Questions about our motivation to serve God and others
Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 8:47 pm
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.
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.