Motivation

I just recently finished studying Zephaniah and I came across some scripture which struck me. It's in regards to God's fierce judgement upon the sinful. After reading these verses I thought of the love of money, the Great commission and the urgency and love we, as believers, should have in our lives for the lost.

The pertinent verses can be found in Zephaniah 1:14 - 2:3. However the verse which stuck out to me was:
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD's wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth."

Difficult words to read? They challenged me to think about these words in light of the Great Commission, the love of money as the root of all kinds of evil and Jesus Christ's command to love thy neighbor as thyself (whether the family who lives next to me or the guy I sit next to at work or the guy I sit next to at church).

With regards to the Great Commission and loving thy neighbor as thyself, this doesn't just start oversees and I will go so far as to say it doesn't even begin after you leave the church building. It can start with the person you sit next to Sunday morning. It's not a compartmentalized aspect of Christianity, it's an active part of worshiping our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. You may never know what impact you could have on a person by simply thinking of someone other then yourself and sharing a kind word of encouragement, as you put their needs above your own. The byproduct, as proof we serve a gracious God, is that as we are obedient to do this (His revealed will) our problems and depressions diminish or rather our joy increases. We were never created to be that introspective, as this is far too self consuming. The Bible commands us to put the needs of others above our own (Philippians 2:3).

Application:
We all have a great opportunity to live this out within the confines of our church buildings. Although I feel we ought to also find ministries outside of the church. We ought to joyfully jump at the opportunities to serve the bretheren. I received an email from my church this past week asking for guys to help a sister in Christ move. I didn't know this sister, but I called her up, asked her if she could use my help, she said she didn't think so, I prayed with her and told her to call me if she needed the help. Well, she took me up on my offer the next day and though I'm glad she did and I helped joyfully, she shouldn't have had to. There should've been enough people there to help her out that she wouldn't have even had to think about calling me. As it was there were only 7 people there and only 4 of them were men and I was the only person there she didn't already know. This is a sad commentary.

Let the reader take this into serious consideration. We need to find our confidence & love in the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone! I would challenge any person who doesn't express the love of Jesus Christ to the bretheren (as we are commanded), especially those in need and even more so our sisters, to take a long hard look into your heart. What we do in Christ, is significantly more important then what we say about Him. However, we all know what we do is seen by a few, whereas what we say or write can be seen or heard by many.

How are we fulfilling the first commandment if we aren't fulfilling the second? The bible teaches that you will know a Christain by their love. What is love?

Romans 12:9-21
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Galations 5:6,13-14
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

I Peter 1:13-25
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.

Point #2:
The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). I feel it's accurate to say that most Americans hold up money as an idol, to one extent or another.

Application:
Matthew 19:21
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."