WHY DO YOU DO, WHAT YOU DO?

As you read this, you may get a little agitated. But I believe the Lord is sending this word, to make us all stop, and think. Why do you do the things you do in church, for others, in ministry, etc.? The question is coming from Matthew 6:1-4. Verse 1 says, "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven." (NLT). The text is talking about giving to the needy, but the principle also points to the motives behind doing what Christians are suppose to do, and that's righteousness. This verse screams the theme that righteousness, which means "acting in an upright way", should not be done for public recognition.

If we are to be real here, humans, Believers included, have a natural inclination to seek praise for themselves, rather than God! People, whom we are, love to be seen and recognized...even those who proclaim, "Oh, I'm okay just sitting in the back", "I really don't need to have a title", and those who come to church or other events "fashionably late", knowing everyone will turn and see them when they walk in! HA! You might as well say Amen! People like attention! But, It's not suppose to be a bad thing.

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world- like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, SO THAT EVERYONE WILL PRAISE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER." (NLT). He was telling them that their righteousness, their good deeds will be a positive thing in the eyes of the world, and have positive effects on people and the world! But Jesus warns them..."Watch out!" Don't do what you do to be seen!

Let's just keep it real and make it plain...If we as Believers, whether we are Bishops, Pastors, Evangelist, Prophets, worship leaders, choir members, dancers, deacons, armor bearers, ushers or layman...If you are doing what you do, as a performance, to entertain, to advertise YOUR success, to compete for greatness or to be first, when your desires are met, and everyone "sees" you, YE HAVE NO REWARD OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. (MAT.6:1 KJV). EVERYTHING we do must Glorify the Father! But in order for that to happen, we must get our hearts and motives in check! We have to kill the flesh, and step aside from pride. We must truly come to grips with the fact that without God we can do nothing! SO ALL GLORY BELONGS TO HIM! Really loving Him, being in an intimate relationship with Him, really knowing Him and His love for us will strip away our tendency to do things to take His glory.

We have a choice here. We can allow the Holy Ghost to work within our hearts and minds to create clean hearts and clean minds that will produce pure motives, that will insist that our lives glorify the Lord, or we can be hypocrites, pretending to be giving glory to God, while inwardly seeking attention for ourselves. We must remember that being righteous means being morally right, and acting in an upright way. We cannot be this kind of Believer without totally being recreated! 2 Cor 5:17, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (NLT). This means that the inclination or tendencies we had to bring glory to ourselves, should now be gone, and replaced with the desire to GIVE GOD ALL THE GLORY AND ALL THE PRAISE.!

So...Why do you do, what you do?

BLESSINGS!

Pastor Sheila