Oh my goodness Father! I surely need Your help this morning! That awful dream before waking has me feeling like I had no sleep at all. Help me to pierce thru this fog I am in and enable me to redeem this time with You.

I Thessalonians 2:3-6 (<<click here)

Ulterior motives…they fill our world. We – and that includes me – are guilty of them. We say or do something to or for or with someone in the hopes that our “hidden” desires will be fulfilled. Our desire for power, possessions, sex and sustenance drive our actions. Many will do absolutely anything to get what we want!

Of course in this passage Paul is speaking of his work for You, Lord – basically his ministry, his calling. But Lord, aren’t we all called to serve You? We may not be planting churches, as such, but aren’t we all either building – or tearing down – Your kingdom?

Lord, You call for us all to have as our purpose “to please [You], not people. [You] alone examine the motives of our hearts.” I would ask that my motive be motivated solely by my love for You! If my love for You permeates me to the very core of my being, that love will impact all of my interaction with those around me, be they people I love, people I know or total strangers! If the motive of my life is love then ulterior must never factor in! Dictionary.com defines ulterior as “being beyond what is seen…intentionally kept concealed” Lord, help my love for You and others to be everything but an ulterior motive. May my love be blaring and blatantly obvious to everyone with whom I come in contact!

July 10th, Fri, 6:30 am