Motives Matter

 

 

“But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.”

— Matthew 15:18

 

This parable offended the Pharisees, the disciples expressed. Why is this offensive? Because it speaks to motive not just action. It speaks to a person’s desire and purpose in life. 

 

Jesus said the inner being is what can defile a person. Yet, not just defiles (dirties) but makes the man (the Pharisee with whom Jesus spoke, then the disciples as He explained it—Jews then every person) ceremonially unclean—defiled by sin and unable to enter into God’s presence. 

 

Why insist on human traditions, which are transmitted orally from one generation to the next, or man’s rules and laws, which are just human interpretations from man’s sinful mind and understanding? What comes from the mouth comes from the heart. 

 

What then has greater power in your heart, mind, and spirit—being in a right relationship with God or proving to and getting the “approval” from other people? Consider your heart. What is your desire, purpose, and driving force in your life? What leads you?

 

 Instead of offending God, part with tradition and align your heart, mind, body, and spirit with God. Be not defiled, but cleansed by Him through belief in Jesus.

Unity or Discord

 

“Now may the God, who gives endurance and who supplies encouragement, grant that you be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,”

— Romans 15:5

 

My Interpretation of this verse after reading the Greek words is:

“Now May God, who gives you His strength to persevere and who inspires you, give each of you together the same mind, according to Christ Jesus, who made you one in mind (not discordant), with Him through the salvation He gave you.”

 

Notice that God gives His strength to persevere and His inspiration for how to be and live. 

 

Notice, also, Jesus gave the believers salvation and gave them the ability to be of the same mindset, not in opposition. 

 

What did Paul say the Roman Christians were to do? Choose to be of the same mind with other believers. Choose to seek and receive from God the strength to live in unity like Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Choose to live life as God divinely inspires. Choose to be united/harmonious with the other Christians.  Recognize the three main verbs—choose. 

 

Being in harmony with other people is a matter of your will. Will you choose to be like the Son, Father, and Spirit, to be unified? Will you accept and use the strength God offers His children? Will you choose to live your life as God inspires and guides you? 

 

Jesus chose to follow the will of the Godhead, of which He is a part. He gave up His human will of preservation of self. He chose to follow the divine will of offering Himself as the holy sacrifice needed to redeem people from their sins and the guilt of their sins. He gives believers the power over temptation with His strength.

 

Jesus chose to be united with God. Their love for humanity, though unlovely we are, led them to provide this sacrifice. Jesus willed for each of us to be united with God, to be in harmony with Him. 

 

Do you choose to be in harmony with God?

Will you choose to have the mind of Christ? 

Will you be united with God and other believers in mind and purpose?

 

Consider Philippians 2:5-11:

 

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason, also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name, which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

Will you choose unity with God or discordant chaos of life and mind?

 

Romans 15:6 gives us the reason we should be in unity. It says, “so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify and praise and honor the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (AMP).

 

You have a choice to make today.

Bread, Fish, and Egg

Bread, Fish, and Egg

 

“So, if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

— Luke 11:13

 

We’ve all heard and read of Jesus teaching that a good father would give bread, not a stone, fish, not a snake, and an egg, not a scorpion. A good father will give good things to his child—life, food/longevity (descendants), and freedom/solace/joy. 

 

Jesus had this in mind as He taught His disciples about prayer. When the disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, He taught the Lord’s Prayer. He said,

 

“OUR FATHER” (God is the summa of goodness and love, the example of summa parenting. When we say this, we acknowledge our recognition of Him as Creator of all, our Abba of our heart, soul, mind, and body.)

 

“IN HEAVEN” (The supreme God, Creator of heaven and earth reigns eternally on His throne. He is not limited to earth but rules over all that is from His throne in His highest heaven.)

 

“HOLY IS YOUR NAME” (YHWH’s name is so magnificent that it tells of the only Almighty One, YHWH. It thrills our soul. Our spirit sings when He is near.)

 

“YOUR KINGDOM COME” (As You reign in heaven, bring Your good, pleasant, and magnificent kingdom to dwell among us. This part of the prayer addresses our spiritual need of God to reign around and in us, to give us renewed spiritual life through and in Him, 

which means…)

 

“YOUR WILL BE DONE” (only You, YHWH, are supremely good and cause only good to occur. LORD, may Your will alone be done)

 

“HERE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN” (as recorded in Matthew 6:10) (We recognize Your goodness, greatness, and omnipotence. I AM. Have Your throne among us, Lord.)

 

“GIVE US EACH DAY OUR DAILY BREAD” (This prayer now addresses our physical earthly needs and recognizes our need to remain in God’s family. We fool ourselves thinking we can go off on our own and live life for ourselves. We are dependent on God for His good gifts of life-sustenance.)

 

“AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS” (Recognize only God is able to absolutely forgive, pardon, and remove the stain and guilt our sins place on and in us. This is our recognition God is Savior and Redeemer. We confess we are aware God made our spirits and we need His nurture and cleansing spiritually. We are dependent on God spiritually whether we recognize it or not. Jesus led the disciples to recognize that through this prayer. This statement comes from our heart, soul, mind, and body.)

 

“FOR WE OURSELVES ALSO FORGIVE ANYONE WHO IS INDEBTED TO US” (We are only able to do this because God has shown us how to do it through His forgiveness of us and has put this goodness in us when He did. He began making us like Him and drawing us into a right relationship when He did. We also need to be in right relationships with other people. This affects our hearts, too.)

 

“AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION” (Remind us that You, YHWH, give us hope, daily bodily sustenance, forgiveness, and daily right relationships with YOU and other people. What more do we need. You provide for our bodies, spirits, minds, and hearts. Make us content with these summum donum—supreme gifts. Nothing a temptation offers is better than what You, YHWH, give us though we don’t deserve anything from You.)

 

God gives better than bread, fish, and egg. He gives Life, Eternality/Food (life and family forever), and Solace and Freedom (forgiveness of our sins and power over temptations). Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the Way to eternal Life. Jesus is the Redeemer who gives freedom from the death of eternal mourning because of our separation from God forever. 

 

God gives even better than the best earthly father. He gives supremely good gifts—summam donum. His gifts give us life and freedom for our bodies, minds, souls, and hearts. The Lord’s Prayer expresses that. It expresses God’s supreme greatness and our absolute need of Him in our whole being. So much more will the Father in heaven give those who ask of Him. 

 

Seek. Knock. Ask. (Luke 12:10)

Ask YHWH for faith in Jesus. 

Ask Him for forgiveness and freedom. 

Ask Him for the Living Bread. 

Ask YHWH for the Holy Spirit. 

Ask and keep on asking. Seek and keep on seeking. Knock and keep on knocking. 

 

Our ABBA in heaven, holy is YOUR name!