Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG002747
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00:09 It's been 2000 years since the glorious
00:11 light of the cross illuminated a world 00:13 veiled in darkness and confusion 00:15 about the character of God. 00:17 And still today, the greatest need of mankind 00:19 has a revelation of Gods love 00:21 as reveled in the life of Christ. 00:23 Amazing Facts presents the everlasting gospel 00:27 with Pastor Doug Batchelor, coming to you each week 00:29 from Sacramento Central Church in Sunny California. 00:33 Discover hidden treasures in God's word today. 00:39 The theme of our message this morning 00:41 is dealing with the subject of the "Two Great Motives," 00:47 that you find in scripture. 00:50 There is a great controversy between Christ and Satan. 00:55 Jesus is love, God is love. 00:59 The devil is the opposite or the antithesis of that. 01:03 He is selfishness. 01:06 Man originally was created by God 01:08 with a natural desire to love. 01:13 Adam when he came from the hands 01:14 of the Creator and Eve, 01:16 they felt this normal responses well spring of love within them. 01:20 It was natural for them. 01:22 It was how man was motivated 01:25 before the fall but after sin, 01:29 if you could summarize what was the disease 01:33 that came upon the fallen nature of man. 01:36 You could summarize it pretty well in one word 01:38 and it would be selfishness where before man 01:43 was motivated by love now in his fallen state men 01:47 was absorbed with himself. 01:49 You see, God created every persons heart 01:53 with the space in the heart to be filled 01:55 with the object of worship, that's where God belongs. 02:01 But man in his fallen state puts himself on the altar. 02:06 You know, in the First Commandment, 02:07 "You shall not have other Gods." 02:10 Really all pagan and all idolatrous religions 02:13 they put self on the altar. 02:16 And never was that more true then in our culture today. 02:21 I remember we're hearing in Greek mythology about Narcissus. 02:26 Narcissus was one of the Greek Gods 02:28 and there was another Nymph Goddess 02:32 by the name of Echo who loved him 02:35 but they came to a pool of water 02:36 and as he looked at his reflection in the pool, 02:39 he fell in love with the image 02:41 that he saw of reflecting back at him. 02:44 And she was wanting to get his attention 02:46 but you see Echo could not speak. 02:49 Echo could only repeat what she heard 02:51 someone else speaking and he would not speak to her. 02:53 So that broke her heart. 02:54 She left and went into a cave and died 02:55 but her voice lived on that's why you hear 02:57 an echo in a cave. 02:59 It's true story. 03:02 And Narcissus could not pull 03:07 himself away from his reflection. 03:09 He became so enamored with this reflection 03:12 that he eventually pined away there. 03:16 And you heard of course of narcissism. 03:18 A person who is in love with himself. 03:22 And most of us have a little tinge of that disease. 03:30 Matter of fact all fallen men, babies are not born loving 03:33 and considerate and kind. 03:35 Babies are initially the most selfish creatures in the world. 03:39 Well, you really think about it? 03:41 Middle of the night the babies crying 03:43 because it's hungry or bored 03:46 or a plumbing problem or something like that. 03:50 And mommy comes and leans over and says, 03:53 "Could this wait until the morning? 03:54 I'm really tired." 03:56 He could care less how tired she is. 03:59 All he can think about is what his needs are. 04:03 And you know some of us never really out growled that 04:06 we just learn to conceal it a little better. 04:10 It's easy for us to go through our lives 04:15 even doing outwardly Christian things 04:18 for selfish reasons. 04:20 Well, there's a story I'd like to use as a springboard, 04:23 please turn to John Chapter 12 and we're gonna start 04:27 with the first verse. 04:28 This is a dinner where Jesus was invited and the characters 04:32 I want us to notice here principally 04:34 a Mary and Judas at this feast. 04:40 John 12:1, "Then six days before the Passover 04:45 Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, 04:47 who had been dead, 04:48 whom He had raised from the dead. 04:51 There they made Him a supper, and Martha served 04:53 but Lazarus was one of those 04:54 who sat at the table with Him. 04:58 Then Martha," I'm sorry then 04:59 "Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, 05:05 and anointed the feet of Jesus, 05:07 and wiped His feet with her hair 05:10 and the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 05:14 Then one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, 05:17 who would betray Him, said, why was this fragrant oil 05:21 not sold for 300 denarii that's US wages, 05:25 and given to the poor?" 05:28 Now you've got two of the Disciples of Christ, 05:32 one is there at His feet, serving, giving, 05:37 lavishing Him with love and adoration, anointing Him. 05:42 The other is ostensibly saying all but the poor, 05:45 this what she's doing is not right. 05:47 What about the poor? 05:49 Well, you read on and John helps us understand 05:51 what's going on behind the scenes. 05:54 This Judas said, "Not that He cared for the poor 05:59 but because He was a thief, and He had the money box, 06:03 and He used to take what was put in it." 06:08 Now this story demonstrates that man looks on 06:11 the outward appearance but God looks in the heart. 06:14 It's not just the deed 06:17 it's what's happening at the heart. 06:20 Matter of fact in another gospel 06:22 regarding the same story, Gospel of Luke, 06:26 Jesus talks to the host who is Simon. 06:28 It was Simon the leopard who has been the host 06:30 for this party and he's thinking within himself 06:32 as Mary is anointing the feet of Jesus. 06:35 Well, the Jesus was really a prophet 06:36 surely He'd know who and what man or woman this is 06:39 that's touching him for she is a sinner. 06:41 She's got a bad reputation. 06:43 Everyone in town knows about Mary. 06:44 You know, why Mary do something 06:46 like that especially in public 06:49 and to touch you like that she is a sinner. 06:52 And Jesus knowing the thoughts of Simon 06:55 he retarded with a story. 06:57 He said, Simon, "I've got something to say to you." 06:59 He said, say on, Master. 07:00 He said, there was a certain debtor, 07:03 there was a certain man and he had two debtors. 07:05 One owed 500 pence, one owed 50 07:07 but they could not pay so He freely forgive them both. 07:11 Which of the two do you think will love Him more? 07:13 And Simon said, well probably the one 07:15 who was forgiven more. 07:17 And He said, you vitally judged. 07:19 I came into your house you did not kiss Me. 07:21 This woman is not ceased kissing My feet. 07:23 You did not washed My feet 07:24 she is washing My feet with her tears. 07:27 And I say unto you her sins 07:29 though they are many are forgiven for 07:31 she loved much. 07:33 "For he who was forgiven little loves a little." 07:36 Saying, he was forgiven much loves much. 07:40 Mary was doing what she did with motive? 07:45 Love, because she'd been forgiven so much. 07:50 Judas had this high position. 07:53 Matter of fact, he was campaigned 07:55 behind the scenes where he could be CEO, 07:57 no, no, CFO of the new kingdom 08:03 highly respected by the other disciples. 08:06 Tradition says, he was a scribe. 08:08 Everyone else looked at him. 08:09 Nobody expected that Judas would be the one 08:12 that will betray Jesus. 08:13 Outwardly doing generous religious things 08:17 with inwardly totally selfish. 08:20 He was thinking about his position in the kingdom. 08:23 Mary was willing to worship an annoying Christ 08:26 at His feet for love. 08:30 Judas wanted the high position. It's interesting this-- 08:32 a record of two people kissing Jesus, two people. 08:37 Mary kissed His feet and served Him and gave. 08:41 Judas kissed His face and then betrayed Him. 08:45 Now I'm sure that his mom kissed Him 08:47 but it's not recorded. 08:48 I'm just saying there's two records. 08:52 And I think in Christianity there's a lot of people 08:54 that are going through the motions of being a Christian 08:57 but the motive isn't right. 09:01 If there's anything that we get right, 09:03 you've got to get this right for us. 09:06 This message is so important because it's so basic. 09:10 It needs, it saying that we need to have 09:13 a change of heart and to be doing 09:15 the right things for the right reason. 09:18 We need to be serving God because we love Him. 09:21 There are so many people that are going through 09:23 their Christian experience and their motives are not right. 09:29 Mary did not seek any attention, 09:32 she did not seek any praise. 09:33 Matter of fact, she was trying to find 09:34 a way to do it without attracting attention. 09:38 Willing to serve because she loved. 09:42 Christ regarded, this is J.B. Phillips wrote this 09:44 who wrote that great book on prayer. 09:46 "Christ regarded the self-loving, 09:48 self-regarding, self-seeking sprit 09:50 as the direct antithesis of real living." 09:54 His two fundamental rules for life were 09:57 that "love-energy." 09:58 Instead of being turned in upon itself 10:01 should first go out to God then to other people." 10:05 The equation of priorities, 10:08 love the Lord with all your heart, 10:09 love your neighbor as yourself is the foundation. 10:13 First loving God, then loving others, 10:17 then loving yourself. 10:18 And God does not say that you shouldn't think 10:20 about yourself, your needs. 10:22 I'm not here to try and make you feel guilty about that. 10:25 But what is your motive for life? 10:27 Is it what's in it for me? 10:30 A selfish heart loves for what it can get. 10:33 A Christ like heart loves for what it can give. 10:37 We all want the heart of Christ. 10:39 Isn't that right? 10:40 Now there are different kinds of Christians of people 10:43 who at least claim to be Christians 10:46 some are selfish Christians. 10:49 You know, really that is an oxymoron 10:51 because a genuine Christian is a follower of Christ 10:53 and Christ is love. 10:55 So real Christian should be driven by love. 10:58 A selfish Christian is an oxymoron. 11:01 Luke 22:24. 11:04 What were the disciples arguing about 11:07 just before Jesus went to the cross 11:09 to show His love for them? 11:11 They were arguing about 11:12 which of them was the greatest? 11:14 Now it's pretty scary when you think 11:17 that the cream of the crop that Jesus is picked 11:19 to be the leaders of this new religion 11:22 still don't have the basics right. 11:25 It's scary and it's encouraging. 11:27 It's scary because it tells us how easy it is to be deceived. 11:32 Jesus had sent the disciples out teaching and preaching 11:35 and healing and doing all of these religious things 11:38 and still they were doing for the wrong reasons. 11:41 I mean, I'm sure they love Jesus 11:43 but it seem like the priority and they're following Him 11:46 was what will my position be? 11:49 Which of us is the greatest? 11:51 And, you know, it's scary 'cause that still happens 11:55 in the church more than we hate to admit. 11:58 More than we like to admit. 12:01 It's encouraging because if the Lord could 12:04 change their hearts so quickly He can change ours. 12:08 He took them for men that were still very selfish 12:10 at the core and He changed them. 12:14 I think most of the men their hearts were broken 12:15 when He wash their feet of the last supper. 12:18 Judas was the one who still did not submit to that 12:21 and allowed his heart to be changed. 12:25 To illustrate this I heard about a mother 12:26 that was preparing pancakes for two young sons 12:29 one was three, one was five, 12:31 I don't know one was five and one was seven. 12:33 They were two young boys 12:35 and they both were clamoring for the first pancake. 12:38 And she thought well this was a good opportunity 12:39 to teach them moral lesson. 12:41 And she said, now boys, if Jesus were here, 12:45 He would want to give the first pancake to his brother. 12:48 And then the boys began to argue 12:50 about who had to be Jesus. 12:56 And that we all like the idea of Christians 12:59 loving and sharing but we all want to be 13:01 at the receiving side of that equation. 13:05 I heard someone say one time 13:07 we were discussing some arrangement 13:12 and he said, "WIIFM." I said what? 13:15 He said, "WIIFM." 13:16 So what's that supposed to mean? 13:18 Well, that's the principle of what is in it for me. 13:24 He says, that is the operating principle of most mergers 13:26 and discussions and contracts, it's the WIIFM principle. 13:30 Everybody is coming to the table with the WIIFM attitude. 13:34 What is in it for me? 13:37 And we naturally think that way 13:41 because we are naturally selfish creatures. 13:46 There are some rare individuals who had loving parents 13:48 had exuded loving some of it 13:50 penetrated the hearts of their children 13:52 and they learned how to think lovingly. 13:56 Those are very rare individuals. 13:59 Most of us learned how to pretend to love. 14:03 Most of us learned about courtesy 14:06 and politeness and acceptable behavior. 14:09 But even while we're doing it we still are thinking WIIFM. 14:15 We often are doing it because it's expected 14:19 that we do it and in the end that will be better for me 14:23 and so selfishness is still of the core of our motives. 14:26 This is something that needs to change. 14:29 I heard about the llinois Secretary of State 14:33 when they started doing personalize license plates 14:36 they had to have a plate that said number 1 on it. 14:41 And so the Secretary of State said, 14:42 "It was a real problem about who to assign this plate to 14:46 because I was about to make a thousand people feel hurt." 14:49 So he now he solved that. He assigned it to himself. 14:54 Under the pretends of not winning to hurt 14:56 everyone else in the state 14:57 he gave himself the license plate 14:59 he said, "numero uno." 15:06 Look out for number one. 15:08 John Powell said, "I doubt there has ever been 15:10 one recorded case of deep and lasting fulfillment 15:13 reported by a person whose basic mindset was only 15:16 'what am I getting out of all this?'" 15:18 Jesus said, "If you seek the savior life you lose it. 15:21 You never find satisfaction and saying, 15:24 what's in it for me?" 15:26 That's of course the abbreviation 15:27 of "what is in it for me or WIIFM." 15:31 Someone else said-- men are generally not against you 15:35 they're merely for themselves. 15:37 It appears they're against you 15:38 but they're really for themselves. 15:42 Someone else said, people who were self centered 15:44 live in a very unpleasant environment. 15:49 Admit it we're all infected. 15:54 If someone gives you a group photo 15:56 and you are in the group 15:57 who do you first look for when you get the picture? 16:01 I wonder how I look in this picture. 16:05 And I've noticed at Amazing Facts 16:09 we take group photos with after we take 16:11 office group photos periodically 16:12 and I'm just as vein as the rest of you 16:15 and I'll see the picture and sometimes, 16:18 you know, they take several pictures 16:19 and we're done with the-- 16:20 it's so hard to get everybody together, 16:22 you know, get them all together 16:23 get them all looking the right way to take the picture. 16:26 And sometimes there will be one person in the picture 16:29 and they're just their eyes are closed or something is wrong 16:31 and I'll say, well, you know, 16:32 the other 60 people look okay, we could use that picture. 16:36 But if my eyes, if I blinked 16:38 we're taken that picture over again. 16:41 You know, I've done that I've ever done that 16:43 but that's kind of how we think. 16:45 I heard about this politician people 16:47 who always sending him books that they wanted him to read 16:51 and evaluate and he had a game 16:53 that he would play as he'd send the book 16:56 to someone else and he'd say, 16:58 "Let me know that you think about this book 17:00 and I hope you don't mind the reference to yourself 17:03 that you're going to find in it." 17:07 They would read the entire book 17:08 to find where that reference was 17:09 and that he'd ask them what they thought about the book. 17:11 And he said, well, how was the book? 17:12 Well, the book was okay, 17:13 or is good, or is bad he said. 17:15 But where was that reference myself. 17:16 Well, maybe that wasn't the book. 17:19 But he would get them to read an entire book 17:21 by just saying that there was a reference in there 17:23 and we hope you don't mind that you're portrayed. 17:27 Because people are so naturally selfish. 17:31 A man will generally listen for hours 17:34 if they are the topic of your discussion. 17:39 Selfish Christians. 17:41 Sometimes we can pray even selfish prayers. 17:45 Luke 18:11. 17:48 Jesus said, "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 17:52 God, I thank you that I am not as other people, 17:56 extortioners, unjust, adulterers, 17:58 or even as this publican. 17:59 I fast twice a week, 18:01 I pay to all tithes of all that I possess." 18:04 Who is the center of that prayer? "I." 18:10 You know, I was amazed a few years ago 18:11 there was a book that came on it 18:12 was a blockbuster success among Christians. 18:15 And I'm not critic in the book. I'm acquainted with it. 18:18 It was called the Prayer of Jabez. 18:20 And the whole book is based upon a scripture 18:22 and I loved the scripture. 18:23 But I think it was interesting, if you read the prayer of Jabez, 18:26 let me read it to you. 1 Chronicles 4:10. 18:29 "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, 18:31 Oh that You would bless me indeed, 18:35 and enlarge my territory, 18:37 that You would be with me, that You would keep me." 18:42 Now this is a scripture 18:43 and it's a good scripture and it's a prayer. 18:45 God never makes any comment on the prayer of Jabez, 18:47 He just records it. 18:50 And a book written on prayer that says, me, me, me 18:53 was a blockbuster among Christians. 18:57 Do you know the word "Me" 18:58 does not appear in the Lord's Prayer. 19:01 Neither does the word "I." It's our. 19:06 Forgive us our. It's about us together. 19:12 Jesus when He prayed He said, 19:13 not my will but thy will be done. 19:18 James 4:3, "You ask and you do not receive 19:23 because you ask amiss, 19:25 that you may consume it upon your pleasures." 19:30 Some see God as a big cow on the sky 19:33 that is gonna give them their milk and their cheese. 19:36 And if He should stop supplying, what they need 19:40 they'll be willing to slaughtering Him for beef. 19:43 The reason they're interested in God 19:44 is because of what they might get. 19:49 Most prayers sound like, 19:50 Our Father which art in heaven give me, give me, give me. 19:55 What's in it for me? 19:58 Jesus said in Matthew 15:8, 20:00 "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, 20:02 and honor Me with their lips 20:04 but their heart is far from Me." 20:08 How long would our prayers be 20:09 if we're only allowed to pray for others? 20:13 Some of our prayers are pretty short 20:14 even though we do pray for ourselves. 20:16 But really if your prayer could only be 20:18 what would I pray for that God would want? 20:23 They will pray for his kingdom, 20:24 pray for his people, pray for others. 20:26 How long would our prayers be 20:27 if we could only pray for our enemies? 20:30 But only a loving heart can do that. 20:33 It's only about the grace of God that can happen. 20:36 Teddy Roosevelt one of my heroes 20:37 but I remember his daughter, 20:39 his oldest daughter commented one time. 20:41 He wasn't a very humble or timid person. 20:46 She said, her father always wanted to be 20:48 the bride at every wedding and the corps at every funeral. 20:52 It was all about him. 20:55 And some of us never outgrow that idea that a baby has 20:58 of the universal revolves around them. 21:03 Selfish prayers. 21:06 Sometimes our giving can be selfish 21:09 or ostensibly giving out of love but that's basic. 21:13 Some people give because they want to know, 21:15 what will I get? 21:16 I know how it works 21:19 when I do the message on tithe for instance. 21:23 Sometimes the only way I can encourage people 21:25 to pay a faithful tithe 21:26 is by accentuating the promise there in Malachi 8, 21:29 this is "God will open for you the windows of heaven 21:32 and pour out a blessing 21:33 that will not be room enough to receive it." 21:34 And then I began to go through a litany of stories 21:37 of people who experience miraculous blessings 21:39 that came to them because they give their tithe. 21:41 And so in the end why are they paying their tithe? 21:45 They are afraid of the curse. 21:48 It says, your curse with the curse 'cause you don't pay 21:50 and they want the windows of heaven open. 21:55 And I think there's whole lot of people 21:56 that they do paid faithful tithe 21:58 but in their animal sold they're thinking 22:00 I want the windows of heaven open 22:02 and I don't want the curse and my resources. 22:03 Who they're thinking about? 22:06 I mean that's not all bad 22:07 and your God knows we're selfish. 22:10 And sometimes He teaches us 22:11 by coming at us from where we're at. 22:14 I mean even parents when they're teaching their children, 22:16 you know, how often we operate 22:18 on a reward of punishment basis. 22:20 And it appeals that they're normally selfish nature. 22:23 You get this if you do this. 22:25 This benefit if you do this, 22:27 you get this punishment if you disobey. 22:29 And we're appealing to what part of them? 22:31 What's in it for me? 22:33 Do I get praise and pleasure or do I get punishment? 22:39 We should grow out of that as Christians. 22:41 It's not about what's in it for me. 22:43 Its what will this mean for God. 22:45 What will this mean for others? 22:47 And it is so hard, I don't know about you 22:49 but I'm having hard time. I am naturally selfish. 22:54 And it's just it's a core that you grow up with 22:58 and sometimes our parents 22:59 help model that for their children 23:01 and we wonder why are they so selfish? 23:03 Well, they learned from us. 23:09 Takes a miracle of grace for our hearts 23:11 to be changed into model that love for them. 23:15 Selfish giving. 23:18 I don't know if you say it, I was amazed. 23:21 Its probably happened for years but it finally sunk in. 23:27 Was it Thursday night after Thanksgiving 23:29 they had on the news 23:31 that people were camping out at malls 23:36 and stores around the country 23:39 and it was cold out there. 23:41 And they were lined up. Tell me if you saw that. 23:46 Because I guess there were special sales on the day 23:48 what was that yesterday, on the day after Christmas. 23:52 And some people got their, you know, on Thanksgiving yeah, 23:55 in preparation for Christmas. 23:59 And some people brought tents and their coolers 24:03 and they showed up at 5 o'clock on Thanksgiving Day 24:08 'cause they're gonna get a sale 24:09 and as they went down the line 24:10 they're interviewing these people, 24:12 they're saying well, you know, they're having the special deal 24:14 and there was $200 off on this computer 24:16 and so they're staying up all night along 24:18 freezing for the stores to open. 24:20 Sometimes 4 or 5 in the morning. 24:22 And all these people crowded 24:23 and they pulled and tug on each other and--Wow. 24:30 So they can give gifts. 24:35 Can I make your confession? 24:40 No, I didn't go. No, I didn't go shopping. 24:43 I didn't even go to Walmart. 24:45 I didn't go anywhere. No, I take that back. 24:48 I went to Trader Joe's, I went to Trader Joe's 24:52 and bought cookies for me. 24:56 Then why don't you think of anybody? 25:00 But I was gonna make you confession. 25:06 You know, what? You often think about Christmas. 25:09 Who do I have to buy present for? 25:11 At least that's what I think. 25:12 Any man be willing to admit that what's on my list? 25:15 I got to buy computer, I got for it 25:16 who they got to buy for it. 25:17 What time I mean I have no idea what they want. 25:19 And all they bought a present for us last week 25:20 and so we got to buy a present for them. 25:23 And, you know, really for many people 25:26 it sort of becomes it's a burden and some folks, 25:29 you know, we survive okay but some folks go into debt 25:33 because of these obligations that the holiday dictates. 25:40 And here's really what I wanted to get at. 25:42 We have nothing left to give to God 25:45 because we're trying to keep up 25:46 with the expectations of the culture 25:48 and the family and, and if you boil it down 25:53 at the Bair Foundation of so much of this giving 25:56 you would find that we are at the center of it 26:00 where God should really be at the center of it and others. 26:02 It's good to give gifts. 26:04 How many like receiving gifts? Sure. 26:08 Salvation is a gift you need to receive it. 26:11 It's good to get gifts. We like getting gifts. 26:14 It's good to give gifts, 26:15 it's good to love and to think about others. 26:17 It should be done for-- what are we talking about? 26:19 The right reason. 26:25 Oswald Chambers said, "Much of philanthropy 26:28 is simply the impulse to save ourselves 26:30 an uncomfortable feeling." 26:33 A lot of people give not because they love 26:35 but they feel guilty, I've got so much 26:36 so better give something. 26:40 "Many people do not cast their 26:42 bread upon the water until its stale." 26:46 I like that one. 26:48 And who was it Mother Teresa that said, 26:51 "He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends." 26:56 Someone else maybe this was Mother Teresa, 26:59 "If you give something that you cannot live without 27:01 it's not a sacrifice." 27:04 So much of our giving is tainted by WIIFM. 27:09 What's in it for me? 27:10 Is this an expectation we got to open the windows of heaven, 27:12 well, I receive a curse. 27:14 And the reason to do it is 27:15 'cause you love the Lord and to be faithful. 27:20 Heard about a Scotsman 27:21 who wrote the editor of a magazine, 27:24 he said, "You better stop saying terrible things 27:27 and printing your jokes about Scots. 27:29 I'm gonna stop borrowing your magazine." 27:36 Henry David Thoreau said, "I would rather sit on a pumpkin 27:39 and have it all to myself, 27:40 than be on a crowded velvet cushion." 27:44 We're naturally selfish in grasping. 27:48 Rather sit on a pumpkin by myself 27:49 and say it's my pumpkin 27:52 then to sit on a crowded velvet cushion. 27:55 That kind it resonates with me for some reason. 28:00 It's possible to serve for selfish reasons. 28:05 Most people live according to the cafeteria plan 28:08 which is self service with the A.M, P.M plan. 28:13 Matthew 19:27, Peter answered and said to Jesus, 28:18 "see Lord we've left everything to follow you. 28:21 What will we get?" 28:24 And you know did the Lord answer him? 28:26 Yeah, sure God tells us that there's heaven 28:28 and there's blessings and we want to know WIIFM. 28:32 What's in it for me? 28:33 Even Peter asked that, the Apostles ask that. 28:37 And Jesus said look, anyone who is left anything. 28:39 Father and mother, houses, lands 28:43 for my sake and the gospel 28:44 he'll receive the 100 full more in the life 28:46 and eternal life in the life to come. 28:48 God tells us there are rewards, 28:49 there are prison benefits. 28:51 But for the mature Christian, 28:54 you know that you're getting 28:55 where you're supposed to be as a Christian 28:56 when it's not just what you're doing it 28:58 it's why you're doing it. 29:00 Are you doing it for the right reason? 29:02 Are you motivated by love for God? 29:05 Love for your fellow man. 29:08 Someone said, "He is the greatest slave 29:11 who serves nothing but himself." 29:16 Jesus said, "The loving motive 29:18 and who compels you to go one mile 29:21 if you want to really develop your loved muscles 29:23 don't do what you're forced to do, go the extra mile." 29:27 Say I know I'm required to serve this much 29:30 but I'm gonna go beyond that. 29:32 One of the ways you can identify a Christian 29:34 is they're going the extra mile. 29:37 I think Christian employees 29:38 should be the best employees in the world. 29:41 Now they're not only putting in 29:42 faithful time while they're there. 29:44 They are the ones who wanted always 29:45 putting in for the overtime. They're going the second mile. 29:50 I heard one time about a man who called a doctor years ago 29:53 when they made house calls 29:54 and I guess some doctors they makes house calls. 29:58 And it was cold raining night and the man said, 30:02 my wife is not doing very well, doctor, can you come over? 30:05 And the doctor said, "I'll be happy to come, 30:07 he says, but my car was broken down can you pick me up?" 30:10 And the man at the other end of the line said, 30:11 are you crazy it's miserable out. 30:15 He had no problem when the doctor driving 30:16 through that weather but he didn't want to come 30:18 and get him in that weather. 30:20 We want Christian service but we want at the receiving 30:24 end of that Christian service. 30:28 Oh, confess. 30:30 See I'm really talking to myself. 30:31 I want to talk to you about this 'cause, you know, 30:33 it's easy to go through the motions of being a pastor 30:35 and being a Christian but I know too much now. 30:38 And I know God has not just interested in the actions, 30:42 He's interested in the attitude. 30:44 I mean this was the core teaching of Jesus. 30:47 He said to the religious leaders, religious leaders, 30:49 you pray to be seeing of man, you fast to be seeing of man, 30:52 you give to be seeing of man. 30:53 And he said, it's the only 30:55 reward you get is the publicity. 30:57 He said, you've got to be doing it 30:59 from the heart for the right reason. 31:01 So I become very sensitive to this 31:04 and I have a feeling I'm not alone 31:06 so I'm sharing this with you. 31:07 I used to pick up hitchhikers. 31:10 And the reason I pick up hitchhikers 31:12 do sometimes the reason I'd pick him up 31:13 is because it's a great context 31:15 to witness to them to preach the gospel. 31:17 You've got to captive audience 31:19 especially if you got the automatic door lock. 31:23 They get in and I would calculate 31:25 how far they were going and how I would 31:28 paste my gospel presentation by how much time I had. 31:33 And I've actually picked up some in Arizona 31:35 talked to him to California and they were not only 31:37 accepting Christ, they were joining the Church 31:38 by the time we got there. 31:40 I've gone through 27 fundamentals 31:42 with them in one trip. 31:45 But, you know, I'm ashamed to tell you 31:48 sometimes I would be making a short trip 31:51 and I'd see a hitchhiker and I'd think to myself, 31:54 no sins picking him up I'm only going 5 miles 31:57 I won't have time to convert them. 31:59 And the Lord spoke to me said, 32:01 that did it ever occurred to you 32:03 that you might pick them up and give them a ride 32:06 'cause they need a ride and you won't get 32:09 a notch in your Bible for another soul 32:12 but at least you can give him a ride. 32:13 And I thought why? Something is wrong with me. 32:15 I only think is we're picking them up 32:17 if I can convert them. 32:19 What about serving them? Help them out. 32:22 Nothing in it for you. 32:24 You won't be able to brag in your church next week 32:26 about another soul you brought to Christ, 32:28 just help him out of will. 32:31 There's a novel idea. Selfish service. 32:38 Sometimes our words betray to selfishness in the heart. 32:43 You've heard Jesus say in Matthew Chapter 12, 32:46 "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." 32:50 And if you talk to someone long enough 32:51 you can find out what's in their heart. 32:55 So often we are in conversation with the person 32:59 and we're waiting that for them to stop talking 33:02 so about themselves so we can start talking about ourselves. 33:06 And I've discovered many times 33:07 especially with the group of men 33:09 and then they're telling some outrageous story 33:11 immediately before saying him into their story 33:14 I'm thinking about topping their story with my story. 33:18 And I've got, I got a bigger story 33:19 you want to hear this one? 33:20 You know what happened to you 33:21 and this all what happened to me. 33:25 A bore is a person who spends so much time 33:27 talking about himself that you can't talk about yourself. 33:32 Remember the story about the novelist 33:35 who cornered a friend he ran into on the street 33:36 and after two hours, the novelist said 33:39 look we've talked about me too much, 33:42 let's about talk you. 33:43 What do you think of my last book? 33:49 Talk to a man about himself 33:51 he'll listen for hours does really said. 33:55 Even folks with bad manners know how to be polite 33:58 to those who can do something for them. 34:03 A little boy and a sister were 34:05 riding together on this wooden horse. 34:10 And a little boy said, "One of us should get off 34:14 so I can ride alone." 34:18 Typical of the human nature. 34:21 You know, at the core what I'm sharing with you right now is, 34:26 this is the cancer in the church, selfishness. 34:32 Am I right? 34:33 You name a sin, name a commandment you can break 34:36 I can put this handle on it. 34:38 The handle of selfishness and conversely it is true 34:43 that when you love, Paul says, 34:45 love is the fulfilling of the law. 34:48 If you love your neighbor you don't lie to him, 34:51 you don't steal from him, you don't kill him, 34:53 you don't take his spouse. 34:56 If you love God, you're not gonna worship other Gods, 35:00 you're not gonna insult Him with idolatry 35:02 or abuse His name, you'll cherish your time with God. 35:07 You go through the commandments and love 35:09 is the fulfilling of the law and selfishness 35:12 if you don't have love you 35:13 will be breaking every other commandment. 35:16 Another words, no matter how hard you try 35:22 you might go through the motions of 35:24 obeying God's Commandments but if you don't have 35:26 loving your heart you never can really do it right. 35:30 You can come to church 35:31 and you can spend your time with God 35:32 but it your hurt you're saying I'm putting in my time 35:34 'cause I know this was required to me 35:35 I can't wait for the sun to go down 35:37 and Sabbath to be over. 35:39 Why are you doing it? From love or self interest? 35:43 Self preservation. 35:46 I would steal that item from the store 35:50 but I might get caught and what would that do to me, 35:54 who are you thinking about? 35:57 You're not thinking about not stealing 35:58 because stealing is wrong and it would dishonor God 36:00 and it will hurt your neighbor. 36:02 You're thinking about what would happen to me? 36:03 You can go through the commandments 36:04 and is not really not possible 36:06 to keep any of the commandments right unless you love. 36:10 But having said that you've got to insert 36:12 a disclaimer here please don't miss this, 36:14 it is always still better to do the right thing 36:18 even if you're doing it for the wrong reasons. 36:21 Did you hear that? 36:23 If you're saying, well, look I'm not doing it 36:25 for the right reasons I may as well through 36:26 my hands in the air and quit, wrong. 36:29 It is always better to do the right thing 36:31 and you're ought to be doing the right thing 36:33 even if it's for the wrong motive 36:35 until you can get the motive right. 36:39 You might be going in the right direction 36:40 for the wrong reason 36:41 but keep going in the right direction 36:43 and then try and get your reasons right. 36:45 See what I'm saying? 36:47 Some people say, well, my motive is not right, 36:48 you know, and these will go steal, 36:50 commit adultery, killing and because my heart 36:52 isn't right I need some break so I'm coming to church. 36:55 No, no, no, that's exactly what the devil wants you to think. 36:57 God isn't telling you there's a motive problem 37:00 to get you to give up. 37:01 He wants you to keep doing the right thing 37:03 and going in the right direction 37:04 and by the way there are always 37:05 benefits and blessings for you in obeying 37:08 even if your heart is selfish. 37:10 You'll always be better off obeying. 37:12 The promises that God makes for tithes paying, 37:15 He promises to remove the curse 37:17 to open the windows of heaven. 37:18 You still get that even if you're 37:19 doing it for the wrong reason. 37:21 But you want to learn to do it for the right reason 37:24 that's what this message is really all about. 37:28 There are two primary players they're at the core, 37:32 it's Christ and Satan. 37:34 His love and selfishness. 37:36 And in our hearts they're either 37:38 ruled by one or the other. 37:42 And I'm just encouraging you to get it right in the heart. 37:48 Do it from love. 37:50 You know, someone did a study 37:52 and they discovered selfishness destroys nations. 38:00 Over the history of nations the rise and their fall 38:03 there was a cycle that happens. 38:06 It usually takes about 200 years in this cycle. 38:10 Here's how it works. 38:12 They often start from slavery 38:14 and in slavery they develop spiritual faith. 38:17 This happened to Israel. 38:19 From spiritual faith they develop courage, 38:22 from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, 38:27 from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to apathy, 38:35 from apathy to dependence, 38:38 from dependence back to slavery. 38:44 Americans used to say give me a liberty or death. 38:50 And they said, give me liberty. 38:53 And then it was just give me. 38:56 And then give me benefits. 39:03 This is what is I think at the core 39:05 what's destroying not only the country but the church. 39:11 You know most churches 39:12 begin with great sacrifice and struggle 39:15 and then as they become more prosperous 39:17 and apathy can set it. 39:19 And they study churches and they often go through 39:21 about 4, 5 generations until they 39:23 lose the reason why they exist. 39:26 Lot of the mainline churches are just struggling right now 39:28 and they're trying to pump some new life into the church 39:30 by developing new worship services and things 39:32 when they've lost the idea of love and selflessness 39:37 being the core tenant of their faith. 39:40 Everything else is trappings. 39:43 If we don't have the new hearts 39:45 then we're just we're going through the motions. 39:48 So how do we develop right motives? 39:52 I don't want just focus on the selfishness I think 39:55 we're all convicted enough, amen. 39:57 Amen. Look not Philippians 2:4. 40:01 "Look not every man on his own things, 40:04 but every man also on the things of others." 40:08 Developing right motives involves a choice. 40:11 1 Corinthians 10, "Let no one seek his own, 40:15 but each man the others well being." 40:18 See selfishness is an animal 40:21 that we all have inside that can be starved. 40:24 And you may not feel like it but you've got to starve him. 40:29 You starve it all the way you get light out of a room 40:33 is by introducing darkness. 40:35 The way you get selfishness out of the heart 40:37 is by choosing love. 40:43 Some people use a religion like a bus. 40:45 They're riding only when it's going their way. 40:49 There's prosperity preaching that's become very popular. 40:52 Some churches are trying to grow 40:53 and pump life into their churches by saying, 40:55 if you've got enough faith, 40:57 you're gonna be wealthy and healthy and wise 41:00 and you'll get everything you want 41:01 and God wants to bless you and make you rich. 41:03 And, you know, what that tells me? 41:05 Who was the religion about? It's all about me. 41:09 And some pastors have just absolutely 41:12 rocket into fame and popularity 41:14 because they print book after book 41:16 and sermon after sermon 41:17 dealing about what's God gonna do for you? 41:19 What's in it for you? Here's what you can get. 41:22 And we're in such a selfishly programmed 41:25 society so that's appealing. 41:29 But the real marketing of Jesus 41:31 let everyman deny himself take up His cross follow me, 41:34 live for others, live for God, it's hard to mark it that. 41:40 You're probably never gonna see 41:41 a best seller on how you can just live for God 41:44 and live for love as supposed for living for yourself. 41:48 Developing right motives. 41:51 Ezekiel 18:31, "Cast away from you 41:55 all the transgressions, which you have committed 41:57 and get yourself a new heart and a new spirit." 42:02 Now the heart is the being of who we are. 42:04 The spirit is why are you doing? 42:06 What spirit is motivating you? 42:08 Why does God tell us get yourself 42:10 a new heart in a new spirit? 42:12 What do we get it? I've got to keep reading. 42:16 Ezekiel 36:26, "I will give you a new heart 42:21 and put a new spirit." 42:23 Where do we get it? The Lord gives us a new heart. 42:27 He gives us new motives. 42:30 "I'll give you a new heart and a new spirit within you. 42:32 I will take the heart a stone out of your flesh 42:34 and give you a heart of flesh. 42:36 I will put My spirit within you, and cause you," 42:40 here's is a motive, "to walk in My statutes, 42:43 and you keep My judgments, and do them. 42:47 Then you will dwell in the land that I gave your fathers 42:49 and you will be My people, and I will be your God." 42:53 You know one of the things the Lord 42:55 there's a downside to the blessings of the Lord. 43:00 When God saved the children of Israel from Egypt 43:03 and He brought them into the Promised Land 43:06 He warned them through Moses. 43:08 He said, now be aware says, I'm gonna bless you. 43:11 When you obey me, that's good and I'll bless you. 43:15 But you've got to stay on that plateau recognizing 43:19 that you're doing it for the reasons of love for me. 43:21 Because what happens when I bless you, 43:23 you could start thinking about it's all about you. 43:26 And he says, you're gonna move in the houses 43:28 that the Canaanites built and live in their houses 43:30 and you'll be eating from the trees that they planted 43:31 and you'll be drinking from the wells that they dug, 43:34 and he said be aware. 43:36 Moses warned them, he said, 43:37 be aware because when you are abundant 43:40 and when you are fat and when you are happy 43:43 that you don't forget about me 43:44 and he start thinking it's about you. 43:47 And, you know, prosperity destroys us 43:52 many people as want. 43:55 I think prosperity destroys more Christians than want. 44:00 Last week we talked about thankfulness, 44:03 this week please receive as a general warning 44:05 as we move into the holiday season. 44:08 The right reasons to do what we're doing 44:11 it must be motivated by love. 44:14 How we do develop the right motives? 44:16 Here's the key. 44:17 1 John 4:19, "We love Him," why? 44:23 "Because He first loved us." 44:27 How do you know He first loved you? 44:29 Well, you've got to behold that love. 44:31 Why did Mary love Jesus? 44:35 Well, you got to read the book but I think 44:37 that Mary was that woman caught in adultery that Jesus forgave 44:42 and that when she say the love of the Lord, 44:44 and she experience that forgiveness 44:46 it just broke her heart that's why you always sit-- 44:49 see her sitting at Jesus feet. 44:51 Just an adoration and listening and love 44:53 because He loved her so much. 44:56 He said basically I'm gonna take your place 44:57 I'm gonna dye in your behalf. 44:59 Why do you think she anointed Him 45:00 for his burial while He was still alive? 45:02 She knew that the only way He could say 45:05 I do not condemn you, you're free to go 45:07 and since the lost of the penalty was dead 45:09 He was gonna take Her penalty. 45:10 He was the Lamb of God and she anointed Him. 45:16 By the way that's what the word Christ means. 45:21 So she saw His love and it broke her heart 45:24 and it produced love within her heart. 45:27 By beholding we become changed, 45:30 by beholding the love of the Lord. 45:32 So how do we get this new heart? 45:35 Jeremiah 31:3. 45:38 "The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying, 45:41 I have loved you with an everlasting love, 45:44 therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you." 45:47 What is it that changes our heart 45:48 as we behold the loving kindness of the Lord? 45:51 There's something in our primal natures 45:54 that God created us with. 45:56 The original plan that Adam have 45:58 that were drawn to that something inside 46:00 God spirit in it reciprocates in it. 46:02 It says, this is really what's missing. 46:05 I've got self on the throne, 46:07 I'm never gonna be satisfied until Gods on the throne. 46:10 And when we see the love of God 46:12 there's something that resonates 46:14 deep within him we say, 46:15 that's the only thing it's ever gonna satisfy. 46:17 As long as you've got yourself on the throne 46:19 you've never gonna be happy. 46:22 John 15:13, "Greater love has no man than this, 46:27 that he would lay down his life for his friends." 46:32 When we see the love of Jesus that He would lay down 46:34 His life for us that we might live. 46:38 Some of you remember the story of Louis Slotin 46:40 who was there in 1946 he was part of the people 46:43 who were leftover who'd worked on the Manhattan Project 46:45 to develop the atomic bomb. 46:47 And they continued experiments 46:48 even after World War II was over. 46:51 And one of these experiments in Los Alamos, New Mexico 46:54 they were in a room of bunch of people over there 46:56 and they were experimenting with very potent plutonium 47:00 and you must not let these two pieces touch 47:02 and all Louis had was a screwdriver 47:06 separating these two pieces and it slipped. 47:08 And the two pieces of plutonium came together 47:11 and the power was so enormous, the radioactive power 47:14 that the room began to buzz and glow blue. 47:17 And he knew it would be fatal but he instead of reaching down 47:22 and picking up the screwdriver and trying to pull it apart. 47:24 He knew every second was vital for the others in the room. 47:27 He grabbed the plutonium with his own hands 47:28 and pulled it apart. 47:30 And he almost--since then he began to feel nauseous. 47:32 He said to his friends 47:33 when they were taking him to the hospital he said, 47:35 "I'm gonna die but you have a chance." 47:38 And he basically knew that he had to do this to save others. 47:44 Probably shouldn't have been using a screwdriver 47:46 that's another story. 47:49 But the idea of self-sacrifice it touches our hearts. 47:53 And when you see the cross 47:55 by beholding we become changed. 47:58 We look at His love for us. 48:01 And it breaks our hearts and it changes us. 48:04 1 John 3:1, "We're changed by behold. 48:10 Behold, what manner of love 48:12 the Father has bestowed on us, 48:14 that we should be called children of God." 48:16 As we behold His love it touches our hearts 48:20 and it does something within us. 48:22 You've heard me tell the story before about Henry Stanley, 48:25 he is an interesting in study in history all by himself. 48:31 He'd survived the civil war and then becoming 48:33 a reporter went to Africa was sort of given 48:35 the mandate of seeing of David Livingstone 48:37 was still alive looking all over continent for this man 48:40 finally he finds Livingstone out there 48:42 by Lake Victoria and supposedly added those lines, 48:46 Dr. Livingstone I presume because here he sees 48:49 his one white face in the sea of black faces 48:52 and they became very good friends. 48:54 Along the way Stanley tells how he started 48:57 with hundreds of books being carried by porters 48:59 and but along the several months 49:03 that he journeyed pretty soon he through out all the books 49:06 I think he had like a 180 pounds of books 49:07 and all he left with this was this Bible 49:09 which he had read through. 49:12 He was a cynic when he began the trip 49:14 but he knew Livingstone was a missionary. 49:16 And he was wondering and what motivated 49:18 him to do what he was doing. 49:19 Listen to what Stanley writes. 49:22 "I went to Africa as prejudiced 49:24 as the biggest atheist in London. 49:28 But there came a time for me a long time for reflection. 49:33 I saw this solitary old man there and asked myself, 49:36 'How on earth does he stop here. 49:39 Is he cracked or what? What is it that inspires him?' 49:44 For months after we met I found myself 49:46 wondering at the old man carrying out 49:49 all that was said in the Bible. 49:50 'Leave all things and follow Me.' 49:52 Little by little." How do we get the new heart? 49:55 There's necessarily happened on the road to Damascus. 50:00 "Little by little his sympathy for others 50:02 became contagious, my sympathy was aroused, 50:07 seeing his piety, his gentleness, 50:09 his zeal, his earnestness, 50:11 and how he went about his business, 50:13 I was converted by him, 50:15 although he did not tried to do it." 50:18 Through association by beholding, 50:20 by spending time with Livingstone, 50:21 Stanley was converted. 50:23 That same principle works with us 50:25 as we spend time with Jesus. 50:28 We behold Him, we look at Him, 50:30 and ultimately we have the right motives. 50:33 We're transformed into His image, 50:35 we're changed by beholding until pretty soon we love Him, 50:38 because He first loved us. 50:40 And then we can have that experience 50:42 that Paul talks about. 50:44 Galatians 2:19, "For I through the law 50:49 died to the law, that I might live to God. 50:52 I have been crucified with Christ, 50:55 it is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me," 51:00 he can't have both, 51:01 he can't have eye on the throne. 51:04 "And the life which I now live in the flesh 51:07 I live by faith in the Son of God, 51:09 who loved me, and gave Himself for me." 51:13 I pray that I can have the experience 51:15 John the Baptist had when they came to him 51:18 and they said, "Aren't you jealous, 51:19 Jesus ministry is growing and your ministry is shrinking." 51:23 And John, the Baptist said 51:25 "He must increase, I must decrease." 51:28 You know that something every one of us 51:30 could probably say that's the key to conversion. 51:34 Within our hearts, within our motives 51:36 he increases I decrease. 51:39 Its not gonna happen without the choice on your part 51:43 to cling to Jesus that you might observe Him. 51:48 Said Him before you if Christ has lifted up will be drawn. 51:51 By beholding Him we're transformed. 51:53 If you're not reading your Bible and beholding Him, 51:55 if you're not trying to hang out 51:57 with others who love Christ, 51:58 if you're not spending time and worship 51:59 and seeking Him, you won't have that new heart 52:03 and those right motives. 52:04 You can go through the actions of 52:05 pretending to be a Christian and doing it selfish motives. 52:09 But if you really want the heart changed, 52:11 you've got to get a hold of Jesus 52:13 and squeeze Him until He becomes one with you. 52:16 And there's no longer you that you live 52:18 but Christ is living his life out of you. 52:22 Christianity is contagious I wish we should start 52:24 an epidemic, wouldn't that be nice. 52:27 If that's your desire why don't we 52:29 sing our closing hymn, "Not I, but Christ." 52:31 It's 570 that pretty well 52:33 covers the theme of our message. 52:35 "Not I, but Christ." Let's stand 570. 53:00 Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted 53:08 Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard 53:16 Not I, but Christ, in every look and action 53:23 Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word 53:33 Before we sing verse 2, to begin with 53:37 I'd like to just make a general appeal 53:39 to at least before heaven get some acknowledgment 53:43 that we need help, we're selfish. 53:46 During the course of the message today, 53:48 if you recognize that possibly 53:50 you're trying to do some of the right things 53:52 but still it's for the wrong reasons. 53:55 Would you like to say Lord, help me sometimes I'm selfish. 53:58 I might pray, I might give, 54:00 I might serve and I'm wondering what's in it for me. 54:04 That's not all bad you've got to think those things. 54:06 I mean, you got to take care of your life 54:08 and be with yourself and cloth yourself and home yourself. 54:11 But Jesus said, "What should be the priority be?" 54:14 Seek first the Kingdom of God. 54:17 The love needs to start and love for Him. 54:21 Now there may also be some of you 54:23 and you're thinking Doug, 54:25 my heart is so full of selfishness. 54:27 And I need that new heart. 54:29 I'd like to ask a special prayer 54:31 then God will help me to experience a change. 54:34 New heart and new spirit, I can't do it without his help. 54:39 And you like to ask a special prayer, 54:40 we'll pray for you. 54:42 Come, as we sing verse 2. 54:52 Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow 55:00 Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear 55:08 Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden 55:16 Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear 55:26 Not I, but Christ, my every need supplying 55:34 Not I, but Christ, my strength and health to be 55:42 Christ, only Christ, 55:46 for body, soul, and spirit 55:51 Christ, only Christ, here and eternity 56:03 Dear Father in heaven, 56:06 Lord, we've talked this morning 56:08 about the core issue in the gospel. 56:11 It's the right motives. 56:14 And Lord we know that You can look upon our hearts 56:17 and in our fallen nature we are also naturally selfish. 56:23 There's a danger that we might even 56:25 have enough religion to deceive ourselves 56:27 because we're outwardly doing the right things 56:29 but inwardly doing them for the wrong reasons. 56:32 Lord, I pray that You will remove the scales 56:35 from our eyes and help us to see 56:37 our own hearts need for transformation. 56:41 Lord, we want to keep doing the right things, 56:44 but we want to do them for the right reasons. 56:48 Please destroy this monster of selfishness 56:50 that we all have inside. 56:52 We all have a-- our own personal devil 56:55 that just wants to exalt himself 56:58 and consider his own needs. 57:00 And I pray that Jesus will cast him out. 57:03 And that He will seat himself 57:05 on the throne of our hearts and our minds. 57:08 Help us, Lord, to take these principles 57:09 from this place annoying that it's only by beholding 57:13 there Your love by spending time with You 57:17 that we will absorb those characteristics 57:21 that they'll be superimposed on our souls. 57:25 Help us to lift up Jesus for others, 57:27 help them to see His love in our hearts 57:30 and ultimately we pray that we can do 57:33 the right things for the right reasons. 57:36 Love for You and love for our fellowman. 57:38 And it will be our prayer that You might increase 57:41 and that we will decrease. 57:43 Bless us to this saying Lord, 57:44 be with each persons coming forward 57:46 and bless them with their special needs. 57:48 And we pray that all have chosen Jesus 57:50 and to seek for His Kingdom 57:53 and we're praying His name, amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17