Acts 8:9-25

I got a special word form God today concerning motives of the heart.
I read a story today out of ACTS 8 about Simon the Sorcerer. If you
know anything about this man from the book of ACTS he was performing
all kinds of false signs and wonders throughout Jerusalem and
surrounding villages. Many people marvelled at the works that he did
and even thought he was man endowed with the power of God.

But what happened to Simon? He got saved when he saw the Apostles
performing many miracles, signs and wonders and doing things that he
new that his kind of magic could not do. After he got saved he saw
people get filled with the Holy Spirit through the laying on of
hands.
He wanted to do the same thing. We wanted that anointing and offered
to pay money to get it so that he can do the same thing that the
apostles did.

Peter told him that because of his wicked request that he would
perish with his money. So Simon said what must I do so that none of
the things which you have spoken this day will come upon me. Peter
told him to repent of his wickedness.

What the Lord showed me was more along the line of a personal
word,but I want to share it with you, because there are many people
out there who go into ministry all for the wrong reasons. The Lord
began to deal with me about pure motives of the heart. Motives are
the issues in life that drive us to excel or drive us to perform and
action. Sometimes we have good itentions, but purely wrong motives.

There are three motives that many people deal with. (1)The Ministry
Motive? Why are you going into the ministry? Is it to be famous? Is
it to make alot of money? Is it to be the next big ministry on
television? Or, is it because you have a passion to reach the lost,
and promote the Kingdom of God. Many people focus on these things
when they go into the ministry.

The second, the serving motive. Why are you serving in the church?
Is it to be seen? Is it to gain recognition among your peers? Or is
it because you love God and want to serve him with your whole life?

The third motive, the financial motive. What are you doing with your
money? Are you a good steward of the money that God has placed you
in charge of? Do you tithe? Do you give over and above offerings?
Why do you give? Is it because you believe that if you give that you
will get back? Is it because you want people to know how much money
you have? Or, is it because you love God and want him first in your
finances?

When the Lord began to deal with me on this,it became a hard pill to
swallow. I was one of those who wanted to go into the ministry
because I wanted to be the next big thing. I served because I wanted
to be seen of men. I craved recognition. I gave in offerings because
I was expecting God to supernaturally send me a big check. I didn't
care about the real reason for ministry I just wanted to preach and
teach the word. I wanted people to know how smart I was in the word
of God. I fed off the prasie and the AMEN's I got whenever I hit on
a good point.

But, God has humbled me and told me that this has become a "Golden
Calf" in your life. Just like Simon the Sorcerer. I had good
intentions but impure motives. I was wanting to do the work of the
minstry to gain the approval, the attention and the praise of men.
But, thank God, my sin was brought to my attention and I repented
for having these impure motives.

I want to ask you. Do you have good intentions and pure motives. I
am not asking for any replys to this question. I simply want you to
think about why are your in the ministry, why do you serve in the
house of God, why do you give? The Golden Calf that God revealed to
me in my heart was concerning my motives, not my intentions. Think
about that. Are your motives pure and Godly or are they symbolic of
a Golden Calf?

I hope that this message will inspire you and bless you.

Ryan

P.S. I am writing a series of lessons on this revelation that I got from the Lord

Motives of the Heart
Lesson 1 - The Golden Calf Motive
Lesson 2 - The Ministry Motive
Lesson 3 - The Servant Motive
Lesson 4 - The Money Motive