Evaluate your motives, heart, mind, and the things you seek after. Are they pure and holy? For what reason do you seek them? Are you seeking to profit yourself or others? More importantly, will what you are doing honor and glorify the Lord? Test yourself daily to see whether your motives are honorable in God’s sight.
Every thought, action, and intention of the heart should be focused on and directed to fulfill the will of the Lord in your life. You are not here for your own selfish desires, no. I know it is difficult to determine your own motive many times. But is it? Do you really not see that most things you do, you do for yourself? Seek to honor God and He promises to reward you. Seek to please yourself and that is your reward.
Jesus said, “Thus when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” Matthew 6:2
But God has not left you alone. He gives the Holy Spirit if you seek to be filled to be your guide and compass to walk His narrow path. He will show you how to make your way straight and how to build for the Kingdom of God. How to work for what has eternal value.
You may be seeking a new job, a new relationship, a home, better health, or prosperity in many areas. But your daily feeding on His Word, Jesus, and His Spirit are much more important. There is nothing wrong with those other things as long as you put the Lord first. But it is of the utmost importance to follow God’s direction in everything you do. Everything that you do in this life, if it is not done for the Lord and for His good, will, and glory, you are doing them for yourself. There is no reward for that and in the end, everything you did for yourself will be burned up. It was worthless.
With this perspective in mind, I pray you will see with a greater understanding, with new eyes, and an eternal vision. Seek to follow and obey His commands, His precepts, His will for your life, and His Word. It is with this foundation that will establish yourself within His will. It is for eternity that you work and not for the things of this world. That is why He says,
“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
So, what are you going to do? I pray it is to seek to do God’s will early, often, and always, both day and night. I pray that you will desire to be least among men, to serve others, and the Lord. He Himself will exalt you and call you the greatest in the Kingdom of God if you are willing to humble yourself to the least on this earth. I know it is very hard, but oh so worth it.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us”?
But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:3-10
The Soul Sower 