Daily Wisdom

‘so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’ Mt 6:4; 6

Red-Letter truth…

It's easier to do what's right when we gain recognition and praise. To ensure that our motives are not selfish, our good deeds should be done quietly or in secret, with no thought of reward. Jesus says we should check our motives in three areas: generosity (Mat 6:4), prayer (Mat 6:6), and fasting (Mat 6:18). These acts of faith should not be self-motivated but God-glorifying, done not to make us look good but to seek the Father and His perfect will.

Be sure in knowing, that the Father sees past our spiritual actions and into our heart, “sees in secret.”  Meaning the Father sees past the accolades, praise, promotion, and applause of man and looks solely on the motive of the heart.  In (Mt 6:2) Jesus tells us there are to be no trumpets involved, just a secret heart that is motivated in Jesus getting all the attention. 

Be sure not to shine so bright that others can’t see Jesus because of you… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 ‘… and the name of Lord Jesus was magnified.’ Acts 19:17

Most are familiar with the term “scared straight,” often associated with exposing young individuals to the environment and effects of incarceration in hopes to get their attention refocused on what is right. This is not new per-say, in Ephesus this was experienced throughout the city during Paul’s mission stay there. The sons of Sceva, who was a high priest, had ill-motive in their works of ministry, obviously for personal gain, not heaven’s. When performing supposed exorcism’s, the sons were exposed by demonic spirits as being mis-focused on their efforts, are were possessed themselves and fled through the town naked and wounded (vs 16).

No humor intended, but in (vs 18-19) it states many confessed (sacred straight) and divulged their practices, and those who had books of incantations burned them in sight of all. There is a little levity here to say the least.  Point being motive is so important within our heart and own ministry. I don’t believe any of us are practicing incantations, but why we do what we do must be for Jesus’s glory and heaven’s profit, and not our own. Be careful drawing attention in your efforts, you may receive the kind of attention you don’t desire.

The right thing, with the wrong motive, is the wrong thing… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Gen 28: 7-8 “Jacob obeyed his father and his mother… Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father. Esau went unto Ishmael and took a wife…”

Having already married against his father’s will, Esau sought to marry another, who God had already rejected, in hopes of pleasing his father. Esau rested in a partial reformation by pleasing his parents in one thing, to atone for all his other misdeeds. Esau didn’t learn from Jacob’s obedience, but only sought to please his father (i.e. man) and not God, in hopes of obtaining only what he wanted. Carnal hearts are apt to think themselves as good as they should be, because perhaps, in some one particular instance, they are not so bad as they have been. Micah (Jdg 17) retains his idols but thinks himself happy in having a Levite to be his priest. “No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.”

The right thing, with the wrong motive, is the wrong thing… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Gal 1:10

The word persuade means to “teach” (Acts 18:4). Obviously Paul was not called to teach God himself, but to teach man concerning Christ.  It’s not our purpose to persuade God through man, but rather to persuade man through God. The second purpose Paul puts forth is his aim to please? Just like a school teacher, they’re not called to please you as a student but simply teach; knowing what they have to offer is greater than how you feel. Paul was willing to please God and have a few people upset with  him than to please a few people and have God upset.  “If you live for people’s acceptance, you’ll die from their rejection.”  Look at this way, ultimately do you seek the approval of your peers or your boss? So why would we seek the approval of man over the creator of man. Finally, Paul clarifies that he who seeks the approval/applause of man is “not a servant of Christ.” (Mt 6:24 “No man can serve two masters…”)  You can’t impress people with yourself and impress them with Jesus simultaneously. To serve two masters you’ll have to lie to one.  God called you to love others, not impress them.

Joshua 24:15 “choose ye this day whom you will serve”

If we displease God, does it matter whom we do please!

HSAY… Todd

Daily Wisodm

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” 1 Cor 3:13

It’s not what you do or the size of it that’s important, but the why. The fire in which God uses to measure our work will either purify or reveal your motive and its true worth in the eternal kingdom. We’re blinded in this world when it comes to defining worth; it’s measured by size, monetary value, appearance and popularity. Man measures success, God measures motive. Don’t make life decisions based on the advice or measure of people you will not have to answer to in the eternal. We come about a proper motive like building a ship. You don’t drum up men, divide the work and bark out orders. Instead, teach them to desire the vastness of the sea. Likewise we come to a right motive when we encourage others along with ourselves to desire the vast richness of Christ and His righteousness.

HSAY…Todd