each one expressed their views to point out the Gospel by their individual personality, which is why we don't see the Bible with one gospel according to one person only.  

     When I see how anyone who has rejected me in the past, if I had continued to feel dejected, I would not be able to be mightily used of God to minister to others and be part of a wonderful email prayer team to help many others in their time of need.  When I realize those who rejected me, I realize it's their loss because they are missing out of a real blessing I am able to share with hundreds of people of which they could have shared in the blessing, but have missed out.  Being a Christian is not thinking lowly of yourself just because others fail to see the beauty and uniqueness of you, but it is holding your head high (without being proud) and being confident knowing who you are in Christ because He sees you as a vessel of honour whom He can use.  God tells us to shine His Light (Matt 5:15,16).  When we hang our heads low by feeling dejected, we end up placing His light under a bed where no one can see Christ in you and through you like we are admonished to do.  If we are to share the hope that is within us, how can we possibly do that when we go around feeling lowly about ourselves and hanging our heads low?  When we see how God invites us in to His family, offers us life eternal like nothing else on earth could ever offer, how the creator of the universe wants to have a rich relationship with you & I and the mansion He has prepared for us to enjoy for all eternity, we should be the happiest people on earth!

     The devil is able to use many people when they are spiritually blind to his ways and we MUST NOT allow any of his influences through other people to determine who you are. I hear it many times from a certain teacher, and I can honestly say a big "AMEN" to the fact that we cannot be powerfully used of God and have self-pity at the same time.  I also had convinced myself that when others rejected me in the past, God was keeping me from having my life "infected" by bad influences.  For God tells us that bad company corrupts good character (1 Cor 15:33).  How many times might God have spared us from all kinds of trouble when we may have been rejected by others?  We need to consider being rejected by some as a blessing in disguise.  Our minds become the battlefield of the enemy and in order for us to believe who we are in Christ, we need to speak His promises over us that tells us who we are.  Our true faith is built up when we hear ourselves speak His Word, because God tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17).  Here are some scriptures I would encourage you to say to yourself.  Afterall, it comes from the One who is the Only One who is Perfect, who knows you perfectly and knows all things, so why not agree with the one who is perfect than the ones who are a bunch of liars?  I encourage you to speak the following scriptures over you:

I am the righteousness of God (Gal 5:5)
I am the apple of His eye (Prov 7:2; Zech 2:8)
He adopted me in to His family as a Son/Daughter of God (John 1:12)
He has given me His beauty for my ashes, Oil of joy in place of mourning, Garment of praise instead of heaviness (Isa 61:3)
I am made in the image of Christ (Gen 9:6)
I am a new creature in Christ, the old man has been replaced by the New man (2 Cor 5:17)

I am Blessed in Him (Eph 1:3)

I am loved by Him (Jer 31:3)

I have been raised with Him in Heavenly places (Eph 2:6)

I have an inheritance to receive an eternal crown of Glory that will last forever (1 Cor 9:25).

     When we see and believe the positive Truth of His Word for us, this liberates us from being deceived by the one who is out to fulfill his purpose that seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a) through any circumstances of rejection.  Therefore, we need to put a STOP at looking negatively at ourselves by allowing the enemy and others to dictate how we value ourselves and start believing who God says about you.  Afterall, He alone is God and anyone else who speaks otherwise is a counterfeit, because only God speaks Truth and anything outside of Gods Truth are lies.  God reminds me that instead of wasting our time being bitter towards our oppressors, we need to be more concerned about them when we realize their outcome and the accountability they are going to give before God on judgment day.  I believe you will like yourself much better when you speak the promises of what God says who you are in the Light and Truth of His Word.  I would like to encourage you to SPEAK the blessings (Num 6:24-27) over you, your family and each other which drives away every curse ever spoken to you or about you and live in the blessings He offers to each of us.
 

I invite you to please check out my two books I would love to bless you with.  Good portion of proceeds go to helping the needy in Zambia.

http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife 

 

In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer

Effective Managers of God

Dearest Saints, 

 

     As most of us know, we continue to come against more fierce attacks from the real enemy and his hosts (satan and the demonic forces) because they know their time is short (Rev 12:12).  I have been receiving very encouraging emails and reports after we encourage one another to make the most of our God given authority to see His Work through us gets done.  I find when we are more powerful in the Lord, it first starts with being submissive to Him in every area of our lives and putting quality time with Him.  When we fail to invite Him to take total dominance and control (His perfect will) for us in our lives, we fail to see His power work through us.  I don't really believe it is a matter of quantity time in as much as our quality time with Him.  Our quality with Him is to allow Him to move within our heart, confess our desperate need of Him and gladly allowing His loving ways to dominate our lives.

 

     I truly believe the power of God is released in our lives to the degree of the portion we submit our lives to Him.  In Acts 19:13-18, you will notice that several people (sons of Sceva) who tried to take authority over a demon possessed person could not do it.  In the reply of the powers of darkness, they spoke through this possessed man to tell them "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you"? (vs 15).  I believe that these people may have been an example of Christians who lack Gods power because they fail to acknowledge God in as much as they should have, or possibly not submit to His authority to the degree they should be doing.  Just like Christians who know that we are to forgive like He commands us to, but we end up making excuses.  I believe we cannot use our God given authority effectively when we fail to give Him pre-eminance in our lives all because we do not invite Him as our LORD (to Lord it over our lives and be submissive to His laws of love).  Again, I find it most essential that when we start our day, we need to spend that first moment of our day to get quiet with the Lord and tell Him how much you need Him, how much you appreciate Him and that you want to invite Him in every area of your life to help you to love others and be a blessing to one another.  I can attest to the fact that if I don't spend that quality time with Him, I find myself in a "mess".  I use quotations to put emphasis on what it is like to be a mess.  

 

     When we don't give Him our time and attention first, we can't expect to be used of Him as much as we should.  I can tell you that when God works powerfully through me, it is definitely NOT because of any intellect or natural ability of my own, but spending quality time to be alone with Him and acknowledge His presence and our need of Him.  I have gotten to the place where I know I cannot possibly move forward unless I allow Him to take authority over my life.  God is the greatest "Gentleman" because He only moves mightily in our lives when we permit Him to do so.  He will never push His way in to our lives.  We need to open our hearts to invite Him to do His much needed work through us.  When we do, we can use His authority in every area of our lives simply because we allow His power to work through us because we believe He loves us and wants us to invite Him in to every part of our lives.  When we put ourselves in this submissive position for God to have us, I find His power works mightily through me and He is able to get me through the most trying circumstances and be much stronger in Him after going through the tough times. 

 

     The Lord gave me a wonderful revelation I would like to share with you.  In the beginning, we see God as the Owner and Adam as the "manager" or "caretaker" of what God owns, because God tells Adam to tend the garden of which God owns.  When I learn to submit my body, my family, my home, etc.. over to God, we can declare Him as the true "OWNER" of our lives, families, finances, circumstances and we are simply caretakers of what God really owns.  However, Adam was told to tend the garden by working it and not just standing there passively doing nothing.  Therefore, we are expected to manage all of our affairs by doing what we know to do and looking after our lives as God tells us to.  When I picture a Manager who looks after the property of God and we see enemy trespassers on a property that says "NO TRESPASSING", we need to point our finger outward to command the enemy to depart off the premises because we DO NOT permit the enemy to have any activity on Gods property.  Therefore, when we see the activity of strife, factions, sickness, diseases, etc in our lives, we can command these symptoms or circumstances to depart and bind them unto the Blood of Jesus.  Again, when we don't look after our bodies the way we should, we often can't expect God to just bring a healing miracle when we neglect our responsibility.  We need to do our part (by tending "our garden").  When we do our part, I believe we have Gods authority as managers to expect God to do His part as He is always faithful to do.  As a manager would tell the evil one to depart (off the premises of Gods property of our lives), we need to speak against that evil spirit to depart because when we submit every part of our lives to God, we have His authority NOT to permit the enemy to co-exist with what we have given God to own in our lives.  When Jesus taught His Disciples to pray, part of that prayer was "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" (Matt 6:10).  We know that no strife, factions, divisions, sickness, diseases or the like exists in Heaven.  Therefore, if we pray His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, if these don't exist in Heaven, then we shouldn't allow it to have any place in our lives on earth according to the prayer He taught us to pray. 

 

     When I walk around the property of my home or the place of worship where we gather and plead the Blood of Jesus and declare to the enemy to give him no legal right to enter these premises and tell the enemy he can NOT have any place in our lives, my family life has been at such greater peace.  Therefore, when we commit our lives, body, family, finances and our Church that only God is to govern (because He purchased all of us with His shed Blood), we can claim His power and purposes to dwell in our midst and have total victory over the enemy who is considered an unwanted trespasser.  When God has given us the authority in His Name over the enemy, we need to exercise that authority and we know we can rightfully exercise that authority in Righteousness when we do submit our "selves" to God who truly does own all things.  I hope this richly blesses you as it has been to me to know who we are in Christ and exercise our God given inheritance to maintain Gods divine order to be most blessed to ourselves, our family members and our Church.  May I encourage you to do things Gods way, because you will always see in the end that His Way is always the BEST WAY in order for us to live the most blessed life!

Will you consider buying my books in support of HelpingCopeThroughHope mission work in Zambia?  You may go to my link below to observe.

In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife  
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
 

The Heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork (Psalm 19:1).