INTRODUCTION

In every way possible, believers ought to follow the pattern set forth by God. If He has a motive for what He does, believers should do the same. In fact, believers ought to desire to mimic the Lord not only by having a motive, but by sharing the same motive as the Lord. If God’s motive in working is to bring Himself glory, then believers ought to "do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
See All...). If God’s motive is the sake of His own name, then believers should do what they do for the Lord’s name’s sake (Acts 9:16For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
See All...; 3 John 1:7Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
See All...; Revelation 2:3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
See All...). This demands that everything a believer does is done as an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ and not for himself (2 Corinthians 5:20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Jesus is God (John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
  See All..., 14). While on earth, He brought glory to His Father (John 17:4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
  See All...) by always pleasing Him (John 8:29And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
  See All...). Paul followed His example and taught others to do the same (Galatians 1:10For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
  See All...; Colossians 1:10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
  See All...; 2 Timothy 3:10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
  See All...).
• How would making your motive the Lord’s name’s sake change the way you approach everything in the Christian life from witnessing to praying to Bible reading and so on?
• What motives are listed in Philippians 1:15-17 [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. [17] Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
  See All...? Which motives are obviously ungodly motives? Did the Lord know the motives of these men? Does He know your motive?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to help you adopt His motive.
• Thank God for the opportunity to live for His name’s sake.

HYMN

O To Be Like Thee!

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