EMPOWERED TO PLEASE GOD: OUR MOTIVE AND HIS GRACE
JULY 25, 2025
TEXT: Romans 14:10–12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 2:12–13
KEY VERSE: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 5:10
God is not merely interested in what we do—but why we do it. In His eyes, the motive behind the action is just as important as the action itself. As 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
This truth calls us to examine our deepest intentions: Do we seek to please God to gain approval, impress others, or avoid guilt? Or do we pursue His pleasure out of love, gratitude, and reverence?
Christ Himself is our example—but not only in behavior. He pleased the Father because His heart was fully aligned with the Father’s will. “I always do those things that please Him,” He said (John 8:29). His motive was love. His delight was obedience. His reward was the Father’s smile.
We are called to that same inner alignment—not cold obligation, but joyful surrender. Yet we cannot manufacture this kind of devotion. Scripture assures us that “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Grace doesn’t just give us power—it reshapes our desires. God empowers us not only to act rightly but to want what pleases Him.
When our motives are purified by grace, several spiritual fruits follow:
📌 Joyful Obedience: We stop serving out of duty and start responding from love.
📌 Consistency: Our walk with God becomes steady, even when no one is watching.
📌 Spiritual Depth: We stop measuring success by external results and start valuing God’s pleasure.
📌 Eternal Focus: We live with the quiet anticipation of Christ’s “Well done.”
Romans 14:10–12 reminds us that each of us will give account of ourselves to God. But that moment is not meant to instill dread—it invites us into a life that seeks God’s approval above all else. Not driven by fear, but by the joy of living a life that delights our Creator.
In conclusion, let your pursuit of a God-pleasing life be rooted in the right motive—love for Him, not self-glory. And rest in the assurance that His grace is both the fire that fuels your desire and the strength that makes it possible. He is not asking for performance; He is asking for your heart.
SEARCH LIGHT: God is not impressed by performance—He is pleased by purity of motive. Let your love for Him be your deepest reason, and trust His grace to carry you every step of the way.
PRAYER: Lord, purify my motives. Help me live not for applause or approval, but for Your delight. Empower me by Your grace to walk in Your will, from the heart. Amen.
BIBLE READING: Proverbs 3-5; Revelation 10
PASTOR MICHAEL OMOLE
