What are motives?

The reason for a certain course of action, whether conscious or unconscious; an emotion, desire, physiological need, or similar impulse that acts as an incitement to action.
(Source: The Free Dictionary)

Motives are the reason WHY you do something. It is the ENDS to your means.

Though there are many things we may do that seem to be good, God inspects not the outward appearances, but the inner...

1 Samuel 16:1-7 (KJV) - And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

1. CHECK THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR HOUSE.

There are works that will not return a reward, but allow for one to enter into eternal life...

1 Corinthians 3:12-17 (KJV) - Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

There are works that will not allow for one to enter into eternal life...

Matthew 7:21-27 (KJV) - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

The foundation was the difference for each instance. Ensure that you build on the right foundation.

2. CHECK THE MATERIALS YOU USE TO BUILD.

1 John 2:15-17 (KJV) - Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

How can someone love the world?

Lust is translated as a desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden...

• Lust of the Flesh. Expressions of sin (see Mark 7:14-23; Galatians 5:19-21; James 1:12-15).



• Lust of the Eyes. Also translated as the eyes of the mind. Eyes are never satisfied…Proverbs 27:20. You must ensure you are walking in integrity and enduring temptation, so that you look upon the right things.



• Pride of Life. Pride is translated as empty, braggart talk; an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights; trusts in the stability of earthly things. Money, fame, position, status (Matthew 23:1-12; 1 Timothy 6:10).

In what ways can these trap a minister of the Lord in today's church?

2 Timothy 3:1-8 (KJV) - This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 4:2-5 (KJV) - Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

In ministry, it is very important that you make full proof of your ministry (see 2 Corinthians 13:5 as an example). Continuously check your motives for accomplishing the work you are doing and let things go (and repent where needed) as you know your motives are not with pure intent. Yield to the Spirit and walk after Him (Galatians 5:22-25).

Sometimes motives runs on a very thin line...allow your END to be pure so that your means will be with accomplished with integrity.

Here is what you can add to your faith to make your election and calling sure:

2 Peter 1:1-11 (KJV) - Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

3. FILTER ALL MOTIVES THROUGH GOD.

Proverbs 16:2 (KJV) - All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

Do not deceive yourself (1 Corinthians 3:18-19).

You may justify why you do something, but it would be wrong in the Lord's eyes. You want to be able to see things as He see them...because God will filter them one day. See the audio series on Justifying Sin for additional information.

Romans 12:1-2 (KJV) - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.