MOTIVES

Text: 1 Sam. 16:6-7

 *When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, "certainly the Lord's anointed one is here before Him".* 

 *But the Lord said to Samuel, " Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart".* 

God told Prophet Samuel to anoint a man for Him as king over Israel from the house of Jesse. 

Jesse was a Bethlehemite with eight sons. When Samuel told Jesse to bring out all his sons so he can anoint one of them as king over Israel. Jesse brought out his first seven sons.

The truth is, Jesse is the only one that knows why he intentionally left out his last son. But I can opined thus- probably because he felt the boy was too young, so he will be inexperienced to qualify as a king. However, the bottom line is, even David's biological father disqualified him. 

It doesn't matter how many times or how many people have disqualified you, if God is for you, no one can be against you. Rom.8:31.

Well, when Prophet Samuel saw the first born son, he said to himself, "surely, the Lord's chosen one is here". If God had not intervened, Samuel would have anointed a wrong man as king over Israel. 1 Sam. 16:6-7

Naturally, man is limited. Ever since the fall of man, our sense of judgement has been corrupted. Samuel by all standard was an upright man, a man who fears the Lord, yet he couldn't judge rightly if not for God's help. 

Permit me to say at this juncture that *without the help of God, you will not make the right decisions. Without Him, you will choose the wrong life partner, the wrong friends, the wrong career, and the list is endless.* 

The reason for this is because *"man looks at the outward appearance*, man looks at the externals- man looks at the "what and how" but God looks at the "why", God looks at the heart. 

What man is incapacitated to see, is the motives behind what man does. 

*Man gives reward for what people do, God gives reward for why they did it.* 

 *Your motives and intentions cannot be hidden from God the way they were from man.* You should always ask yourself "why am I doing what I'm doing? " Because if your motives are wrong, even if your deeds are right, you will still not get the reward. 

Since God is the only one who knows the end of everything from the beginning, Isaiah 46:10, wisdom demands that you involve Him in all you do, and He will direct your path. Prov. 3:6.

After all the seven sons that Jesse paraded before Samuel had been rejected by God. (Note that each one of them qualifies to be king if Samuel was to go by just physical appearance and stature) Samuel asked Jesse " are these all your sons?" 1Sam 16"6-11, then the father remembered the very last one that has been left out- David. 

It was this David that eventually became the king, and he is the one we are still referring to today as the man after God's own heart. 

Two important lessons you must hold on to today are:

1. *God rewards motives not actions. See to it that your motives and intentions are right.* 

2. Without God's help, you cannot make right and quality decisions. INVOLVE HIM IN ALL YOU DO. 

 *PRAYER FOCUS* 

1. Lord, please, forgive me of every wrong, selfish and evil motives of the past. 

2. Create in me a new heart oh God, and renew right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10.

Bible trading: 1 Sam. 16:1-23, Heb.4:12-13.

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