Today's message from the scripture is challenging because it really makes you dig deep about your motives. For me, it made me not only check my motives for fasting but for everything I do for God. I was thinking this morning about what Krista posted yesterday how some Christians want to share the love of Christ for numbers. That is CLEARLY NOT the motive that honors God or wins souls. But I can't judge because my heart isn't always right. As a matter of fact I KNOW there have been times, as in probably a week or two ago lol, when I would do something spiritual and really the motive was selfish. I wasn't reading my word to reach others....I was doing it because I figured that was what I needed to do in order to prove to God that I was ready for the next blessing so He would hurry up and bring it already. UGH, that's pretty tough to admit....but it's real! Now I'm not saying my whole spiritual life has been this way, but from time to time you've just got to do a heart check! My mommy dearest said something to me the other day that God had revealed to her and I can't remember it verbatim (hopefully she'll comment later and correct me lol) but basically it was about how your spiritual state is a reflection of where your heart is right now in life. I say all this to say, take some time out today and do a HEART CHECK! I'm sure that if we check our spiritual motives all other motives will probably fall into their proper place. So check away and let us know what you find ;-)!
While you're checking, this might be a good song to listen to....
"Give Me A Clean Heart" by Fred Hammond
Matthew 6:5-16
Isn’t fasting supposed to be a secret? You may have started this journey with a group that is fasting along with you. Many fasts in the Bible were corporate fasts called by authority figures for a whole group to participate in together. Reflect on the heart of what Jesus is saying in this passage. What has been the motive behind any conversations you’ve had about fasting? Is it to encourage others or receive support? Is there some secret wish to be seen as holy or spiritual? Only two know the answer to those questions – you and God. Pray today asking God to uncover your motives for fasting and ask for ways you can seek the encouragement you need without clouding your heart with pride.
Wow. Im just like that too sometimes Alex!! I just pray and read he bible because I want something, but it's not about that. Yes I want blessings (who doesn't) but I don't want to just pray for them. I want to spend time with God because He's God. I always think how everyone says you have a RELATIONSHIP with God. For example, It made think what if I treated Bekah like that (im not comparing Bekah to God lol), but I love talking, and spending time with Bekah. She's my best friend, but what if I was selfish, and only went to her when I wanted something. You can't treat a relationship like that. That's how I treat my relationship with God. I only go to Him when I want something from Him, and that's not fair. He asks so little from us, and we need to do better, as a whole. All Christians. So I'm glad our family is fasting for the right reasons (I hope lol).
ReplyDeleteWe need to always check the motives of our hearts and God tells us to daily examine what we do and why. That will keep you humble because when you are doing for others its easy to start feeling prideful. But when you go before the Lord, He will humble you and bring you back to reality. That reality is we can do nothing without God's grace and mercy. I hope He has mercy on us tonite, I had to get Subway sandwiches for the youth due to getting off late. Krista yelled at me as she ate it.
ReplyDeleteToday has been a real struggle for me. Heck! If the truth be told, I've been struggling the whole 5 days. Not so much with the food (except for today). I kinda, almost ordered liver and onions from a soul food restaurant today, lol! Back to the point. My struggle has been with prayer (genuine communion with Dad. I am experiencing what I like to call "Adam, where are you?" syndrome right now. I've been here before. Its that place where God knows exactly where I am, and yet I have the nerve to put on a covering (fake face) as if He (God) cant see through me. Has anyone ever been there? I can't really say I'm involved in some gross sin. Its just that I know I am not exactly in the place where I know the center of His will is for my life. Do you know what I mean? It's about being transparent before the Lord in every way. I had a dream the first night of the fast that Alex sort of mentioned, lol! I'll clarify. I have been reading Proverbs a lot lately, and on that first night of the fast I read a proverb that really floored me. Proverbs 27:19...It said, and I quote from the NIV, "As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart". Wow! That hit me like a ton of bricks. Then I had the nerve to dream about it. In the dream, we were all together in what looked like a large covention size buildig (maybe a church, not sure.) To make a long story short, I quoted that scripture to Wayne and Bernard. They both seemed to get the message, but right at that moment, a guard asked me to leave because I was smoking a cigarete, lol! "As if!" Anyway, when I woke up I heard the scripture again, and this time with more emphasis on the fact that it did not mean what I wanted my life to be tomorrow, but whatever my life was/is today, God was telling me this was a direct reflection of the condition of my heart. As I pondered that thought I knew that the Lord was not just talking about a heart tainted by sin (missing the mark), but even if you're hurt, or angry, or injured (physically, emotionally, or spiritually) your life tends to take on the direction of that condition. I'm grateful that Alex entitled the blog today "Heart Check" because my prayer is that God will continue the work of healing and restoration in my heart, so that I can run this race at the pace He has set for me. I pray the same thing for all of you. It's like the Word says...As a man thinketh in his heart - so is (lives) he (Prov 23:7). Love you guys!
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