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“Messiah's Ongoing Truth Instructs Valiantly, Enhancing Scripture!" (M.O.T.I.V.E.S)”

Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher

SCRIPTURE:
"It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice." (Philippians 1:15-18)

Approach Question:
What has your reason been for preaching the Gospel and what has been the outcome?

Observations/Interpretations:

I asked myself what are the false motives for preaching the Gospel?
1. Out of envy
2. Out of rivalry
3. Selfish Ambition
4. Not sincerely
5. Stir up trouble for others.

I asked myself what are the true motives for preaching the Gospel?
1. Out of goodwill
2. Out of love.
3. Taking the place of others who are unable to.

Observations/Interpretations:

I asked myself what is Paul more concerned about and why is that significant?
Paul is more concerned about having the Gospel preached regardless of people's motives. He even says, 'But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice'

 It is more than likely that the Philippians must have complained to Paul that there were those who were preaching the Gospel with false motives. Paul agrees with them in v.15 'It is true' but he wants them all to see the big picture.

We have to remember that Paul used to be a Pharisee and was well grounded in the Jewish law and commandments. He may have remembered an important fact from Isaiah 55.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways,' declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:8-11)

Paul knew that God's Word will not go void but accomplish its purposes regardless of individuals own motives. Because the Gospel was being preached, Paul rejoiced.

Implications:
I asked myself, what is the purpose of today's study to apply in my life?
I am not commended to preach the Gospel out of envy, rivalry, selfish ambition, with non sincerity, and to stir up trouble for others. I need to preach the Gospel  out of goodwill, out of love, and to take the place of others. Preaching the Gospel is not a popularity contest about who can do the best, who can win more converts, who can fill the most pews, etc. God forbid that is not why God's Word should be preached, taught, or ministered to others for. I need to use God's Word for the sole purpose of the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to change lives.

The purpose of today's devotional is for me to understand that motives in preaching the Gospel are very important and the results can affect our own lives positively or negatively even if those the Gospel reaches are affected positively.

What I learned is motives are not as important as the Gospel being preached and people being saved. Yet, motives do define how we live our lives and what we do with our lives.

"We can justify every our deed but God looks at our motives." (Prov 21:2, TLB)

I am reminded of what Pastor Josh asked me, Courtney, Yvonne, David, Danilo, Lidia, Rodney, and Suzanne yesterday in our small group when he asked, "Who in your life has shown sacrificial love to you and what was the commonality/motive behind it?"

Before marriage, it was defintely my mommy and daddy who have shown sacrificial love to me. When my daddy lost his job because of wrongful termination, he could have upended all of us and taken us back to India but instead he kept us here to give us a good life where he used most of his savings to get us through middle school, high school, and even support us through college, paying for my brothers MBA degree too. My dad had become a professor of mathematics when he was very young. He taught all over the world and published in top journals. Having four boys, he saved a lot. He would always say to us, 'If we are not living a luxurious life, it is because I am saving it all for 5 of you, not for myself'. He never thought about himself. I cannot think of a time he bought non-essential foods or even clothes to enjoy for himself. He always thought about my mommy and four of us. Even when we bought him stuff to eat, his response would be, 'Son, why waste money buying me this to eat, when you could have saved it?'.  I would not trade my daddy for any other daddy in the world.  Yet, when it came to my mommy and all of us, he would buy us things to eat but never thought about himself. His motive for giving up a lot in life was his love for us to see his sons successful and his precious wife, my mommy well off. By the time, he went to be with the Lord, he still left enough for my mommy to take care of herself, if she did not have anybody. The love my dad showed all of us can only be summarized with the motive: sacrificial love through saving so we can be well off.

My mommy would stay up with me all night and even help me finish my book reports in middle school, stay up all night while I studied in high school and college for exams, so I would not fall asleep but have company. My dad was so kind to be okay with that even though he wanted her with him. My mom would spend endless time with me biblically counseling me which my daddy gave his implicit blessings. Even after my marriage, our family can see so many sacrifices she still makes for us and her daughter-law Chandra too. When we had Esther and Evangeline, it was my mom who would care for them at night by saying, 'Ramesh, you have work tomorrow so I need you to get enough rest. Chandra, you are still recovering from a C-section, so I need you to get enough rest'. Not only that but during Chandra's pregnancy, it was my mommy that made sure she had nutritious food to eat by cooking for her everyday. She sacrificed her trips even to see her own sons in other states to be there for Chandra and all of us.  My dad would say to us, 'Of all the woman in the world, there is no one like your mommy'. At the time my daddy said that to us, 'he was not a Christian' but my mommy was. My mom became a testimony to my daddy by her way of living. She always put Jesus first and family second. When we were in India, she would get up at 4:30 am, just so she could spend time with Jesus praying and reading the Word, so by the time my daddy got up and we were up, breakfast would be ready. She did the same thing here. When my daddy had to be on home-dialysis my mom so lovingly took care of him administering it to him, almost 6 times a day because that's how bad it was. My mom would say to me, 'The Lord Jesus knew how much I wanted to be a nurse and now the Lord made my dream come true because I can be a nurse to my husband and your daddy' She lived out her faith in front of my daddy and continues with us. My mommy reminds me of Prov 31 description of a virtuous woman towards my daddy and us because she became the epitome of Prov 31 while growing up. Even now she makes sacrifices for us. What is so touching to me is how well she takes care of my precious wife Chandra. The motive behind it is sacrificial love through spending time.

But the one who has shown the most sacrificial love in my life for the past 9 years, 5 months, 17 days has been my precious wife Chandraleela by willing to marry me and stay in this marriage through the hardship. Even before marriage, she knew that I was not making much money but was willing to come by my side and do ministry together through the church, etc.  Being a successful woman, working in a top hospital in Saudi Arabia and now being a domestic engineer at home has not been easy for her but happily she does it. It is a choice she decided to make until the kids reach 5 years of age because Chandra and I believed strongly the counsel Heather and Pastor Hugo shared with us even though they qualified it with, 'It depends on the family because in some cases both parents have to work'. After marriage, she has always swallowed her desires for my sake so I could continue to work a job that had nothing to do with my degrees. It pained her to see me having a 4.0 major in Legal Studies, 3.85 degree in Administration of Justice, 3.25 degree in Psychology, with a 3.85 minor in Business specializing in Management, 3.0 minor in Computer Science, and a 3.0 minor in math all going to waste financially because I was working in food services for 22 years. So, she would say to me, with the income we are making, I would rather see you in fulltime ministry than working a job as a means to ministry. She gave up an Indian church so she could minister with me where we are. The motive behind it is sacrificial love through suffering. Why? To love her husband and follow his lead. 

Pastor Josh would always say, 'Listen, Listen, Listen to your wife.' I had to ask myself, 'How have I shown sacrificial love to my wife more than in ministry to others?' I realized that I always put the Lord first, ministry second, and my family third. My motives were ministry because I was doing it for the Lord but my pastors Josh, Mike, and Lake reminded me, it should be Jesus first, family second, and ministry third.  So now when we are going on the path of fulltime ministry with Pittsburgh Standard, it will not happen without the blessing and support of my wife because it has to be my Jesus first, my family second, and then ministry. The motive has to be sacrificial love through sacrifice. I have to live out Ephesians 5 role as a husband to my wife. As Keng reminded me that family is a calling of the Lord too just like ministry could be and both have to be lived out. Family can never be ignored to do ministry. Thank you Jesus! So, I decided from today, I would actually keep a log of how my 24 hrs are spent to see how much percentage of that time is actually going to family over ministry, etc. The key still is Jesus first.

In my real life stories, all situations reflected on the sacrificial love of others because their motives were of love. The Gospel should be preached out of sacrificial love and not so we can make money or get accolades. Going into ministry should not be because of the money we can make or not going into ministry should not be because of the money we cannot make. Gospel should be the reason. I learned the Gospel is paramount but our motives need to be right too.

I ask you now dear friends, how are your M.O.T.I.V.E.S in life?
Dear friend, your motives for doing something can be for the right reason or the wrong reason. What I have realized is that even when we think we are doing good, if our motives for doing it is wrong, it will not bring us happiness and contentment in the long run. This can be in any area whether it is academics, relationships, career, etc. Take your motives to the Lord in prayer and allow Him to help you. He will my friend. Yes, He will, for He loves you so much. Oh, yes He does!

If you are doing ministry and your reasons for being in ministry are false motives, it is important to ask God for forgiveness and refrain from operating on false motives. God's Word can go out from you to others and God can bless other people's lives but God will not be pleased with you for doing things with false motives. In this case, it would be hard for you to see God's blessings in your own life. If you are thinking about ministry, please continually pray to the Lord and let Him work through you rather than doing it with your own selfish ambitions.

Motives are not limited to ministry alone but our motives need to be checked in all areas of our lives as we depend on Christ to lead us, guide us, and teach us. Praise the Lord! Amen!

If you are reaching out to others with the Gospel and do not see results in their lives right away, please do not give up. You are the sower but God is the One that makes the seed grow in people's lives. His Word will not go void and you should claim that promise! Amen!  Messiah's ongoing Truth instructs valiantly, enhancing Scripture!  Amen!

"Messiah's Ongoing Truth Instructs Valiantly, Enhancing Scripture!" (M.O.T.I.V.E.S)/"How are your M.O.T.I.V.E.S in life?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, we thank you for your abundant love for us. Thank you so much Lord Jesus how much you love us and care for us. Thank you for dying for our sins and coming back to life to save us. Lord have mercy; Christ have mercy. We confess that we have sinned. Lamb of God wash away our sins. I thank you Jesus for forgiving us and cleansing us with your precious Blood. Help us to live our life for thee and may we always have true motives as we serve thee. Help us please to proclaim your Word and not think that our pastors will do it or missionaries will do it but help us to be obedient to your Great Commission. Thank you so much Jesus. For you called each of us whatever our profession we are in to be Ambassadors for you Christ. Thank you so much that your Word never goes void. Thank you Lord for the promises we can claim from your Word! We turn our lives to thee and to the usage of your plans. We ask you to be in control of our lives. Thank you so much Jesus! We rest in thee Lord and walk with thee. Thank you that you have heard our prayers and answered us! Whatever your will is please give us the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! In Your Name We Pray Jesus! Amen!!!

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