Questions about our motivation to serve God and others

[DRDS]

Hey everyone, I was wanting to ask you all about what our motivations should be regarding how we motivate ourselves to serve God, serve others, witness to others and follow God's commands.

From most preachers I have listened to, the hell and brimstone type, in the past they almost want you to view God as the old hateful catholic school nun teacher that will beat the living stew out of you with a ruler if you disobey in the slightest way.

But from a few others and maybe even from a few of you all here, I've heard that if you focus on God's love more and focus specifically on God's love for you, you will then be motivated and have the proper motivation to love God as well as others and also follow God's commands much better.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, this love motivation is the correct and biblical model correct and not the former view that I listed above?

Now many may interject and say I need to have "fear of God" but I've always have be taught that this fear is more of a respect, awe inspired fear more so than a frightened and scared fear.

Now then, another thing that I'm trying to establish is that if we are to be motivated to love God and others by God's love that He has for us, how do we get ourselves to be more aware of God's love for us?

Because for me, it's real easy for me to believe most of the time that God loves "people" or you all, or my family members, friends and stereotypical devout Christians such as Billy Graham. But it's hard for me to believe that God specifically loves me. I especially find it hard to believe either when I'm having a bad day or when I'm not doing what I need to be doing.

Now from that, do you know what I can do to be aware of God's love for me so that I will be more inspired and motivated to love God and others? Is it through prayer, Bible study, both or neither? Let me know what you all think. Thank you all for your time, God bless.

[Danieltwotwenty]

From most preachers I have listened to, the hell and brimstone type, in the past they almost want you to view God as the old hateful catholic school nun teacher that will beat the living stew out of you with a ruler if you disobey in the slightest way.

Yep I have heard them too but in saying that there is still some merit to understand the consequences of you actions through God's judgement.

But from a few others and maybe even from a few of you all here, I've heard that if you focus on God's love more and focus specifically on God's love for you, you will then be motivated and have the proper motivation to love God as well as others and also follow God's commands much better.

I think God's love for me definitely shapes the way I behave towards others, but also mingled with a little bit of fear (aka respect ) for God's judgement.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, this love motivation is the correct and biblical model correct and not the former view that I listed above?

I think it is a combination of both fear and love (God's love v righteous judgement), it's like Jesus' divinity v humanity or freewill v predestination, both are true and important even though they seem contradictory.

Now many may interject and say I need to have "fear of God" but I've always have be taught that this fear is more of a respect, awe inspired fear more so than a frightened and scared fear.

Correct.

Now then, another thing that I'm trying to establish is that if we are to be motivated to love God and others by God's love that He has for us, how do we get ourselves to be more aware of God's love for us?

Through prayer, praise, study, communion and servitude, personally I am inspired by the Bible with all it's epic stories of God's love for his people and especially that he was willing to sacrifice himself.


Dan

[Jeast]

For me it is also a mixture of fear and love. When I see upon the things I really do deserve for the evil I have done, I fear God's righteous judgement. When I read in the Bible that God doesn't want for anyone to be condemned and He did send His only Son so we all can be saved, I feel loved by God so my fear goes away and makes place for love.
This is a daily ritual for me because I keep doing sin.

Studying the Bible will show you how God loves you because it also shows what we really deserve and how God wants to save us.
For me this leads into praying to thank God for all He has given and still gives.

[PaulSacramento]

I have no fear of God, other than disappointing Him.
I try my best to serve God because I love God and Christ, I love them because of their love for us all, I love them because of how their love makes all things right and I love that they love me inspite of all my many faults.
I don't think that I ever understood that love until I had kids and I grasped what unconditional love truly is.
I can't thank God and Christ enough for their Love and I just want others to share and understand that love.