Posts Tagged ‘Motivation’


Under Gods Command

 Jeremiah 4:22 – My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding.  They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.

 Judah was skilled in doing evil and did not know how to do good.  Right living is more than simply avoiding sin.  It requires decision and discipline.  We must develop skills in right living because our behavior attracts attention to our God.  We should pursue excellence in Christian living with as much effort as we pursue excellence at work.


Under Gods Command

 Jeremiah 4:22 –  My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding.  They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.

 Judah was skilled in doing evil and did not know how to do good.  Right living is more than simply avoiding sin.  It requires decision and discipline.  We must develop skills in right living because our behavior attracts attention to our God.  We should pursue excellence in Christian living with as much effort as we pursue excellence at work.


Under Gods Command

 Jeremiah 3:11-13 – The Lord said to me, Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah.  Go proclaim this message toward the north: Return, faithless Israel declares the LORD, I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful, declares the LORD, I will not be angry forever, Only acknowledge your guilt-you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods, under every spreading tree and have not obeyed me.    

 Israel was not even trying to look as if it were obeying God, but Judah maintained the appearance of right faith without a true heart.  Believing the right doctrines without heartfelt commitment is like offering sacrifices without true repentance.  Judah’s false repentance brought Jeremiah’s words of condemnation.  To live without faith is hopeless; to express sorrow without change is treacherous and unfaithful.  Being sorry for sin is not enough.  Repentance demands a change of mind and heart that results in changed behavior.  

 


Under Gods Command

 Proverbs 29:1- A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes, will suddenly be destroyed-without remedy.

 Warnings rarely come with countdowns.  We can’t tell when we’ve had our last chance to change.  When we, like the person in this proverb, refuse to consider valid criticism, we leave Ourselves open to sudden disaster.   The moment we realize that a change is necessary is the best moment to take action.  What significant adjustments have been on hold in your life for too long?


Under Gods Command

 Jeremiah 3:4-5 Have you not just called to me; ‘My Father, my friend from my youth, will you always be angry? Will your wrath continue forever? This is how you talk, but you do all the evil you can.”  

 In spite of their great sin, the people of Israel continued to talk like they were God’s children.  The only way they could do this was to minimize their sin.  When we know we’ve done something wrong, we want to downplay the error and relive some of the guilt we feel.  As we minimize our sinfulness, we naturally shy away from making changes, and so we keep on sinning. But if we view every wrong attitude and action as a serious offense against God, we will begin to understand what living for God is all about.  Is there any sin in your life that you’ve written off as to small to worry about?  God says that we must confess and turn away from every sin.  


Under Gods Command

Proverbs 26:20 – Without wood a fire goes out, without gossip a quarrel dies down.

Talking about every little irritation or piece of gossip only keeps the fires of anger going. Refusing to discuss them cuts the fuel line and makes the firs die out. Does someone continually irritate you? Decide not to complain about the person, and see if your irritation dies from lack of fuel.


Under Gods Command
 
Proverbs 25:18- Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.  
 
Lying (false testimony) about someone is as vicious as an act of physical violence.  Its effects can be as permanent as those of a stab wound.   The next time you are tempted to pass on a bit of gossip, imagine yourself stabbing the victim of your remarks with a sword.  This image may shock you into silence.


Under Gods Command

 Jeremiah 1:16 – I will pronounce my judgment on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made. 

 The people of Judah sinned greatly by continuing to burn incense to and worship other gods.  God had commanded them specifically against this (Exodus 20 3-6) because idolatry places trust in created things rather than the Creator.  Although these people belonged to God, they chose to follow false gods.  Many “gods” entice us to turn away from God.

 Now let’s relate this to today.  Material possessions dreams for the future, approval of others, and vocational goals compete for our total commitment.  Striving after these at the expense of our commitment to God puts our heart where Judah’s was-and God severely punished Judah.


Under Gods Command 

Jeremiah 1:5-8 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  “Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you and say whatever I command you.  Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. 

 God knows us, as he knew Jeremiah, long before we were born or even conceived.  He thought about you and planned for you.  When you feel discouraged or inadequate, remember that God has always thought of us as valuable and that he has a purpose in mind for us.  If God gives us a specific task, accept it cheerfully and do it with diligence.  If God has not given us a specific call or assignment, then seek to fulfill the mission common to all believers to love, obey, and serve God until his guidance becomes more clear.

 Often we struggle with new challenges because we lack self-confidence, feeling that they have inadequate ability, training, or experience.  Jeremiah thought he was “only a child” to young and inexperienced to be God’s spokesman to the world.  But God promised to be with him.  We should not allow feelings of inadequacy to keep us from obeying God’s call.  He will always be with us.  When you find yourself avoiding something you know you should do, be careful not to use lack of self-confidence as an excuse.  If God gives you a job to do, he will provide all you need to do it.

 God does not keep us from encountering life’s storms, but he will see us through them.  In fact, God walks through these storms with us and recues us.


Under Gods Command

Genesis 30:22-24 Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb.  She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”  She named him Joseph, and said “May the Lord add to me another son.”

Eventually God answered Rachel’s prayers and gave her a child of her own.  In the meantime, however, she had given her maidservant to Jacob.  Trusting God when nothing seems to happen is difficult.  But it is harder still to live with the consequences of taking matters into our own hands.  Resist the temptation to think God has forgotten you.  Have patience and courage to wait for God to act.