Pastor Ralph Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 Q22. (Matthew 6:1-4; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Proverbs 4:23) Why are motives so important to genuine humility? If the heart is deceitful, how can we ever have pure motives? What does it mean for us to guard our hearts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewells Posted October 13 Report Share Posted October 13 Q22. (Matthew 6:1-4; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Proverbs 4:23) Why are motives so important to genuine humility? If the heart is deceitful, how can we ever have pure motives? What does it mean for us to guard our hearts? The motives are what drive us to choose a certain thing. So if what is motivating us is pure our choices will be in righteousness. The Lord wants us to serve him because we love him and want to obey him not to look good or put ourselves on display or deceive anyone or get unjust gain We have to always ask God to show us our hearts. Sometimes we have a divided heart and God has to cleanse the divide. Sometimes our priorities are not right. God wants us to seek him and ask for the help we need when we detect things are just not right. And when we just don't know what is not right we have to ask him to show us so we can serve like he does Sometimes we just don't have self awareness and we haven't had good examples in life. We can guard our hearts by humbling ourselves and being teachable realizing we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus and everyone is being changed into his likeness by his grace. When we surrender to him, he gently leads and guides us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Wolf Posted October 13 Report Share Posted October 13 Q22. (Matthew 6:1-4; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Proverbs 4:23) Why are motives so important to genuine humility? If the heart is deceitful, how can we ever have pure motives? What does it mean for us to guard our hearts? In Matthew 6, Jesus is explicit in our motives: "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them." He goes on to teach that it is a private, secret thing to practice the righteousness we have been given by our Savior and our new life in Him, not a trumpet sounding instant reward system. Jeremiah tells us our hearts are deceitful. Thankfully, we can ask and trust the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (John 16:13)--even the truth of deceit in our hearts, so we can repent. Guarding our hearts so no evil seeps into our lives is really important! The verses around Proverbs 4:23 shed light on what it means to guard our hearts. Proverbs 4:20-27 says, "My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Clifford wilson Posted October 16 Report Share Posted October 16 Q22. From the heart of man flows good or evil. We are in control of our very core when we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in God will. How do I recogonize my deeds from within? If I am navigating my life from the outside influences then, things that I see or want, I might not think about how it affects my heart. This Q22 tells me to guard this heart and love the Lord with all of my heart. We must pray and converse with the Holy Spirit if we truely seek his holiness. Humility is the way. A humble man profits from cleansed heart imputed in him by God. I am therefore responsible focus on the God of my heart. Going forward in life we must question our very motives in all that we do or say. we are directed to test the spirits 1 John 4V1-6. We must question the words that we receive in the spirit and from elements that the outward man sees and hears. We will then be able to know what to allow in our core and protect it. This keeps us safe from demonic influences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Eve Posted October 16 Report Share Posted October 16 Q.22 Matthew 6:1-4, Jeremiah 17:9-10, Proverbs 4:23 Why are motives so important to genuine humility? Motives are important to genuine humility because our motives determine who we are and what we do. God cares more about who we are becoming than what we can achieve. Again, humility is putting people's concerns above yours. If the heart is deceitful, how can we ever have pure motives? We can't ! It is impossible because a deceitful heart can bring negative actions such as pride, anger, revenge, or desire for approval. The only way we can ever have pure motives is if we surrender our heart to the control of the Holy Spirit. What does it mean for us to guard our hearts? To guard our hearts means that we are to be aware of what enters your heart and to be fruitful to God. Our thoughts and actions shape our heart, so you should be alert to what's going on in your mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Q22. (MATTHEW 6:1-4; JEREMIAH 17:9-10; PROVERBS 4:23) Why are motives so important to genuine humility? If the heart is deceitful, how can we ever have pure motives? What does it mean for us to guard our hearts? We are to guard our motives, making sure that they are done only with good intentions and not for appearance or to receive recognition and praise. They must be done so that God only gets all the glory. It is only with the help of the Holy Spirit that we are being sanctified and with time our motives will become in line with those of our Lord Jesus. The source of all the trouble we bring upon ourselves is our heart, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander” (Mat 15:19). It is deceitful above all things and beyond cure (Jer 17:9) and therefore we must guard it and our motives with all diligence. One sin that will take the lead if we are not careful is pride - pride is also the last sin that dies in the heart of a child of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clelie Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Motives come from the heart and hearts could be deceitful and all our thoughts are known of God. So our motives should be pure without any hidden agenda so they are genuinely humble. Pure motives are from a heart that belongs to God where He reigns on its throne. Guarding our hearts is to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit that brings conviction and helps us to see our mistakes or errors and repent . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanele Tlhakanelo Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Motives are important to genuine humility because they make you not to pretend to be something that you are not. We need to know that whatever we do in pretence, God sees the heart. We can fool people by our motives but we cannot fool God. It is therefore important that when we help those in need, we do not move about letting the whole world know because if we do, we have already received our rewards. Whe the heart is deceitful, we can have pure hearts by repenting. We must always ask for forgiveness if what we do to help the needy becomes a show-off instead of doing it as a sign of humility. We must always ask the Holy Spirit to help us so that we can move on after repentance. Guarding our hearts means we must not allow evil to take control of our thoughts because whatever we think, we do. It is important not to allow pride to take over our lives because it will make us not to hear what the Holy Spirit in the small still voice continues to tell us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolaas A.P. Mostert Posted October 18 Report Share Posted October 18 Q22. (Matthew 6:1-4; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Proverbs 4:23) Why are motives so important to genuine humility? Humble service to the poor, if done for the right reasons, will be rewarded/ Giving must be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. If the heart is deceitful, how can we ever have pure motives? Never ever will there be pure motive with a deceitful heart. What does it mean for us to guard our hearts? We must have some control over our motives, from its thoughts and intents flow one's very life and actions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George L Posted October 19 Report Share Posted October 19 Q22. (Matthew 6:1-4; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Proverbs 4:23) Why are motives so important to genuine humility? Service to others always separates the service for self recognition. If the heart is deceitful, how can we ever have pure motives? We must depend upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Be doing that the Father wants done, what Jesus would do. What does it mean for us to guard our hearts? We need take great care to avoid self serving decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epiphone8 Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians where we’re called to examine ourselves daily to check we remain in the faith. It can be incredibly easy to fall into the trap of charity because it makes us feel good. While I don’t believe that feeling to be itself sinful, when that becomes the motive of our serving it becomes about self and that is a problem. I think this one way our hearts can deceive us. It’s easy to develop a sense of pride just as Jesus describes the white washed tombs of the pharisees. When we give, whether in secret or in the presence of others, it should always be to show the love of Christ and to him should go the glory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda Joy Posted October 21 Report Share Posted October 21 Q22. (Matthew 6:1-4; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Proverbs 4:23) Why are motives so important to genuine humility? If the heart is deceitful, how can we ever have pure motives? What does it mean for us to guard our hearts? Motives reveal the reason why we do what we do. If we do something for the sake of self it shows pride. If we do something for the care and concern for others reveals the focus is on them not us. We have to continually operate from the Spirit and not the flesh. Our flesh screams to elevate itself yet if we are in the Spirit we are made new, we are being renewed, refreshed and following Jesus. To guard our hearts means we are submitted to God and conscious of our actions. We are judging ourselves to be sure we are acting and living according to the Word. Guarding our hearts means I am watchful and attentive to what is in my heart and I allow the Holy Spirit the ability to convict me when needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janzie Posted October 25 Report Share Posted October 25 On 8/12/2024 at 8:51 PM, Pastor Ralph said: Q22. (Matthew 6:1-4; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Proverbs 4:23) Why are motives so important to genuine humility? If the heart is deceitful, how can we ever have pure motives? What does it mean for us to guard our hearts? We don't do acts of mercy, giving and service to be seen by men. Motives are so important to genuine humility. God doesn't look at the outward appearance, He looks on the heart. He know our motives. The heart is deceitful above all things. Who can know it. We need to repent and let God change our heart and give us pure motives. We need to guard our hearts in what we hear, see, speak and let Jesus be the center of our life. When we do this, He helps us with our motives and keeps us from sin and sinning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissi Posted November 10 Report Share Posted November 10 Motive means moving or movement, from the Latin "motivus." Thus, we call a car an auto-motive because it seems to move by itself (no horse). Too, we often say that we were “moved” by a great phrase in literature, for example. We also can be moved to help someone out of a purer form of pity, which is not sin. I do not believe that our motives will ever be entirely pure, though we get closer to that ideal as we mature in Him. We have been tainted by sin. Forever. Our salvation removes the stain of sin in the eyes of God, but not in our minds and bodies. Thus, we remain sin-bound until we die. I’m not saying we don’t improve or make strides toward ameliorating certain sinful tendencies, but only that we remain sinful in our deepest of cores … the Wesleyan doctrine of perfectionism is not true. Wesley says we need to “agonize” ourselves in our pursuit of sinlessness -- even he, at times, recognizes the futility of striving for perfectionism, for we never reach a condition of sinlessness in this life. We have to admit that our motives are never pure. Never. And our humility is never genuine either, though over the years it approximates that goal more closely. To guard our hearts means to recognize the inevitability of sinning and the struggle to not give into it. It’s a defensive posture. Guarding our hearts means keeping something from overwhelming us, whether that force originates from within or outside of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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