Bishop Alvin J. McCoy Truth Gems: Awareness No. 18

​“The very life I live is a reflection of the spirit that motivates me.”

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"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting (G1950 - neglecting, no longer caring for, given over to oblivion) those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto to those things which are before, I press (G1377 - to run swiftly ​in order to catch a person or thing, to run after, to pursue [in a hostile manner]) toward the mark for the prize of the high calling (G2821 - invitation) of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:13-14 KJV

(H) – stands for Hebrew and is found in the Old Testament.
​(G) – stands for Greek and is found in the New Testament.

People of God,
     When a person begins a new relationship or gets a new toy (car, computer, phone, etc.) we become engrossed with the new. Our mind is constantly on how to get the most use of what we got. We are so excited to show off our new toys or relationship. It is actually quite funny how it ends up on social media, even before we know what we are doing with it. We are so motivated about the new…until it becomes old. So as I considered this, when we truly get in Christ our entire inner motivation changes without reservation or the desire to return to what was from the past. It changes from earthly pleasures and fleshly gains, to an upward desire to please the one whose blood and words are sustaining us right now. We begin to reason differently, through God and not through us. We begin to walk out the words written in the Bible. How do we do this? By understand it's not about what makes us happy, but what pleases our God, because we understand that our obedience to God is better than our sacrifice.

     In times past our motivating factors were things of temporal value, but glory be to God for his grace, we are able understand "only what you do for Christ will last. The Bible gives us a friendly souvenir “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away,” now that’s some power (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33)! Sadly, for many people nowadays the temporal has more weight. They see the now with little to no consideration for what is to come. Can we change these viewpoints? Well, of course, we can, God placed a manual into everyone’s hands. The Bible is so accessible, it can be easily found everywhere; but only those with a desire to please God will apply the knowledge and grow thereby. Apostle Paul is a well-known example of one who had an experience with the Lord which changed his heart and his mind, so we have to do the same.

     In Philippians 2:5 the Lord inspires Apostle Paul to say "Let this (G5426 - to direct one's mind to a thing; to be of the same mind) mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." This scripture is not one to negotiate, however it is one to become one with. When we have a change of mind and heart, we truly will understand "...it is God which worketh in you both to will and do of HIS good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). Consider your actions and your motivation, because they will NOT oppose God; all of his laws including those of morality, finance, and obedience; and his word. I end this by asking: What's motivating you?

The Scribe