Motives

David Defeats The Ammonites

This chapter includes the insulting of David’s ambassadors by the Ammonites (vv. 1-5), Israel’s victory over the Ammonites under Joab’s leadership (vv. 6-15) and Israel’s campaign against the Syrians (vv. 16-19). The King of Ammon had died, and David had sent a delegation to comfort …

The loyality of people to each other.

The Israelites had been camped in the plains of Moab. From this position, they were ready to enter the Promised Land. Up to this point, all the tribes of Israel had fought together, traveled together, and sometimes had sinned together. But now things were changing as two of the t …

What’s Your Motive for Following Jesus

The sixth chapter of the Gospel of John is the setting for one of the great discourses of our Lord, “bread of life.” This discourse takes place in the synagogue at Capernaum. The people demanded that Jesus perform a greater sign than Moses (vv. 30-35). They must have felt that the feeding of …

Motives of Service

Jesus healed Peter’s Mother-in-law (vv. 14-17). When He saw her lying in bed sick with a fever he touched her, and she was healed. She immediately got up from her bed and began waiting on the Lord and the many disciples who were with Him. Matthew saw this as a fulfillment of …

Paul Surrenders His Rights

Different people serve God for different reasons. We know that there are definitely some motives that people have for serving God that are unacceptable. Jesus made it clear that striving for position and popularity are unacceptable motives for ministry. Greed is also an unacceptable motive for …

IllustrationAn elderly man on the beach with a magic lamp.

An elderly man on the beach found a magic lamp. He picked it up and a genie appeared. “Because you have freed me,” the genie said, “I will grant you a wish.” The man thought for a moment and then responded, “My brother and I had a fight 30 years ago and h …

IllustrationOther People Can DE-Motivate You

I remember a Youth Minister saying years ago “My problem is not motivating people; My problem is people DE-motivating me!” From years in ministry I have learned the hard way that People will disappoint you. People will oppose you. People will see themselves in competiti …

IllustrationMen wanted for hazardous journey

The following advertisement once appeared in a London newspaper; "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return …

IllustrationRemedy for patient who was always late

At the busy dental office where I work, one patient was always late. Once when I called to confirm an appointment, he said, “I’ll be about 15 minutes late. That won’t be a problem, will it?” “No,” I told him. “We just won’t have time to give you an anesth …