Good morning everyone,

I want to apologize to everyone who was expecting this much earlier. I was up late last night video chatting with my grandchildren who live in Arizona. Additionally, I got some much-needed rest and didn’t make it to the gym either. So here we are, haha!

How often do you reflect on your motives? I've heard it said that our motives can be quite elusive. One moment, they can seem as pure as snow in terms of why we are doing what we do, and the next, they may appear suspect. In Zechariah 7, the Lord spoke to Zechariah and instructed him to tell the people in verse 5, "Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?’ In other words, what were your true motives?

The same question should be posed to us today: What are your true motives behind your actions? This is especially important to consider in ministry. Are we engaging in our ministry out of a genuine desire to honor and please the Lord, or are we seeking the approval of others? We’ve all heard the phrase, WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?). But have you ever thought about asking instead, "WWJDT?" which stands for "Why Would Jesus Do This?”

Regularly asking ourselves "why" can help us confront our motives and lead to truthful answers. Why am I serving in this ministry? Why am I helping this person? Why am I sacrificing my time for this or that? If we are serving merely because it makes us feel better or feeds our ego, then our motives are dysfunctional. Serving to compensate for a troubled past or out of self-imposed guilt—or guilt imposed by others—can lead to negative consequences. Ultimately, these motivations can make others feel or act strangely.

Here’s the issue: being dishonest about our motives leads to rejection. Neither people nor God will accept our sinful intentions. Therefore, it’s important to take a spiritual audit of your authenticity. Stop performing acts of righteousness that draw attention to yourself rather than to the Savior, Jesus. When you fast and pray, follow the guidance Jesus gives in Matthew 5:5-7 and Matthew 5:16-18.  ⁵ “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ⁷ “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 

¹⁶ “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 

Frequently ask yourself, WWJDT: Why Would Jesus Do This? Then, seek the Lord’s motives to align your own, allowing you to reap His rewards.

Gene