INTRODUCTION

Men waste a great deal of time and effort worrying about the motives behind other men’s actions. The apostle Paul had been placed in prison for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, particularly for preaching the resurrection. His imprisonment actually led to "the furtherance of the gospel." "Many of the brethren in the Lord" began preaching the gospel; some had pure motives such as love (Philippians 1:17Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
See All...), but others had impure motives such as envy, strife, or contention (Philippians 1:15-16 [15] They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad. [16] Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
See All...). Instead of complaining about the motives behind the preaching, Paul rejoiced that Christ was being preached, knowing that the Lord would deal with the motives at the judgment seat of Christ.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Only God knows thoughts and hearts (Matthew 12:25And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
  See All...a, Mark 2:5-8 [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. [6] But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, [7] Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? [8] And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
  See All...; Psalm 139:4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
  See All...). We cannot know why people do what they do. Trust that the Lord will take care of others (1 Corinthians 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
  See All...) and watch your own actions and motives (Romans 14:13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
  See All...).
• What are some times you can remember fretting over the motives behind the actions of others? How did this fretting benefit you? How did it harm your ability to serve the Lord?
• The Lord will judge the motives behind the work of the saved people at the judgment seat of Christ. How should this knowledge keep you from fretting about the motives of others?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to help you trust Him with other men’s motives.
• Ask God to help you focus on serving Him from a right motive.

HYMN

Our Great Saviour

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