What is your Motive?

Malachi  3:13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?  3:14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

It’s not  what’s on the outside that counts, but what is on the inside that leads to what we do on the outside. 

Proper motivation is important to God, and improper motivation may well be idolatry as we worship self, religious performance, or the approval of others.

 Some people go through the right religious motions, but there is no joy or life present. Others do the right things to impress others or to make themselves look good. 

What God wants is a heart that has repented from the sin of chasing our own glory and performing dead works. He wants us to be controlled by His love and motivated by His glory and name.

Why do you serve the Lord? (Verse 14)

1. Do you feel that it is useless? (Israel was saying it is useless) We have all at one time or another felt that way. But we must keep our eyes on why we do it. We must do it because of Love. We love Jesus.

2. Do you do it for profit? Do you serve the Lord to gain something? Are you sure? Have you ever said, “Lord if you will do this then I promise, I’ll do that.”? Do you serve the Lord because you love Him or do you expect Him to compensate you for your good deeds? Do you have a form of worship but your heart is far from Him?

3. Do you do it for show? “Walked mournfully” They wore clothes as someone in morning sackcloth and ashes, the emblems of penitence; they forgot Isaiah 58:3-8, where God, by showing what is true fasting, similarly rebukes those who then also said, Wherefore have we fasted and Thou seest not? etc. 

They mistook the outward show for real humiliation. I feel most Christians today have done this for so long that they don’t even notice that they do it anymore.

In your service to God, your motives is judged not your outward appearance or zeal for the service of God. 

Check your motives today so not to serve God in vein. 

God bless you. 

Prayer key:

1. Lord thank you for another day given to me. 

2. Lord, sanctify my heart, that my motives may always glorify you in Jesus name 

3. Lord, Help me to faithfully and fearlessly serve you till the end in Jesus name. 

4. Thank you for answered prayer in Jesus Christ name. Amen.