Listen to Psalm 26:2&3 from the Message Bible - Examine me, GOD, from head to foot, order your battery of tests. Make sure I’m fit inside and out - So I never lose sight of your love, But keep in step with you, never missing a beat.
David wanted the Lord to show if there was any error in him. He wanted to be fit...inside and out! This is the year that we need to be fit inside and out. Spirit, soul and body! I like verse 3 - David didn't want to to lose sight of God's love, and he wanted to keep in step with God. That says a lot right there, that to keep in step with God we can't lose sight of his love and we need to be fit inside and out. Spiritually healthy, mentally healthy, emotionally healthy and physically healthy.
The place to start is at the root, our motives. We need to know why we do what we do and say what we say. And because we think most of the time that we are motivated by a good and selfless purpose, but we're not able to fully judge our motives without the help of the Holy Spirit.
Let's think for a moment about God's motives. What motivates God’s heart for doing everything that He does? The answer would have to be, love… Because He loves, and He is love, this motivates Him to action. He does nothing out of selfishness or hatred. There is no evil or bad in Him. As we follow Jesus in everything, we follow Him in our motives too. We should be motivated by love and put others before ourselves. Lining our will up with His will and His word.
So, as we examine our own heart and question our motives, we should consistently ask our self, “Are we doing what we’re doing and saying what we’re saying because we love? Or is it because I’m thinking about myself.” Lord, show me if there is any self-centeredness in me.
“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? (We could say are your motives tender and compassionate?) Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2:1–5, NLT)
Jesus is others minded, so we should think of others as He does. This attitude that Jesus has goes straight to the root of our heart and deals with our motives. Noticed that this passage doesn't say "be a doormat" it says do what Jesus does because you understand why He does what He does. How can we do that? By allowing the Holy Spirit to examine our motives and “check“ us if we get off.
I will end today with Psalm 19:14 from the Passion Translation - "So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing, acceptable before your eyes, Yahweh, my only Redeemer, my Protector."
David wanted the Lord to show if there was any error in him. He wanted to be fit...inside and out! This is the year that we need to be fit inside and out. Spirit, soul and body! I like verse 3 - David didn't want to to lose sight of God's love, and he wanted to keep in step with God. That says a lot right there, that to keep in step with God we can't lose sight of his love and we need to be fit inside and out. Spiritually healthy, mentally healthy, emotionally healthy and physically healthy.
The place to start is at the root, our motives. We need to know why we do what we do and say what we say. And because we think most of the time that we are motivated by a good and selfless purpose, but we're not able to fully judge our motives without the help of the Holy Spirit.
Let's think for a moment about God's motives. What motivates God’s heart for doing everything that He does? The answer would have to be, love… Because He loves, and He is love, this motivates Him to action. He does nothing out of selfishness or hatred. There is no evil or bad in Him. As we follow Jesus in everything, we follow Him in our motives too. We should be motivated by love and put others before ourselves. Lining our will up with His will and His word.
So, as we examine our own heart and question our motives, we should consistently ask our self, “Are we doing what we’re doing and saying what we’re saying because we love? Or is it because I’m thinking about myself.” Lord, show me if there is any self-centeredness in me.
“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? (We could say are your motives tender and compassionate?) Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2:1–5, NLT)
Jesus is others minded, so we should think of others as He does. This attitude that Jesus has goes straight to the root of our heart and deals with our motives. Noticed that this passage doesn't say "be a doormat" it says do what Jesus does because you understand why He does what He does. How can we do that? By allowing the Holy Spirit to examine our motives and “check“ us if we get off.
I will end today with Psalm 19:14 from the Passion Translation - "So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing, acceptable before your eyes, Yahweh, my only Redeemer, my Protector."
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Day 1 - Turning to GodDay 2 - Change Is NecessaryDay 3 - A Slight Change Can Produce Enormous ResultsDay 4 - Expect CorrectionDay 5 - Turning AsideDay 6 - Turning From the Flesh To The SpiritDay 7- Devoted Spirit, Defeated FleshDay 8 - Dealing With Your FleshDay 9 - Turning From TemptationDay 10 - Turning From SelfishnessDay 11 - Turning From DistractionsDay 12 - He's Looking For FaithDay 13 - Faith Can Be SeenDay 14 - Daily Meditation Leads To RevelationDay 15 - Prayer Life or Life of Prayer?Day 16 - Making Time To PrayDay 17 - Be StillDay 18 - He Calls You By NameDay 19 - Always Listen-ing
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