Having Honest Motives Before God Part II

Having Honest Motives Before God Part II

A lot Christians worry constantly if they are living godly lives. They focus their attention on themselves. They try to live righteously in their own strength. Well, I can tell you, it's not possible!

God did not design us to live in a self-focused manner and when we constantly try to get better on our own, be godly on our own, we are focusing all our attention - negative and positive - on ourselves, not the one who can actually change us.

We are saved by grace through faith. Salvation is not based on our own works. We can never do enough or be good enough to become godly on our own. Righteousness comes from seeking God and allowing Holy Spirit to change us little by little. All we need to do is focus on Him.

We need to focus our mind and heart on God, His Word, His will, and our motives will then become more righteous. 

Instead of striving selfishly on becoming what we think God wants us to be, maybe we just focus on falling in love with the Lord and delighting in His presence.

Each day as we spend more time with God, our minds are renewed in His truth and we are transformed.

Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good an acceptable and perfect will of God."

Again, we are not changed by our own striving, but by the time we spend with God and His word that changes us.

I'm a checklist and a formula person. For years I studied the Bible, not necessarily to get to God's heart, but to figure out the formula for righteous living and how to live the way God wanted me to. I was so focused on what I could do or needed to do that I lost site of the whole point. And in that checklist mindset, I started to overcomplicate my relationship with God and things started to turn legalistic. 

Paul wants against this in 2 Corinthians 11:3 "But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

We tend to overcomplicate our relationship with God by trying to do everything ourselves and not giving Holy Spirit a chance to change us from within.

Our relationship with God can be simplified much more than we think. 

God loves us, Jesus died to save us so that we can be reconnected to God, Holy Spirit makes us more like Jesus as we spend time with Him.

Now, that doesn't mean that we are passive in this relationship. We still do have some responsibilities here.

Galatians 2:20 says "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Jesus crucified His fleshly body for us, now it's our turn to crucify our flesh and all its desires for Jesus daily. 

1"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 

2Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

3For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

5Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, (consuming) passion, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry." Colossians 3:1-5

Our responsibility is to put to death our old self and our old worldly, selfish desires daily. We keep a short list with God. It is inevitable that we will fall and sin, but don't hesitate to repent and bring is to the feet of Jesus. 

Every day it is a struggle to die to our self but that is our part in this relationship. If we sacrifice our old self and seek God's heart, He will help us to live righteously and become more like Jesus.