Good afternoon Witness.
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How're you all
doing this afternoon?
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Have you been
blessed thus for today?
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What a beautiful song. Amen.
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Do you want to
know Him more? Amen.
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So do I and that is
why I'm happy to be here
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with you today at Witness,
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looking forward to
getting into the Word together.
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You know, when I got
here to Queensland, they said,
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"Oh, you should have
come during the summer.
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It's so cold right now."
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And I was
thinking, Man, this is great.
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If this is winter,
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this is the kind of
place I'd want to live.
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I'm currently living
at Andrews University
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in Berrien Springs, Michigan,
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doing my Masters of
Divinity before returning to
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Pastoral Ministry in California.
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And the weather there is cold.
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In fact we just
had our coldest winter
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in 30 years of record.
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So after this winter
Nothing's gonna be too harsh.
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But praise the Lord
for the wonderful weather,
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for the transformative workshops
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that we've had so far.
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And, guys, it's just beginning.
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The Sabbath is nearly up on us.
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Before we dive into the
Word of God this morning,
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I'd like to ask you
to bow your heads with me
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for a word of prayer before
our message The Motive Motif.
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Let's pray.
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I love you, Lord
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And I lift my voice
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To worship You
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Oh, my soul rejoice
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Take joy, my King
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In what You hear
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Let it be a sweet
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Sweet sound in Your ear
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Father in heaven,
this is our prayer.
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We ask that this afternoon
You would speak to our hearts
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in a special way.
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We thank You for
leading each of us here.
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We know that none of us
are here by coincidence,
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but by Your providence.
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We thank You for
bringing us here.
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We ask that You would
push any distractions,
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anything out of our
minds that would prevent us
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from hearing Your word to us.
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Lord, we do not want to
hear a man this afternoon,
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we want to hear from on high.
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We want to hear from God.
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We thank You in
advance for speaking,
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for we have asked
that in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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There he stood,
frozen on his front porch.
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His hands wouldn't stop shaking.
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There on the
grounds was the club
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that had just
fallen from his hands.
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Next to the club
that was on the grounds,
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lay the breathless
body of a 26 year old man.
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Why had he hit this man
in the head, killing him?
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Why did this man lay
dead on this front porch?
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What was the story?
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Was he a thief caught
breaking into the house
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where the owner of the
house was defending his family,
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his wife and his
children from a crazed mad man,
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took his life in self-defense?
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Or was he a thief who got
caught breaking into a home
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and met the end of his life?
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As the sirens
grew louder and louder
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from the police
cars and the ambulance,
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soon the police would
be asking these questions.
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And as the police
arrived and investigated,
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the answer to the
question of the killer's motive
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would make all the
difference in the case.
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Friends, in our
human legal systems,
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when things are done right,
the motive of the individual
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who committed the crime
is taken into consideration.
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And when we take a look at God
and His dealings with mankind
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as we find in His holy
word, we see that God operates
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upon the same principle.
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God also says that motive
is of paramount importance.
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If motives are important to God,
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they should be important to us.
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Amen.
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This morning, we're
going to examine in our message
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The Motive Motif.
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We're going to see
that throughout scripture
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we find over and
over that people's motives
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made all of the difference.
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People's motives
made all of the difference
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when we find God's
dealing with them in the Bible.
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What does the word motif mean?
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A motif is defined as the
following, listen to this.
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A motif is a usually recurring
salient thematic element
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or a dominant
idea or central theme.
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The Merriam-Webster dictionary
defines a motif as such.
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So we see that a
motif is something
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that repeats
over and over again.
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Something that is laced
throughout a story or a song
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and in this case, the case
of our message this morning,
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the motif is found
throughout God's word.
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A record of
God's dealing with us
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and mankind throughout
the history of our race.
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This morning we're going to,
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to dive into the
word-- the Lord's Word,
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but before we do I
want to answer the question
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that might be in your
mind, what exactly is a motive?
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What's a motive?
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Well, a motive is
very simply defined
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as something that
actuates someone's principle.
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Something that
causes a person to act.
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And if you look at the
word motive in the dictionary
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you'll also find just after
it that the phrase or the word
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motive force is there.
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You may wonder,
what's a motive force?
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If you really want to
know what a motive is,
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the best way to
understand is to understand
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what a motive force is.
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Listen to the
definition of a motive force.
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A motive force or
excuse me, motive power,
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a motive power is an
agency such as water or steam
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used to impart motion,
especially to machinery
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or something as a
locomotive or a motor
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that provides
motive power to a system.
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So motive power, if
you're in a locomotive, a train,
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at least in the old
days would be steamed.
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The water causes steam
when it's heated of course
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and that would
fuel the locomotive.
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It would propel it forward
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and that is the
motive power of a train.
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What's the
motive power of a car?
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If there would be
steam for a train,
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what do we put in
our cars to make them go?
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Gas or petrol, right?
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So the motive power for a car
is fuel, it's petrol, it's gas.
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So a motive power gives us
a deeper understanding of what
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motives really are.
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A motive is
something that fuels you,
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something that
drives you forward.
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It's your reason for action.
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It's the reason
behind what we do.
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It's the inner
force that enables
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and determines
our course of action.
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The Bible is full of examples
00:09:07.45\00:09:12.81
of times when motive
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made all the
difference in the world.
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And you may wonder what's
so important about motives?
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What's the big deal?
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Well, the reason that
motives are so important
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is because when
we see our actions,
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it's simply the fruits
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but the motives,
our motives are reason,
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that's the
roots, the root cause.
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I like what's, one theologian,
Charles Hodge said in the,
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his systematic
theology commentary,
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he didn't have
everything right of course,
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but he had this
solidly nailed down,
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speaking of motives he says,
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"In every rational volition
the man is influenced to decide
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one way rather than another,
by something within him.
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So that the
volition is a revelation
00:10:01.85\00:10:05.41
of what he himself is."
00:10:05.44\00:10:09.77
See, friends, what's going on
inside of our hearts and minds
00:10:09.80\00:10:14.51
are motivation, the
reason behind what we do.
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The reason behind our actions
00:10:18.67\00:10:20.54
is actually a
revelation of who we are.
00:10:20.57\00:10:23.83
It's a revelation of our
character and that is why
00:10:23.86\00:10:28.35
we need to understand
00:10:28.38\00:10:30.38
what's the significance
of our motives really are.
00:10:30.41\00:10:34.59
Jesus put it this way.
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He said, "Out of the
abundance of the mouth," what?
00:10:36.22\00:10:40.18
"The heart speaks."
00:10:40.21\00:10:42.28
"Out of the abundance."
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excuse me, "Out of
the abundance of the heart
00:10:43.39\00:10:44.98
the mouth speaks."
00:10:45.01\00:10:47.81
So not only are
our inner reasons
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for doing things are motives
00:10:51.73\00:10:53.59
determined by
our outward actions,
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but they are reflected
upon the root of our motive,
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our reason is
reflected in our words.
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The words that we
use, the things that we do
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are the outward fruit
that reflect upon the root
00:11:07.26\00:11:10.65
of our motives, our
actions, our driving force.
00:11:10.68\00:11:16.28
So examining our
motives is very important.
00:11:16.31\00:11:19.27
Very important as Christians
to search our own hearts
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and ask why we do
the things that we do?
00:11:22.71\00:11:25.15
Why we say the
things that we say?
00:11:25.18\00:11:28.71
Now it's natural for
us, it's human nature
00:11:28.74\00:11:32.90
to just do the
bare minimum, isn't it?
00:11:32.93\00:11:36.36
How many people
here are students?
00:11:36.39\00:11:37.55
Raise your hand
high, if you are a student.
00:11:37.58\00:11:39.41
All right, we've got
a lot of students here.
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Let me ask you, how many of you
have had to do lectures for--
00:11:41.32\00:11:44.77
excuse me, essays for a class,
you've had to write an essay
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and how many of you
have had some questions
00:11:49.77\00:11:51.31
about that essay?
00:11:51.34\00:11:52.76
If you have ever written
an essay you have to know
00:11:52.79\00:11:55.02
what's expected of you, right.
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Now have you ever heard
a student raise their hand
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and say, professor, what
is the maximum number of words
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that I can write in this essay?
00:12:04.53\00:12:07.76
I mean, how much can I write?
00:12:07.79\00:12:09.56
When will you just
reject and stop reading
00:12:09.59\00:12:12.53
if I just write
and write and write?
00:12:12.56\00:12:14.42
How many people want to
do the maximum possible?
00:12:14.45\00:12:17.22
Have you ever heard
someone raise their hand
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and ask that in class?
00:12:18.68\00:12:19.79
Yes or no. Probably not.
00:12:19.82\00:12:22.74
We want to know,
what's the bare minimum.
00:12:22.77\00:12:25.75
And this is human nature.
00:12:25.78\00:12:27.45
What is the
minimum that I can do?
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How many words
does that have to be?
00:12:29.60\00:12:31.78
Does that have to be 600 words?
00:12:31.81\00:12:34.54
Well, how many spaces,
00:12:34.57\00:12:37.40
I mean, how many
pages does it have to be?
00:12:37.43\00:12:39.81
Oh, it needs to
be about four pages.
00:12:39.84\00:12:41.54
Well, is that single
space or double space?
00:12:41.57\00:12:43.55
All right.
00:12:43.58\00:12:44.61
Is that 12.5 or,
can we do 12.5 or 13?
00:12:44.64\00:12:49.55
We want to know
what the bare minimum is
00:12:49.58\00:12:52.10
and often it's the
natural tendency for us
00:12:52.13\00:12:55.64
to want to know
what the bare minimum is.
00:12:55.67\00:12:58.14
And what the least possible
00:12:58.17\00:13:00.57
that we can get
away with doing is?
00:13:00.60\00:13:03.88
Is our motive in
our Christian walk?
00:13:03.91\00:13:06.73
Is our motive in life
to do the bare minimum?
00:13:06.76\00:13:09.97
Just what's expected of us?
00:13:10.00\00:13:12.71
One person put
it well, they said,
00:13:12.74\00:13:14.29
"Do only what is required
of you and remain a slave.
00:13:14.32\00:13:19.24
Do more than is required
of you and become free."
00:13:19.27\00:13:24.83
Friends, we
shouldn't be asking the Lord
00:13:24.86\00:13:27.46
what's the bare
minimum I can do, Lord?
00:13:27.49\00:13:30.01
What's the minimum
that I can do for you
00:13:30.04\00:13:31.85
and still squeeze into heaven?
00:13:31.88\00:13:34.68
We should be saying,
Lord, how much can I do for you?
00:13:34.71\00:13:38.00
How much can I do for you?
00:13:38.03\00:13:40.12
Please show me, teach me
what you would have me do.
00:13:40.15\00:13:45.15
This afternoon we're going to
exam-- a few biblical examples
00:13:45.18\00:13:49.55
of when people
had right motives,
00:13:49.58\00:13:53.66
their hearts were
right, their desire was right
00:13:53.69\00:13:57.01
but their actions were wrong.
00:13:57.04\00:14:00.42
And then after
we're done with that
00:14:00.45\00:14:01.93
we're going to
examine some stories of people
00:14:01.96\00:14:04.77
whose hearts were wrong,
their motives were wrong,
00:14:04.80\00:14:09.91
but their actions were right.
00:14:09.94\00:14:12.72
First I'd like to
invite you to turn with me
00:14:12.75\00:14:14.78
to Joshua Chapter 22.
00:14:14.81\00:14:17.72
Here we find a story where
people's motives were right.
00:14:17.75\00:14:22.19
Their desires were
right, their reason for
00:14:22.22\00:14:24.58
moving in the direction
that they did was right,
00:14:24.61\00:14:27.34
but their action was hasty
and their action was wrong.
00:14:27.37\00:14:31.43
Joshua Chapter 22 and
we'll be starting in verse 11.
00:14:31.46\00:14:37.54
Here the Bible tells the story
of when the children of Israel
00:14:37.57\00:14:41.17
had established their
dwelling in the Promised Lands
00:14:41.20\00:14:47.26
and you remember the
two of the tribes of Israel
00:14:47.29\00:14:49.23
stayed on the
other side of the Jordan.
00:14:49.26\00:14:51.39
They wanted to
stay in the land there.
00:14:51.42\00:14:53.90
Well, the Bible tells
us that what took place
00:14:53.93\00:14:56.71
was that those two tribes being
so far from the Israelites,
00:14:56.74\00:15:00.74
the rest of the
tribes, they wanted to--
00:15:00.77\00:15:06.45
they wanted to make a
way for their children
00:15:06.48\00:15:08.58
to remember God.
00:15:08.61\00:15:10.05
A way for them to be
able to be reminded of God
00:15:10.08\00:15:12.85
and His leadings, so
that they would not have to
00:15:12.88\00:15:16.38
take their children all the way
00:15:16.41\00:15:17.81
to the center of
the sacrificial system
00:15:17.84\00:15:19.97
where the altar
was in order for them
00:15:20.00\00:15:22.14
to remember the Lord.
00:15:22.17\00:15:24.04
So picking up in Joshua 22:11
00:15:24.07\00:15:26.47
we see what took
place, the Bible says,
00:15:26.50\00:15:29.21
"Now the Children of
Israel heard someone say,
00:15:29.24\00:15:31.34
Behold, the children of
Reuben and the children of Gad
00:15:31.37\00:15:34.81
and the half tribe of
Manasseh have built an altar
00:15:34.84\00:15:38.23
on the frontier of
the land of Canaan,
00:15:38.26\00:15:40.52
in the region of the Jordan,
00:15:40.55\00:15:42.21
on the Children of Israel side."
00:15:42.24\00:15:46.26
Now the Bible says in
the next verse, verse 12,
00:15:46.29\00:15:48.97
"And when the
children of Israel heard of it,
00:15:49.00\00:15:50.91
the whole congregation
of the children of Israel
00:15:50.94\00:15:53.36
gathered together at Shiloh,
to go to war against them."
00:15:53.39\00:15:58.19
You may be
wondering why in the world
00:15:58.22\00:16:00.04
would the rest of
the tribes of Israel
00:16:00.07\00:16:02.10
gather together to
go to war against them,
00:16:02.13\00:16:04.87
when they erected an
altar in order to worship God.
00:16:04.90\00:16:09.08
What's the deal?
00:16:09.11\00:16:10.56
Well, the Children of Israel
00:16:10.59\00:16:12.39
when they marshaled
their forces together
00:16:12.42\00:16:14.56
to attack these other tribes,
00:16:14.59\00:16:16.41
their motive was actually right.
00:16:16.44\00:16:18.67
You see, they
thought that by this action,
00:16:18.70\00:16:21.30
by this building of this altar
00:16:21.33\00:16:23.60
that they were setting
up another place of worship.
00:16:23.63\00:16:26.49
That they were
actually setting up
00:16:26.52\00:16:27.91
worship to other gods.
00:16:27.94\00:16:30.75
You see they had one
sanctuary, one place of worship.
00:16:30.78\00:16:34.94
And they had been
through times in the past
00:16:34.97\00:16:38.41
where challenges had come
in, challenges with idolatry
00:16:38.44\00:16:41.93
and difficulties when it
came to the worship of demons.
00:16:41.96\00:16:46.02
So these tribes as they
gathered their forces together
00:16:46.05\00:16:48.67
to go to a war with
the rest of the tribes,
00:16:48.70\00:16:51.47
those three
tribes on the other side
00:16:51.50\00:16:53.03
who'd erected this altar,
00:16:53.06\00:16:55.42
they went and
they shared with them.
00:16:55.45\00:16:58.56
You can read the verses in
the rest of this chapter here.
00:16:58.59\00:17:02.79
We'll just jump down to want--
00:17:02.82\00:17:04.71
to find the conclusion of
the story in just a moment.
00:17:04.74\00:17:07.54
But to summarize
what they told them,
00:17:07.57\00:17:09.11
they pointed them
back to the issues
00:17:09.14\00:17:11.59
that they had had with idolatry.
00:17:11.62\00:17:13.58
They pointed them
back to Baal-peor,
00:17:13.61\00:17:15.75
which is found in
Numbers Chapter 25.
00:17:15.78\00:17:18.44
They pointed
them back to that time
00:17:18.47\00:17:20.05
when they were on the
edge of the Promise Land.
00:17:20.08\00:17:23.14
And they had been
sent, harlots from the tribe
00:17:23.17\00:17:28.41
or from the people of Midian.
00:17:28.44\00:17:31.02
They have made this feast
and they had tried to attempt
00:17:31.05\00:17:35.48
and seduce the Israelite men.
00:17:35.51\00:17:37.07
Just as they were on the
edge of the Promised Land,
00:17:37.10\00:17:39.69
the devil sent a bunch of people
00:17:39.72\00:17:43.45
to seduce the men into idolatry.
00:17:43.48\00:17:46.91
We read the story
that a plague broke out.
00:17:46.94\00:17:49.74
God was displeased as not just
many of the people of Israel
00:17:49.77\00:17:53.37
but even the leaders in Israel
00:17:53.40\00:17:55.13
fell into this
temptation of lust and sin.
00:17:55.16\00:17:58.92
And, friends, you know,
just as we are on the edge
00:17:58.95\00:18:01.36
of the Promised Land,
the devil is hammering us.
00:18:01.39\00:18:05.55
He is hammering this
generation with the temptation
00:18:05.58\00:18:08.60
of sexual desire and lust.
00:18:08.63\00:18:11.21
More than any
generation before us,
00:18:11.24\00:18:14.65
we are surrounded by
pictures of half naked people,
00:18:14.68\00:18:18.72
or half clothed people,
00:18:18.75\00:18:20.16
depending on how
you want to look at it.
00:18:20.19\00:18:22.07
And sometimes even less.
00:18:22.10\00:18:24.10
You know, I'm not a father
00:18:24.13\00:18:26.79
and if the Lord
tarries-- nor am I married,
00:18:26.82\00:18:29.26
but if the Lord
tarries that may happen.
00:18:29.29\00:18:31.95
And I pray that
if that does happen,
00:18:31.98\00:18:34.82
God gives me
wisdom to know how--
00:18:34.85\00:18:36.93
when I take my child
through the line in the store.
00:18:36.96\00:18:40.97
The grocery store,
when I get to the front
00:18:41.00\00:18:43.31
how to shield their
eyes or explain to them
00:18:43.34\00:18:46.07
not to look at these magazines
that are surrounding them.
00:18:46.10\00:18:49.62
Friends, we live in a time
where the devil is throwing
00:18:49.65\00:18:52.26
every temptation at us possible.
00:18:52.29\00:18:55.46
This happened to the
Children of Israel at Baal-peor,
00:18:55.49\00:18:59.16
right when they
were on the border
00:18:59.19\00:19:00.43
of the Promised Lands and
it led them into idolatry.
00:19:00.46\00:19:06.17
The tribes, the nine tribes
00:19:06.20\00:19:08.52
reminded those three
tribes about this and they said,
00:19:08.55\00:19:11.46
"Do you want
that to happen again?"
00:19:11.49\00:19:13.94
This is why we've
marshaled these forces,
00:19:13.97\00:19:15.76
this is why we've
come to war against you.
00:19:15.79\00:19:19.41
Their motives were right.
00:19:19.44\00:19:20.64
They didn't want
idolatry to take place.
00:19:20.67\00:19:23.90
But their actions were hasty.
00:19:23.93\00:19:26.83
Listen to what the
tribes tell them in verse 26,
00:19:26.86\00:19:29.35
what was the reasoning
behind building this altar?
00:19:29.38\00:19:32.89
Verse 26, "Therefore we said,
00:19:32.92\00:19:35.26
let us now prepare to
build ourselves an altar,
00:19:35.29\00:19:38.50
not for burnt
offering, nor for sacrifice."
00:19:38.53\00:19:42.50
You see, these
tribes were misunderstood.
00:19:42.53\00:19:46.21
This altar was not
built in order to create
00:19:46.24\00:19:48.86
a secondary place of worship
00:19:48.89\00:19:51.07
against what God
had commanded them.
00:19:51.10\00:19:53.73
It was built for another reason.
00:19:53.76\00:19:56.35
They weren't
doing the wrong thing,
00:19:56.38\00:19:58.36
they were just misunderstood.
00:19:58.39\00:19:59.48
Look at verse 27, they explain,
00:19:59.51\00:20:02.12
"We built it that it may be
a witness between you and us.
00:20:02.15\00:20:06.46
And our generations after us,
00:20:06.49\00:20:08.75
that we may perform
the service of the Lord
00:20:08.78\00:20:11.12
before Him with
our burnt offerings,
00:20:11.15\00:20:13.34
with our sacrifices and
with our peace offerings,
00:20:13.37\00:20:15.72
that your
descendants may not say
00:20:15.75\00:20:17.38
to our
descendants in time to come,
00:20:17.41\00:20:19.23
you have no part in the Lord."
00:20:19.26\00:20:22.07
So the Bible says, that happily
they withdrew their armies.
00:20:22.10\00:20:27.68
They realized that they
had misjudged and misunderstood
00:20:27.71\00:20:32.00
the conversation, the
issue what had taken place.
00:20:32.03\00:20:37.35
You know, sometimes
we can have right motives
00:20:37.38\00:20:40.90
and we can misunderstand
and we can be misunderstood,
00:20:40.93\00:20:44.62
isn't that right?
00:20:44.65\00:20:47.27
You know, sometimes
this takes place in marriage.
00:20:47.30\00:20:51.77
A husband can think to himself,
00:20:51.80\00:20:53.80
"You know, my
wife is so selfless.
00:20:53.83\00:20:56.27
She's always saving money.
00:20:56.30\00:20:58.70
She's always
thinking of herself.
00:20:58.73\00:21:01.73
She's always
guarding our spending habits
00:21:01.76\00:21:05.01
just so that we
can give to missions,
00:21:05.04\00:21:07.03
so that we can
give to our children."
00:21:07.06\00:21:09.99
And he comes home and he
says, "You know, sweetheart,
00:21:10.02\00:21:12.33
I've been thinking, you're
so generous with our money,
00:21:12.36\00:21:17.71
you're so careful
with our expenditures.
00:21:17.74\00:21:20.29
I've been
thinking why don't you take
00:21:20.32\00:21:21.90
some extra money
and I don't know,
00:21:21.93\00:21:24.44
do something nice with it
for yourself for a change.
00:21:24.47\00:21:27.10
You know, like,
get your hair done
00:21:27.13\00:21:28.90
how you like it done or..."
00:21:28.93\00:21:31.05
And she says, "Why,
don't you like my hair?"
00:21:31.08\00:21:34.93
His motives were good.
00:21:34.96\00:21:36.87
But his words could've been
chosen a little better, right?
00:21:36.90\00:21:40.75
Sometimes we misunderstand
others and their motives.
00:21:40.78\00:21:45.23
Sometimes when we
have the right motives,
00:21:45.26\00:21:48.04
our actions don't always fall
00:21:48.07\00:21:50.33
in place like it
did, like what happened
00:21:50.36\00:21:52.99
with the Children of
Israel in this story.
00:21:53.02\00:21:55.54
You know, we see
the same thing happened
00:21:55.57\00:21:56.97
with Joseph, Mary's husband.
00:21:57.00\00:21:59.58
Let's go to Matthew Chapter 1.
00:21:59.61\00:22:02.52
Matthew Chapter 1,
the Bible tells us that
00:22:02.55\00:22:04.59
Joseph was a righteous
man, he was a good man.
00:22:04.62\00:22:09.07
And when Mary
was found with child,
00:22:09.10\00:22:11.70
naturally, he thought,
well, she's cheated on me.
00:22:11.73\00:22:15.03
You know, if you study
the Jewish marriage process
00:22:15.06\00:22:18.68
you'll realize that Joseph
and Mary were not yet married
00:22:18.71\00:22:22.41
but they were betrothed.
00:22:22.44\00:22:24.05
You see, when you were
engaged in Hebrew culture,
00:22:24.08\00:22:26.71
it meant that you are
virtually married in every way
00:22:26.74\00:22:29.97
except the
consummation of the marriage.
00:22:30.00\00:22:32.09
So in order to split
ways after you were betrothed
00:22:32.12\00:22:36.21
or engaged to each other,
00:22:36.24\00:22:37.67
you actually had to get
a certificate of divorce.
00:22:37.70\00:22:41.51
So the commitment of
engagement in this time,
00:22:41.54\00:22:44.05
in this day was
incredibly close.
00:22:44.08\00:22:48.03
This is why the
Bible says in Matthew 1:19,
00:22:48.06\00:22:52.24
that when Mary became
pregnant, Joseph thought that
00:22:52.27\00:22:55.59
she had cheated on
him and look what it says,
00:22:55.62\00:22:58.42
"Then Joseph, her
husband being a just man
00:22:58.45\00:23:01.31
and not wanting to
make her a public example
00:23:01.34\00:23:04.15
was minded to put
her away secretly."
00:23:04.18\00:23:07.64
You see, Joseph
had a right motive
00:23:07.67\00:23:10.81
but he had a misunderstanding.
00:23:10.84\00:23:13.09
And it was going to
result in a wrong action.
00:23:13.12\00:23:15.81
But God stepped in, verse 20,
00:23:15.84\00:23:18.94
"But while he thought
about these things, behold,
00:23:18.97\00:23:22.03
an angel of the Lord appeared
to him in a dream, saying,
00:23:22.06\00:23:24.81
"Joseph, son of
David, do not be afraid
00:23:24.84\00:23:28.10
to take to
yourself Mary your wife,
00:23:28.13\00:23:30.83
for that which is conceived
in her is of the Holy Spirit.
00:23:30.86\00:23:34.58
And she will bring forth a son,
00:23:34.61\00:23:36.82
and you shall
call his name Jesus,
00:23:36.85\00:23:39.30
for He will save His
people from their sins."
00:23:39.33\00:23:44.41
Friends, when our
actions are wrong,
00:23:44.44\00:23:47.10
but our motives are
right, God can honor that,
00:23:47.13\00:23:50.96
God can bless that.
00:23:50.99\00:23:52.91
The Lord can step in and
He can change our direction.
00:23:52.94\00:23:58.08
He can reveal to us
the right thing to do.
00:23:58.11\00:24:02.13
It's easy for God
when our motives are right,
00:24:02.16\00:24:05.52
but our actions are wrong.
00:24:05.55\00:24:07.21
He can easily correct us,
00:24:07.24\00:24:08.50
if our heart is
in the right place.
00:24:08.53\00:24:10.77
The challenge and the problem
is when our motives are wrong,
00:24:10.80\00:24:14.88
but our actions are right.
00:24:14.91\00:24:17.26
We're gonna talk
about that in just a moment.
00:24:17.29\00:24:19.88
But I like to share
with you briefly a story
00:24:19.91\00:24:22.52
that took place
about a month ago.
00:24:22.55\00:24:25.65
I was flying from
Chicago to San Francisco
00:24:25.68\00:24:28.76
and I sat down on the
airplane next to this lady
00:24:28.79\00:24:33.35
and she's a young
professional 29 years old.
00:24:33.38\00:24:36.17
She and her husband both
owned different companies
00:24:36.20\00:24:39.37
that they started up through
their Ph.D research in science.
00:24:39.40\00:24:42.84
They're both scientists.
00:24:42.87\00:24:44.54
And we had a
wonderful conversation.
00:24:44.57\00:24:46.63
She was going to San
Francisco for the funeral
00:24:46.66\00:24:49.50
of her
grandfather, unfortunately.
00:24:49.53\00:24:51.84
She was half Chinese
and half Jewish ethnically.
00:24:51.87\00:24:56.82
And we had a long conversation.
00:24:56.85\00:24:59.14
She started asking me questions
00:24:59.17\00:25:00.78
and I started giving
her answers from the Bible.
00:25:00.81\00:25:03.54
And she said, "So
what do you believe
00:25:03.57\00:25:05.27
or what does your church
teach and believe about this."
00:25:05.30\00:25:08.20
And she asked about, you
know, the devil and angels
00:25:08.23\00:25:12.01
or modern day prophets.
00:25:12.04\00:25:13.94
So we went to all of
these different verses.
00:25:13.97\00:25:16.56
And we were going
through a Bible study together
00:25:16.59\00:25:19.55
and after about two-and-a-half
hours of conversation,
00:25:19.58\00:25:22.92
I learned that she
happened to be an atheist.
00:25:22.95\00:25:26.16
And as our
conversation continued,
00:25:26.19\00:25:28.12
it was such a
blessing and I wish I had time
00:25:28.15\00:25:29.88
to share more about it,
00:25:29.91\00:25:31.73
the Lord struck me
with a realization.
00:25:31.76\00:25:34.32
You see, she had told me that
00:25:34.35\00:25:36.64
there were people at
the gym that she goes to
00:25:36.67\00:25:39.20
who are on a diet together
and they eat nuts and seeds
00:25:39.23\00:25:44.29
and this is a
majority of their diet.
00:25:44.32\00:25:46.88
So one day she said that
00:25:46.91\00:25:50.54
they were sitting around talking
00:25:50.57\00:25:51.73
and someone said, "You
know, I love macadamia nuts,
00:25:51.76\00:25:53.78
but they are so expensive.
00:25:53.81\00:25:55.31
So sometimes I
just switch the code
00:25:55.34\00:25:58.55
and I save from
the bulk food section
00:25:58.58\00:26:00.81
that it was something
else, so I can save some money."
00:26:00.84\00:26:04.05
And she said, she
thought to herself,
00:26:04.08\00:26:05.77
"What in the world?
00:26:05.80\00:26:07.41
They were
stealing macadamia nuts,
00:26:07.44\00:26:09.33
for a couple of dollars?
00:26:09.36\00:26:11.16
Where are their morals?"
00:26:11.19\00:26:12.84
And then she
said to her surprise
00:26:12.87\00:26:14.52
someone across the way piped up
and said, "Yeah, yeah, me too.
00:26:14.55\00:26:17.76
You know, sometimes I
pick it up off the scale
00:26:17.79\00:26:20.57
so it doesn't weigh as
much and they charge me less."
00:26:20.60\00:26:24.92
And as she shared
this and as she shared,
00:26:24.95\00:26:27.16
you know, her shock
at what had happened,
00:26:27.19\00:26:29.91
and as she shared that when her
brother was in a car accident,
00:26:29.94\00:26:33.54
she-- Part of her wished that
00:26:33.57\00:26:35.54
she could pray in
all genuineness of heart,
00:26:35.57\00:26:38.46
but couldn't honestly do it.
00:26:38.49\00:26:40.96
As she shared these
things I realized that
00:26:40.99\00:26:43.49
this was a really honest person.
00:26:43.52\00:26:46.07
We had a wonderful conversation.
00:26:46.10\00:26:48.53
And the Lord struck
me with the realization
00:26:48.56\00:26:50.57
and I told her this, I said,
00:26:50.60\00:26:52.12
"You know, I
believe that in God's eyes,
00:26:52.15\00:26:55.55
He can smile and
look more kindly upon you
00:26:55.58\00:26:58.92
who in all
honesty are an atheist
00:26:58.95\00:27:01.01
simply because you
have never studied the Bible
00:27:01.04\00:27:03.54
and because you've
never learned anything else,
00:27:03.57\00:27:06.29
rather than the
person who is just in church
00:27:06.32\00:27:09.56
because their
family is in church."
00:27:09.59\00:27:12.21
Just in church
because their sister
00:27:12.24\00:27:15.73
has been nagging them to come
or claiming to be a Christian
00:27:15.76\00:27:20.38
while only having a
semblance of Christianity.
00:27:20.41\00:27:23.89
Just because it's
what you're familiar with.
00:27:23.92\00:27:25.90
Friends, God
looks upon the heart.
00:27:25.93\00:27:29.33
God weighs our motives.
00:27:29.36\00:27:31.58
And, you know, when
someone is honest in heart,
00:27:31.61\00:27:35.32
God can bless that.
00:27:35.35\00:27:37.64
When someone is genuine
in their motives, genuinely,
00:27:37.67\00:27:43.43
even if they are
genuinely doing the wrong thing,
00:27:43.46\00:27:46.14
God can bless that and
He will turn them around.
00:27:46.17\00:27:48.53
Just like He did with
Joseph, and just like He did
00:27:48.56\00:27:51.81
with those tribes that
we have just read about.
00:27:51.84\00:27:55.42
You see, God looks at the heart.
00:27:55.45\00:27:57.20
Turn with me to Proverbs 16.
00:27:57.23\00:27:59.68
Proverbs Chapter 16.
00:27:59.71\00:28:05.42
Proverbs Chapter 16
00:28:05.45\00:28:07.80
and we're going to be
reading together verse 2.
00:28:07.83\00:28:12.75
Proverbs 16:2.
00:28:12.78\00:28:15.55
"All the ways of a man
are pure in his own eyes,
00:28:15.58\00:28:18.76
but the Lord weighs the hearts."
00:28:18.79\00:28:22.30
The Lord weighs the hearts.
00:28:22.33\00:28:23.55
Friends, scripture is
full of examples of people
00:28:23.58\00:28:26.80
who were not quite there.
00:28:26.83\00:28:29.13
Their hearts were genuine,
00:28:29.16\00:28:30.66
but they didn't have
their theology all straight.
00:28:30.69\00:28:33.54
Think of the woman at the well.
00:28:33.57\00:28:35.34
She didn't have
her understanding
00:28:35.37\00:28:36.97
of the coming Messiah
00:28:37.00\00:28:38.27
or her
understanding of the Bible
00:28:38.30\00:28:39.86
or worship correct,
but her heart was open.
00:28:39.89\00:28:43.40
And when she met Jesus,
she was willing to follow Him.
00:28:43.43\00:28:47.52
We think of
Cornelius in Acts Chapter 10,
00:28:47.55\00:28:50.60
that gentile, the
soldier, the captain actually
00:28:50.63\00:28:54.85
who the Lord gave a dream to
00:28:54.88\00:28:57.27
and gave Peter a
dream simultaneously.
00:28:57.30\00:28:59.86
Cornelius who is seeking
God with all of his heart.
00:28:59.89\00:29:02.96
God honored that
and He could bless him.
00:29:02.99\00:29:06.62
We think of Paul
or the Apostle Paul
00:29:06.65\00:29:09.24
who was Saul of Tarsus,
00:29:09.27\00:29:11.55
Saul who was
persecuting Christians
00:29:11.58\00:29:15.22
and having them put to death.
00:29:15.25\00:29:17.74
You know, he
thought that he was right.
00:29:17.77\00:29:19.89
He was genuinely convinced that
00:29:19.92\00:29:21.62
as he was putting
these people to death
00:29:21.65\00:29:23.82
that he was doing God a favor.
00:29:23.85\00:29:26.89
But then the Stoning
of Stephen took place.
00:29:26.92\00:29:30.03
The Stoning of Stephen
and then Jesus miraculously
00:29:30.06\00:29:33.07
appearing to him as he
was writing to Damascus,
00:29:33.10\00:29:36.84
knocked him off of his horse.
00:29:36.87\00:29:39.17
And praise the
Lord, those two events,
00:29:39.20\00:29:41.26
the Stoning of
Stephen going through his mind
00:29:41.29\00:29:43.09
over the next few days.
00:29:43.12\00:29:44.47
Jesus saying Paul-- Saul,
Saul, why do you persecute me?
00:29:44.50\00:29:48.76
This turned Saul
around and Saul became Paul.
00:29:48.79\00:29:53.17
Friends, his motives were right.
00:29:53.20\00:29:55.31
He was deceived into thinking
he was doing the right thing
00:29:55.34\00:29:59.06
and his actions were
wrong and God could honor that.
00:29:59.09\00:30:02.43
And when He turned him around,
00:30:02.46\00:30:03.69
he became the most
powerful missionary
00:30:03.72\00:30:05.82
the church had ever seen.
00:30:05.85\00:30:08.69
If our motives are
right God can work with that.
00:30:08.72\00:30:13.06
It's when our motives are
wrong and our actions are right
00:30:13.09\00:30:18.16
that we have a problem.
00:30:18.19\00:30:20.39
We find this takes place a
number of times in scripture
00:30:20.42\00:30:25.10
and we can see
some examples together.
00:30:25.13\00:30:29.46
But, you know, sometimes we
do this as people, don't we?
00:30:29.49\00:30:34.11
You know, you'll run across--
And probably any country,
00:30:34.14\00:30:39.15
but sometimes a
parent might come home
00:30:39.18\00:30:41.19
and I can just see it happening,
00:30:41.22\00:30:43.17
a mother comes home and
the dishes are all done.
00:30:43.20\00:30:47.66
The kitchen is mopped,
00:30:47.69\00:30:49.52
the entire house
is vacuum cleaned
00:30:49.55\00:30:53.12
and she's
thinking, "This is strange."
00:30:53.15\00:30:56.19
And then her
daughter walks around
00:30:56.22\00:30:57.66
the corner with a big smile
00:30:57.69\00:30:59.67
and she says, "Hi,
Mom, welcome home."
00:30:59.70\00:31:02.15
She gives her a big hug
and her mom is thinking,
00:31:02.18\00:31:05.58
"This is different."
00:31:05.61\00:31:08.54
And then after a few
minutes of listening kindly
00:31:08.57\00:31:12.28
and attentively to how
her mother's day has been,
00:31:12.31\00:31:14.94
the daughter
says, "You know, Mom,
00:31:14.97\00:31:17.90
there is this iPad on sale,
00:31:17.93\00:31:21.29
and I could really
use one for school and,
00:31:21.32\00:31:24.97
you know, I could
really use this iPad.
00:31:25.00\00:31:27.55
What do you think?"
00:31:27.58\00:31:30.08
Friends, sometimes we do
things for the wrong reasons.
00:31:30.11\00:31:34.64
We do the right thing
for the wrong reasons,
00:31:34.67\00:31:36.72
for selfish motives rather than
doing these things selflessly,
00:31:36.75\00:31:41.17
she was doing them selfishly.
00:31:41.20\00:31:44.48
And if our motives or
if our motives are wrong,
00:31:44.51\00:31:49.15
it doesn't necessarily
mean that our actions are wrong.
00:31:49.18\00:31:54.98
Now speaking of
this, did you know that
00:31:55.01\00:31:58.36
legalism falls
into this category?
00:31:58.39\00:32:01.38
What is legalism?
00:32:01.41\00:32:03.54
Trying to be saved by what?
00:32:03.57\00:32:06.46
Keeping the law. Let me ask you.
00:32:06.49\00:32:08.03
Is the outward act
of keeping the law good?
00:32:08.06\00:32:10.47
Yes or no? Yes.
00:32:10.50\00:32:12.33
Keeping God's law is
good and it's a necessity.
00:32:12.36\00:32:15.41
But legalism is trying to
be saved by keeping the law.
00:32:15.44\00:32:19.94
And did you know
that legalism itself
00:32:19.97\00:32:22.40
is actually breaking the law?
00:32:22.43\00:32:26.21
In Romans 13:11, the Bible says
00:32:26.24\00:32:28.86
that love is a
fulfilling of the law.
00:32:28.89\00:32:32.84
And if love is selflessness,
00:32:32.87\00:32:35.51
if love is on the
first for love toward God
00:32:35.54\00:32:39.27
in the last six commandments,
love toward our fellow men.
00:32:39.30\00:32:42.84
If that is the crux
of the law, selflessness,
00:32:42.87\00:32:46.05
then to keep the
law to try to be saved
00:32:46.08\00:32:48.70
to earn our
salvation ourselves is selfish.
00:32:48.73\00:32:52.76
So it's
actually breaking the law
00:32:52.79\00:32:54.47
that we are trying to keep.
00:32:54.50\00:32:56.23
You see, if we do not
keep the law in spirit
00:32:56.26\00:32:58.55
for the right reason,
genuinely and selflessly
00:32:58.58\00:33:02.09
for the care of others,
00:33:02.12\00:33:03.34
then we're not
keeping it at all.
00:33:03.37\00:33:05.51
Legalism isn't
actually keeping the law.
00:33:05.54\00:33:08.31
In spirit, it's
breaking the law.
00:33:08.34\00:33:12.26
We see in scripture
there are times where
00:33:12.29\00:33:14.41
people had right
actions, but wrong motives.
00:33:14.44\00:33:20.23
Turn with me to John 6:24-26.
00:33:20.26\00:33:26.69
John 6:24-26, here we find that
00:33:26.72\00:33:31.46
Jesus has just fed the 5,000.
00:33:31.49\00:33:36.55
John Chapter 6,
he's just fed the 5,000
00:33:36.58\00:33:40.77
and let's actually
start back at verse 22.
00:33:40.80\00:33:43.95
"On the following day."
00:33:43.98\00:33:45.36
This was after He
had fed the 5,000.
00:33:45.39\00:33:47.58
After He had
walked on the stormy sea
00:33:47.61\00:33:50.33
to meet His disciples there
and gone to the other side.
00:33:50.36\00:33:53.78
"On the following
day when the people
00:33:53.81\00:33:56.11
who were standing on
the other side of the sea
00:33:56.14\00:33:58.79
saw that there was
no other boat there,
00:33:58.82\00:34:01.40
except the one which
His disciples had entered
00:34:01.43\00:34:04.05
and that Jesus had not entered
the boat with His disciples,
00:34:04.08\00:34:07.28
but His disciples
had gone away alone.
00:34:07.31\00:34:09.77
However, other boats came
from Tiberius near the place
00:34:09.80\00:34:12.36
where they ate bread after
the Lord had given thanks."
00:34:12.39\00:34:15.09
Verse 24, "When
the people therefore
00:34:15.12\00:34:17.22
saw Jesus was not
there, nor his disciples,
00:34:17.25\00:34:20.74
they also got into
boats and came to Capernaum,
00:34:20.77\00:34:23.66
seeking Jesus."
00:34:23.69\00:34:26.22
What were they doing?
00:34:26.25\00:34:28.34
Seeking Jesus. Let me ask you.
00:34:28.37\00:34:30.11
Is seeking Jesus
a good thing? Yes.
00:34:30.14\00:34:34.07
Seeking Jesus is the
best thing that we can do.
00:34:34.10\00:34:36.74
Amen.
00:34:36.77\00:34:38.01
They were seeking Jesus.
00:34:38.04\00:34:40.35
But let's continue on.
00:34:40.38\00:34:41.77
We see that their
actions were right.
00:34:41.80\00:34:44.67
Continuing on, verse 25,
00:34:44.70\00:34:48.68
"And when they found him
on the other side of the sea,
00:34:48.71\00:34:51.35
they said to him,
Rabbi, when did you come here?"
00:34:51.38\00:34:54.49
You see, they were
waiting for Jesus to come back
00:34:54.52\00:34:56.97
down from the mountain.
00:34:57.00\00:34:58.34
You remember that they
wanted to take Jesus by force
00:34:58.37\00:35:01.71
and make Him king.
00:35:01.74\00:35:03.27
They realized this miracle
was huge to feed 5,000 people.
00:35:03.30\00:35:09.28
Imagine what He could do
00:35:09.31\00:35:11.27
against the Roman
armies they fought.
00:35:11.30\00:35:13.51
He could heal our
sick, our wounded men,
00:35:13.54\00:35:15.80
He could heal immediately
00:35:15.83\00:35:16.99
and they could get
up and keep fighting.
00:35:17.02\00:35:19.13
We would never go hungry,
00:35:19.16\00:35:20.19
we would never need
to bring food with us
00:35:20.22\00:35:21.84
because He could just
multiply a few loaves.
00:35:21.87\00:35:24.73
They wanted to
take Jesus by force
00:35:24.76\00:35:27.69
and make Him an earthly king.
00:35:27.72\00:35:30.44
So Jesus strongly
commanded His disciples
00:35:30.47\00:35:33.75
to get into a boat
and go to the other side.
00:35:33.78\00:35:36.59
Jesus went Himself up
into the mountain and prayed.
00:35:36.62\00:35:40.50
This was a significant
time in His life and ministry
00:35:40.53\00:35:43.52
and that's why it is
one of the only stories
00:35:43.55\00:35:46.37
mentioned in all four gospels.
00:35:46.40\00:35:49.53
Continuing on, we see that,
Jesus, after He met this crowd
00:35:49.56\00:35:54.50
on the other side of the
sea, He answered them and said,
00:35:54.53\00:35:58.11
verse 26, "Most assuredly
I say to you, You seek me,"
00:35:58.14\00:36:02.79
good thing, yes or no?
00:36:02.82\00:36:05.40
Is seeking
Jesus good? Yes or no?
00:36:05.43\00:36:07.95
Yes, absolutely.
00:36:07.98\00:36:09.53
"You seek me," He said,
"Not because you saw the signs,
00:36:09.56\00:36:15.19
but because you ate of
the loaves, and were filled."
00:36:15.22\00:36:19.06
Jesus says, look,
right action, wrong motive.
00:36:19.09\00:36:23.23
You seek me, but
for the wrong reasons.
00:36:23.26\00:36:26.78
Do not labor for
the food which perishes,
00:36:26.81\00:36:29.26
but for the food which
endures to everlasting life,
00:36:29.29\00:36:33.03
which the son of
man will give you
00:36:33.06\00:36:35.34
because the father
has set His seal on him.
00:36:35.37\00:36:40.32
Friends, we can seek
Jesus for the wrong reasons.
00:36:40.35\00:36:45.88
We can actually
do the right thing
00:36:45.91\00:36:47.97
for the wrong motive.
00:36:48.00\00:36:50.98
And you may be here at
Witness and I want to say this,
00:36:51.01\00:36:53.63
of all the places to
meet your future life partner,
00:36:53.66\00:36:56.51
this is one of the best.
00:36:56.54\00:36:58.91
But I want to say this,
you're in a youth conference
00:36:58.94\00:37:02.34
where other people are
here seeking after Jesus,
00:37:02.37\00:37:05.39
but if the reason you are here
00:37:05.42\00:37:07.58
is to meet your
future life partner,
00:37:07.61\00:37:10.26
you're in the right
place for the wrong reason.
00:37:10.29\00:37:15.44
Why do you want
to go on outreach?
00:37:15.47\00:37:17.33
Is it 'cause that that cute
boy who loves Jesus is coming?
00:37:17.36\00:37:23.10
Or is your motive to
serve those in the community,
00:37:23.13\00:37:26.83
to share with
them the bread of life
00:37:26.86\00:37:28.49
that can transform
them, that can break them free
00:37:28.52\00:37:31.24
from the chains
that are holding them?
00:37:31.27\00:37:35.75
Is our reason
for coming to church
00:37:35.78\00:37:38.23
or attending that
evangelistic series
00:37:38.26\00:37:40.07
or doing music in
order to get close to that
00:37:40.10\00:37:45.26
nice, single Adventist
girl or because our parents
00:37:45.29\00:37:50.24
are offering us money if
we actually go to church,
00:37:50.27\00:37:54.16
which happens sometimes.
00:37:54.19\00:37:56.08
We might be in the right place,
00:37:56.11\00:37:58.41
but God says, right
action, wrong motive.
00:37:58.44\00:38:03.86
Friends, what is our motive?
00:38:03.89\00:38:06.07
What is the
reason that we are here?
00:38:06.10\00:38:07.70
What is the reason
that we do the things
00:38:07.73\00:38:09.90
that we do, that we serve?
00:38:09.93\00:38:12.11
What is our motivation?
00:38:12.14\00:38:15.19
This is what God is asking us?
00:38:15.22\00:38:19.79
This is what God wants us
to do in checking our hearts.
00:38:19.82\00:38:23.67
As we see,
throughout scripture, the motif,
00:38:23.70\00:38:26.05
that motives made all
the difference in the world.
00:38:26.08\00:38:29.82
Motives made all the difference.
00:38:29.85\00:38:33.84
And if our reason for service,
if our motivation for worship,
00:38:33.87\00:38:38.41
if our
inspiration for evangelism
00:38:38.44\00:38:41.14
is for any other reason than
00:38:41.17\00:38:42.91
from our heart
filled with love for God
00:38:42.94\00:38:45.67
and love for our fellowmen,
a passion to see lost souls
00:38:45.70\00:38:49.30
saved in His kingdom,
then God looks at our deed
00:38:49.33\00:38:52.44
and He says, right
action, but wrong motive.
00:38:52.47\00:38:58.94
You know, if you
have come to Witness
00:38:58.97\00:39:02.53
and you have
mixed motives, know this
00:39:02.56\00:39:06.18
that we serve
such a powerful God.
00:39:06.21\00:39:09.45
And we serve such a loving God
that He can take those actions
00:39:09.48\00:39:14.56
even when our motives are wrong.
00:39:14.59\00:39:17.06
And He can bring
blessings out of that.
00:39:17.09\00:39:20.42
I can stand here all day
00:39:20.45\00:39:23.32
and I know that
you could share, too,
00:39:23.35\00:39:25.30
countless stories of
people who have showed up
00:39:25.33\00:39:27.93
at an evangelistic
series to heckle the preacher.
00:39:27.96\00:39:31.35
People who have showed up
to shout and be disruptive
00:39:31.38\00:39:35.35
and they have been converted.
00:39:35.38\00:39:37.48
There are
countless stories of people
00:39:37.51\00:39:39.12
who have sat in the back
of an evangelistic series
00:39:39.15\00:39:41.51
and taking very close notes.
00:39:41.54\00:39:43.69
Listening to everything
that the pastor has to say,
00:39:43.72\00:39:47.20
so that they can
find some fault with it.
00:39:47.23\00:39:50.26
And by studying the
Bible they were one to Christ.
00:39:50.29\00:39:53.55
My dad's aunt, who is the reason
00:39:53.58\00:39:55.66
that he is a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:39:55.69\00:39:57.07
is one of those people.
00:39:57.10\00:39:58.94
Zeb Hourigan, the leader
00:39:58.97\00:40:01.20
and one of the
founders of Witness,
00:40:01.23\00:40:03.02
one of the ways that he
was brought to the Lord,
00:40:03.05\00:40:05.03
powerful testimony.
00:40:05.06\00:40:07.36
One of the ways was
that he wanted to disprove
00:40:07.39\00:40:10.65
part of scripture
if I'm not mistaken.
00:40:10.68\00:40:12.90
And that led him
to a deeper study
00:40:12.93\00:40:15.33
in combination with many things
00:40:15.36\00:40:16.82
that were happening in his life.
00:40:16.85\00:40:18.84
We look and see through
history that there were people
00:40:18.87\00:40:22.19
who tried to disprove the Bible.
00:40:22.22\00:40:24.53
They set out to prove
that the resurrection of Jesus
00:40:24.56\00:40:27.91
was false and they
ended up writing books
00:40:27.94\00:40:30.81
proving that the resurrection
of Jesus took place.
00:40:30.84\00:40:34.68
If you are here
or you're serving God
00:40:34.71\00:40:37.07
for wrong motives,
00:40:37.10\00:40:39.31
know that even if you
are in the right place
00:40:39.34\00:40:41.73
for the wrong
reason, God can bless that.
00:40:41.76\00:40:44.82
But He wants our hearts to
be in the right place, amen.
00:40:44.85\00:40:48.47
The Lord wants our
hearts to be in the right place
00:40:48.50\00:40:51.73
and that place is in His hands.
00:40:51.76\00:40:54.82
You know, we sing songs together
00:40:58.05\00:41:01.65
and I love many of these songs.
00:41:01.68\00:41:04.78
We sing songs
like, "I've got a mansion
00:41:04.81\00:41:07.27
just over the hilltop,"
and we song songs like,
00:41:07.30\00:41:11.40
"In the sweet by and by."
00:41:11.43\00:41:13.46
And that is one
of my favorite hymns.
00:41:13.49\00:41:15.36
Did you know that
was one of Ellen White's
00:41:15.39\00:41:16.75
favorite hymns, too?
00:41:16.78\00:41:18.94
We sing these songs like,
00:41:18.97\00:41:20.41
"I've got a mansion
just over the hilltop,"
00:41:20.44\00:41:22.28
and it's good to
imagine and tell our children
00:41:22.31\00:41:26.23
to focus on the times in heaven
00:41:26.26\00:41:28.04
when we are going to
get to play with lions,
00:41:28.07\00:41:30.86
when we are going to
get to ride elephants.
00:41:30.89\00:41:33.21
It's gonna be a blast
00:41:33.24\00:41:34.32
and it's good to
focus on the times
00:41:34.35\00:41:36.08
when we can slide
down the neck of a giraffe,
00:41:36.11\00:41:39.54
when we don't have to
be afraid of the snakes
00:41:39.57\00:41:42.06
or anything that's poisonous.
00:41:42.09\00:41:44.47
Friends, it's good to
look forward to those times,
00:41:44.50\00:41:47.73
it's good to
look forward to having
00:41:47.76\00:41:49.33
a dwelling place in heaven.
00:41:49.36\00:41:52.66
But if our motive is going
to heaven for the mansions,
00:41:52.69\00:41:58.61
if it's going to heaven
for the streets of gold,
00:41:58.64\00:42:01.74
even if it's going to heaven
so we can be with our families
00:42:01.77\00:42:04.90
which is not a bad
thing in and of itself.
00:42:04.93\00:42:07.47
Friends, if this
is our primary motive
00:42:07.50\00:42:10.26
that is fueling our
direction heavenward,
00:42:10.29\00:42:13.50
if it's anything besides
spending eternity with Jesus,
00:42:13.53\00:42:18.31
then it is for the wrong reason.
00:42:18.34\00:42:20.54
Don't get me wrong.
00:42:20.57\00:42:21.60
These are good things,
but these are not the reason,
00:42:21.63\00:42:25.13
these are the results,
00:42:25.16\00:42:27.14
the real focus is
being with Jesus, amen.
00:42:27.17\00:42:30.17
Those things are just
side benefits and bonuses.
00:42:30.20\00:42:34.56
Those are the side blessings,
00:42:34.59\00:42:36.51
but those should
not be our reason,
00:42:36.54\00:42:38.52
not be our motivation
alone for being there.
00:42:38.55\00:42:43.05
What is our
motivation for heaven?
00:42:43.08\00:42:47.36
You know, fear of
hell, neither fear of hell
00:42:47.39\00:42:52.46
nor a desire for
the streets of gold
00:42:52.49\00:42:55.36
is strong enough to
keep us in the hands of God.
00:42:55.39\00:42:59.37
The love of Jesus, a passion
for spending time with Him,
00:42:59.40\00:43:04.36
for spending eternity with Him
00:43:04.39\00:43:06.56
is the only thing strong
enough to keep us in His hands.
00:43:06.59\00:43:11.04
And, friends, He wants to
put that love in our hearts.
00:43:11.07\00:43:15.59
God sees our
hearts, He reads our hearts.
00:43:15.62\00:43:19.35
He looks at our motives.
00:43:19.38\00:43:21.99
And, friends, when
our motives are right,
00:43:22.02\00:43:24.91
then He can lead and
bless in every other way.
00:43:24.94\00:43:29.83
There was a little girl
who wanted to do something
00:43:29.86\00:43:33.79
nice for her mother.
00:43:33.82\00:43:36.49
You see, her mother had recently
00:43:36.52\00:43:39.06
wanted to teach her daughter
how to do something helpful
00:43:39.09\00:43:42.21
and practical around the house.
00:43:42.24\00:43:44.99
And she had had her
daughter get a pair of scissors
00:43:45.02\00:43:48.68
and she said, "Okay, sweetheart,
00:43:48.71\00:43:49.83
I want to teach you how to care
for things around our home."
00:43:49.86\00:43:54.27
And she had noticed that
the strings of their curtains
00:43:54.30\00:43:57.06
were starting to hang low.
00:43:57.09\00:43:59.24
They had some loose threads.
00:43:59.27\00:44:01.05
And she said,
"All right, sweetheart,
00:44:01.08\00:44:02.13
we want to cut
off all these threads,
00:44:02.16\00:44:03.81
just a four-year-old girl,
00:44:03.84\00:44:05.95
and she said,
"All right, mommy."
00:44:05.98\00:44:07.77
And she started
cutting the threads
00:44:07.80\00:44:09.39
and they swept them up
and put them in the trash.
00:44:09.42\00:44:12.93
And then a few hours
later, her mom heard a knock
00:44:12.96\00:44:16.97
in her bedroom
door, she said, "Yes."
00:44:17.00\00:44:21.11
She came out and her daughter
said, "Mommy, I did some more.
00:44:21.14\00:44:26.28
I did something
nice for you. Look."
00:44:26.31\00:44:28.64
And in her hands her mom
was horrified to see the tassels
00:44:28.67\00:44:34.02
from their genuine Persian rug.
00:44:34.05\00:44:37.85
This little
girl had wanted to do
00:44:37.88\00:44:40.30
something nice for her
mother, but Persian rugs,
00:44:40.33\00:44:42.56
when the tassels
of the ends are cut,
00:44:42.59\00:44:44.73
they decrease in
value, incredibly so.
00:44:44.76\00:44:48.78
And this little girl had
that the tassels in her hand
00:44:48.81\00:44:51.38
and her mom thought, "Oh, no,
00:44:51.41\00:44:52.88
don't tell me
those are from our rug."
00:44:52.91\00:44:55.04
So she went out and
she looked and sure enough,
00:44:55.07\00:44:57.88
all of the tassels on the ends,
00:44:57.91\00:45:00.11
both ends of the
Persian rug were gone.
00:45:00.14\00:45:04.07
Her daughter had
done the wrong thing,
00:45:04.10\00:45:07.24
but her heart was right.
00:45:07.27\00:45:09.30
Her desire was right
and her mother knew that.
00:45:09.33\00:45:13.45
Her mother looked at her
and she said, "Sweetheart
00:45:13.48\00:45:15.31
that was so thoughtful of you.
00:45:15.34\00:45:18.01
That was so sweet of you.
00:45:18.04\00:45:20.30
I know you wanted
to do the right thing.
00:45:20.33\00:45:22.75
I know you wanted to
do something to help me
00:45:22.78\00:45:24.62
and I want to
thank you for that.
00:45:24.65\00:45:26.68
But next time you want to
do something with scissors,
00:45:26.71\00:45:28.94
let mommy know ahead of time."
00:45:28.97\00:45:32.73
Friends, when our
actions aren't all right,
00:45:32.76\00:45:36.67
but our motives are
genuinely pure and correct,
00:45:36.70\00:45:40.48
God can bless that.
00:45:40.51\00:45:43.63
It's when our actions are right
00:45:43.66\00:45:48.45
and our motives are
wrong, that we are in danger.
00:45:48.48\00:45:53.24
You know, we are
told in Jeremiah 17:9,
00:45:53.27\00:45:56.65
that "The heart
is desperately wicked
00:45:56.68\00:45:58.45
and deceitful above all things,"
00:45:58.48\00:46:00.92
the Bible says,
"Who can know it?"
00:46:00.95\00:46:03.03
You know, we can't
even assess correctly
00:46:03.06\00:46:05.53
what's going on in
our hearts and minds.
00:46:05.56\00:46:07.85
Sometimes, we are
doing the right thing
00:46:07.88\00:46:10.01
and we think we're doing
it for the right reasons.
00:46:10.04\00:46:12.87
But upon deeper inspection,
00:46:12.90\00:46:15.71
we realize that our
motivation was mixed.
00:46:15.74\00:46:19.55
Our motivations were not pure.
00:46:19.58\00:46:24.87
Friends, we need God to
do a heart check on us, amen.
00:46:24.90\00:46:30.21
Today, I don't know
00:46:30.24\00:46:31.39
what you may be
going through in your life.
00:46:31.42\00:46:33.27
I don't know what you
may be doing that's right.
00:46:33.30\00:46:37.50
But if you want to say, "Lord,
00:46:37.53\00:46:39.37
I want you to
reveal to me my motives.
00:46:39.40\00:46:42.90
Reveal to me my
reasons for my right actions."
00:46:42.93\00:46:46.46
If you want to
say along with David
00:46:46.49\00:46:48.21
as he did in Psalm 139:23, 24.
00:46:48.24\00:46:54.19
"Search me, O
Lord, and know my heart.
00:46:54.22\00:46:58.04
Try me, and know
my understanding,
00:46:58.07\00:46:59.88
and see if there be
any wicked way in me,
00:46:59.91\00:47:03.31
and lead me in
the way everlasting."
00:47:03.34\00:47:06.51
If that's your desire, I
want to invite you to stand.
00:47:06.54\00:47:09.68
If you want to say,
Lord, reveal to me the reason
00:47:09.71\00:47:12.96
behind the
actions that I am doing.
00:47:12.99\00:47:15.99
I don't want to just have
00:47:16.02\00:47:18.04
right actions and wrong motives.
00:47:18.07\00:47:20.75
Nor do I want to have right
motives, but wrong actions.
00:47:20.78\00:47:24.59
I want to have right
actions and right motives.
00:47:24.62\00:47:28.14
Reveal to me what's going
on in my heart and mind, Lord.
00:47:28.17\00:47:31.82
And give me a heart
single for your glory.
00:47:31.85\00:47:35.13
Give me a heart and mind
that desire to lift You up
00:47:35.16\00:47:38.90
more than anything
else in this world.
00:47:38.93\00:47:41.31
That's your desire, I'd
like to ask you to pray with me,
00:47:47.91\00:47:51.49
we're told that
many a song is a prayer.
00:47:51.52\00:47:55.04
Let's bow our heads.
00:47:55.07\00:47:58.85
Lord, I want to be a Christian
00:47:58.88\00:48:04.74
In my heart, in my heart
00:48:04.77\00:48:11.50
Lord, I want to be a Christian
00:48:11.53\00:48:17.64
In my heart
00:48:17.67\00:48:21.71
In my heart
00:48:21.74\00:48:26.31
In my heart
00:48:26.34\00:48:32.22
Lord, I want to be a Christian
00:48:32.25\00:48:38.55
In my heart
00:48:38.58\00:48:43.51
Father in heaven, we want
to be Christians in our hearts.
00:48:43.54\00:48:49.16
Not just in our outward actions,
00:48:49.19\00:48:52.30
but in our inward motives.
00:48:52.33\00:48:55.38
Fill us with the love of Jesus.
00:48:55.41\00:48:58.08
And may our primary
motive, our reason for action,
00:48:58.11\00:49:04.13
the reason behind
every good in godly action
00:49:04.16\00:49:07.38
be to share Your
love with the world.
00:49:07.41\00:49:11.87
May our motivation for heaven
not be the streets of gold,
00:49:11.90\00:49:16.38
the long missed family members
00:49:16.41\00:49:20.51
or the animals that
we'll get to play with,
00:49:20.54\00:49:22.32
that will be tamed, Lord,
those are bonus blessings,
00:49:22.35\00:49:26.63
but may our
motivation for heaven
00:49:26.66\00:49:28.86
be to be with Jesus.
00:49:28.89\00:49:31.36
We love You, Lord.
00:49:31.39\00:49:32.79
Thank You for the
Sabbath when we can spend time
00:49:32.82\00:49:35.83
in Your presence, a
foretaste of heaven.
00:49:35.86\00:49:38.93
And as it is soon to be upon us,
00:49:38.96\00:49:41.28
we pray that You would
anoint our hearts and minds
00:49:41.31\00:49:43.20
with Your Holy spirits
00:49:43.23\00:49:45.10
in Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:49:45.13\00:49:47.68