87 Sermon Illustrations on Motivation

One of the most cherished episodes for reformed Christians is Franklin's recounting of his relationship to the Reverend George Whitefield. Franklin marveled at the fruit produced through Whitefield's preaching: "It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants ...one could not walk through the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street."

Franklin was impressed with Whitefield's ability to move the masses to give to the mission of establishing an orphanage in Georgia. Although Franklin disagreed with the particulars and resolved not to give, he found himself listening to Whitefield preach, and being persuaded to give all that he had in his pockets. "I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give the coppers. Another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and determined me to give the silver; and he finished so admirably, that I emptied my pocket wholly into the collector's dish, gold and all."

Franklin agreed to print copies of Whitefield's sermons and journals. He greatly admired the booming, far reaching voice of Whitefield. He even opened his home to Whitefield, and claims that the two shared an intimate friendship. Franklin attended as many of Whitefield's preaching events as he was able.

Have you ever read a George Whitefield sermon? He preached four times each day with the clear purpose of calling people to profess faith in Christ Jesus. Have you ever read George Whitefield's journals? He was consumed with preaching the Gospel and was resolved to use every conversation and relationship to present Christ Jesus as one's only hope for salvation. Whitefield never mentions Benjamin Franklin by name in his journals but does, at one point, thank God for a certain printer who was instrumental in broadcasting his sermons.

Did Benjamin Franklin ever embrace the central Gospel message of his friend, George Whitefield? Our best indication comes from Franklin's testimony:

Some of Mr. Whitefield's enemies affected to suppose that he

would apply these collections to his own private emolument; but

I, who was intimately acquainted with him (being employed in

printing his Sermons and Journals, etc.), never had the least

suspicion of his integrity, but am to this day decidedly of the

opinion that he was in all his conduct a perfectly honest man;

and methinks my testimony in his favor ought to have the more

weight, as we had no religious connection. He used, indeed,

sometimes to pray for my conversion, but never had the

satisfaction of believing that his prayers were heard. Ours was

a mere civil friendship, sincere on both sides, and lasted to his

death.

Franklin's autobiography clearly establishes Moralism to be the religion of preference for this great statesman and founding father of our nation. Should not Christians today make as clear distinction between Moralism and Christianity as they do between Islam and Christianity, or Mormonism and Christianity? The better question is a personal one: Do you know the difference between Moralism and Christianity?

But the best question moves you to consider your own intimate relationship with God. Benjamin Franklin marveled at the transformation of lives through the preaching of the Gospel, he gave to charitable causes flowing from the preaching of the Gospel, but he never embraced Christ as his only hope in this life and the next. He enjoyed an intimate relationship with one of the greatest preachers in all history, yet never embraced Jesus.

People who attend religious services weekly perform more acts of kindness each year than those who do not attend services, according to an inaugural national survey of altruism and empathy.

The study, by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, found that while people who never attend religious services perform on average 96 acts of helping others each year, people who attend services weekly and take part in other religious activities report performing 128 acts of kindness.

Those acts may include donating blood, giving food or money to a homeless person, returning money to a cashier after getting too much change, allowing a stranger to go ahead in line, offering one's seat on a bus or in a public place to a stranger who is standing, giving directions to a stranger, or spending time talking with someone who is a bit down or depressed.

The connection between religious observance and charitable behavior was consistent across religious groups such as Protestants, Catholics and Jews in the study, according to a July 25, 2003, release from the University of Chicago.

“The connection between good deeds and religion probably indicates that people are reflecting the religious teachings of charity that are central beliefs of most major religions,” Tom W. Smith, author of the study and director of the general social survey at NORC, said in the release. “For most religions, an important part of the belief system is an admonition to love other people and to do good deeds. The people who attend weekly services hear that quite a lot.

“Also, people in a religious congregation are nested in a community that provides them with opportunities to do good deeds and reach out to others,” he said.

The study, called “Altruism in Contemporary America: A Report from the National Altruism Study,” also found that women are more empathetic than men when it comes to feeling protective toward people, being disturbed by the misfortune of others, feeling pity for others and being softhearted in general.

The altruism research was conducted in 2002 and asked questions of 1,366 people age 18 and older nationwide.

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Ability is what you're capable of doing.

Motivation determines what you do.

Attitude determines how well you do it.

- Lou Holtz

"Authorities now know that approximately one person in sixteen who ever takes a social drink will become an alcoholic! How many of you would get on an airplane if before it took off you knew there was a 1 out of 16 chance that it would crash and destroy your life. Actually, the odds for a commercial airliner crashing are closer to 1 out of 1,000,000; but even with those odds some people will not fly. Yet many of these same people will take a drink!" - Zig Ziglar

“The most important thing to be said about awards,” an anonymous voice once uttered, “is that Mozart never got one.” The statement draws into sharp distinction the often-troublesome quality about recognition: sometimes the most deserving candidates for praise are overlooked. (And the victim we notice most often is usually our self.)

By the age of six, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an accomplished performer and a promising composer. In his lifetime he was commissioned to compose an opera, made a member of an honorary knightly order by the Pope, and was given membership by the Accademia Filarmonica despite their policy requiring candidates to be 20 years old. But he was not rewarded with the pomp and circumstance we imagine for someone of his rare giftedness. He was not given a lifetime achievement award or presented with anything comparable to a Grammy. Close to destitute at the time of his death, Mozart was given a third-class funeral.

Throughout the Gospels Jesus can be heard reminding disciples, crowds, and Pharisees that the most important thing to remember about the things we do is that there is almost always a motive for recognition behind it. “When you give to the needy,” he told them, “do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets” (Matthew 6:2). Significantly, he makes the same comment regarding prayer, and also about fasting.

In each example Jesus offers, he doesn’t tell us that our hope for recognition is wrong. He explains that within our hope, we can seek to be honored by men or seek the reward of God. Regarding those who make certain their actions are seen by the right people, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:2-4). Where the motive is the honor of God, we store up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

And yet as the thought of an awardless Mozart reminds us, labor unnoticed, hard work unappreciated, and fruit unseen are sometimes disturbing realities. The promising rewards of heaven seem also to promise a delayed response.

The weariness that might come from not seeing the fruit of our laboring for good or the results of our fervent prayer is a reality we must wrestle with. The prophet Isaiah once lamented, “I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God” (49:4). He was further comforted by God’s response, “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you” (49:7).

In Isaiah’s efforts to serve God, though he struggled with a nation that despised him, he was reminded that God was yet in control. Though it seemed his efforts were in vain, there was yet a purpose. Fruit would come; rewards would surface; God would be glorified in his decision to labor for heaven. So it is with you and me. Therefore, as John warned, “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully” (2 John 1:8). Perhaps the most important thing to be said about awards is that we are looking to things unseen.

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Copyright © 2004 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

If you're going to be a great coach in sports, you generally need to be a great motivator. The team rises to the level of their coach's motivation. When your team is an entire nation that's under heavy attack, the coach had better be one incredible motivator. The nation was Great Britain. The time was the beginning of WWII, when the team seemed like it was losing badly and the coach was the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. He may have been the most inspiring leader of the 20th Century as he motivated his nation to make tremendous sacrifices and win a seemingly unwinnable victory. In those early days of the war, he desperately needed the cooperation of the leaders of Britain's coal industry. Their extra sacrificial efforts would be critical to keeping the war effort going, and the way he did it was masterful. Churchill asked those industry and union leaders to picture the parade at the end of the war. Look at the proud British sailors who kept the sea lanes open, and then the soldiers who valiantly fought the land war, and the airmen who heroically won the battle in the skies, followed by the coal miners of Britain whose work made those victories possible. Churchill said, “They will not be in military uniform, but they will have won a place in the victory parade."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “A Place in the Victory Parade.”

The ultimate war, the one with the most at stake, is still raging. It's the war between the forces of Christ and the forces of darkness for the lives of the people Christ died for. That battle has never been more intense, especially as it approaches its climactic stages. Here's the question. Will there be a place for you in the great victory parade of King Jesus?

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Samuel 30:24. David has just won a mighty victory. He has left behind 200 men who were just too exhausted to go to that battle, so he has assigned them to guard the supplies. Some of those who had just fought the battle don't think that those 200 should share in the spoils of the victory. The Bible says, “The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.”

There's an exciting Biblical principle here. God considers those who fight the battle and those who support them as equal contributors and equal shareholders in the victory. In Philippians 4, Paul urged those believers to support his ministry so “my fruit will be credited to your account.” In the accounting of God, every person Paul reached for Christ, his supporters reached for Christ. Can't you just imagine getting to heaven and God showing you your account, and you're asking, “But, Lord, where did all these names come from? I don't know these people.” I can imagine the Lord saying, “They were reached by such and such a ministry or through your church and you helped reach those people. Would you like to meet them now?”

You may feel like your part in the Lord's work is insignificant. You say, “All I do is volunteer some time. I just drive, pray regularly, I give some money, I just cook. All I do is just work behind the scenes.” Hear God's words: “The share of the man who stayed with the supplies (that's who worked in an unglamorous, no glory role) is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” Now you may feel your work is insignificant, but Jesus doesn't. He promises an eternal reward even for a cup of cold water given in His name!

So do not minimize the eternal value of the work you do for Jesus; of your part in the greatest battle of all, the battle for people's never dying souls. You may not have worn the uniform of a soldier, but I believe there's going to be a place of honor for you in the parade; for anyone who contributed to the war. I hope to see you in King Jesus' Victory Parade.

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Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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A local church asked members to donate money for a new building. The building committee made one stipulation: no plaques or recognition of any kind would be placed in the building to honor the givers. The response was mediocre at best. When the committee withdrew their requirement and allowed for a memorial registry with a listing of donors, the building was easily subscribed. What had changed? At first, the building committee was appealing solely to people's charity and generosity. Later, they offered an appeal to their egos, and the egos won.

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Michael Duduit, The Abingdon Preaching Annual 1999, Nashville: Abingdon, 1998, 349. Source: Illustrations, http://www.cybersaltlists.org

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“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Cor 9:24)

Don't you hate it when you turn the key in your car, and it won't run? You either get a “click, click” or a “rrr, rrr,” but not the hoped for “vroom, vroom.”

I am mechanically inept. But there is one lesson that my Dad taught me that I haven't forgotten. He told me that if a car won't run, it's because of one of three reasons: It either isn't getting fuel, a spark, or air. You need to figure out which of those three things it is to get it running right again.

I don't know much about mechanics, but I do know people. And in this comparison, people aren’t too different from cars. When people aren't running right, it's because of one of three reasons. It is vital that you know these three reasons, and that you can figure out which one of the three things is missing that is keeping them from running right. This has practical application in all kinds of relationships – managing yourself, managing a staff, discipling, parenting, preaching, teaching, etc.

Before I share the three things, think of someone (it may be yourself) who isn’t living up to your expectations in a specific area. Once you got that person and situation in mind, then continue reading the three things people need to run right:

KNOWLEDGE (Know to)

Sometimes people don’t do what they should because they don’t know to do it. This is a knowledge issue. They know how to do it and they want to do it, they just didn’t know they were supposed to do it.

Always check this first. This is the easiest thing to correct. Make sure your expectations are clear. Now, if someone does know to do something, but still doesn’t do it, you need to check the next two issues.

SKILL (How to)

Sometimes people know to do something, and they want to do it, but they don’t know how to do it. This is a skill issue.

I’m happy to work with someone who knows to do something and wants to do it, but is having trouble knowing how to do it. Their head and heart are already in it, now you just need to get their hands skilled. As a leader/manager you need to train them, or find someone else who can train them, or determine that they should be doing something else because they can’t acquire the skill. For example, you may ask me to lead worship for your church, and I may want to do it, but once you see and hear me do it, you will find out that I should be doing something else.

DESIRE (Want to)

Sometimes people know to do something, and they know how to do it, but they don’t want to do it. This is a desire issue.

In this case a person’s head and hands are equipped, but their heart isn’t in it. This can be tough, but changing hearts is both God’s specialty and your responsibility as a Christian leader. Find out why they aren’t motivated. Once you do, you can then help motivate them or you can move them onto something else they have a passion to do.

As a Christian leader, you are a spiritual mechanic of sorts. If a person isn’t running right, you need to make a correct diagnosis of the problem before you can help them.

Just for one example, say that you have asked someone a dozen times to teach a Sunday school class, and they still haven’t done it. Do you think asking them again will really make a difference? They already know what you hope they will do – you have made your expectations clear. Don’t keep asking the same questions and expecting different results. You don’t have a knowledge problem. You either have a skill or desire issue (or both). Ask a different set of questions. (“Do you feel equipped to teach?” “Do you want to teach?”) Now you will be working on the real issues, and that can help them start running right. “Vroom, vroom!”

© Brian Mavis 2006

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Psychologist Abraham Maslow first introduced his concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation”1 and his subsequent book, Motivation and Personality.2 This hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other needs.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is most often displayed as a pyramid. The lowest levels of the pyramid are made up of the most basic needs, while the more complex needs are located at the top of the pyramid. Needs at the bottom of the pyramid are basic physical requirements including the need for food, water, sleep and warmth. Once these lower-level needs have been met, people can move on to the next level of needs, which are for safety and security.

As people progress up the pyramid, needs become increasingly psychological and social. Soon, the need for love, friendship and intimacy become important. Further up the pyramid, the need for personal esteem and feelings of accomplishment take priority. Like Carl Rogers, Maslow emphasized the importance of self-actualization, which is a process of growing and developing as a person to achieve individual potential.

Types of Needs

Maslow believed that these needs are similar to instincts and play a major role in motivating behavior. Physiological, security, social, and esteem needs are deficiency needs (also known as D-needs), meaning that these needs arise due to deprivation. Satisfying these lower-level needs is important in order to avoid unpleasant feelings or consequences.

Maslow termed the highest-level of the pyramid as growth needs (also known as being needs or B-needs). Growth needs do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a person.

Five Levels of the Hierarchy of Needs

There are five different levels in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:

1. Physiological Needs These include the most basic needs that are vital to survival, such as the need for water, air, food and sleep. Maslow believed that these needs are the most basic and instinctive needs in the hierarchy because all needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met.

2. Security Needs These include needs for safety and security. Security needs are important for survival, but they are not as demanding as the physiological needs. Examples of security needs include a desire for steady employment, health insurance, safe neighborhoods and shelter from the environment.

3. Social Needs These include needs for belonging, love and affection. Maslow considered these needs to be less basic than physiological and security needs. Relationships such as friendships, romantic attachments and families help fulfill this need for companionship and acceptance, as does involvement in social, community or religious groups.

4. Esteem Needs After the first three needs have been satisfied, esteem needs becomes increasingly important. These include the need for things that reflect on self-esteem, personal worth, social recognition and accomplishment.

5. Self-actualizing Needs This is the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Self-actualizing people are self-aware, concerned with personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others and interested fulfilling their potential.

What motivates you to finish a task? Would you say there is more honor in starting well or finishing well?

Food for Thought:

While under siege, William Barret Travis wrote a simple letter calling for “the People of Texas and All Americans in the World” to come to his aid in the Alamo. In the letter, he vowed to never surrender or retreat. Six days after writing the “victory letter” Travis and the others in the Alamo died in battle. He and the others kept their vow. As a part of the commemoration of that battle this year, the letter was put on display in the Alamo for the first time since it had been written 177 years ago.

The same determination and resolve demonstrated by Travis can be seen in the apostle Paul’s words to his young protégé in 2 Timothy 4:1-18. Paul knew what he was facing and declared victory. Paul was not motivated by the creation of a nation but rather by gaining the crown of righteousness that awaited him in heaven (2 Timothy 4:8). Paul’s task was not easy, but that meant there would be great satisfaction in completing the difficult task. Paul’s challenge to Timothy was to complete his assigned task just as he had witnessed Paul do.

Paul reminded Timothy that honor awaits those who finish well. Think about the people who start off strong in their spiritual lives only to let the difficulties and distractions of life rob them of finishing well. There are many reasons for failing at the end, but ultimately it comes down to living so as to bring honor to Christ, the One who died for our sin and was resurrected for our salvation.

God can use you were you are.

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, had a horrible wife. Even feminists admit she was a total shrew. One friend came in his house to see her standing over him with a handful of his beautiful wavy hair she had just yanked from him.

Wesley said she kept him on his knees [in prayer]. She also kept him on the road. He traveled 250,000 miles on horse over a 40-year period. He preached 40,000 sermons. Even bad marriages can serve God’s purposes.

Five Steps

Be on guard;

stand firm in the faith;

be men of courage;

be strong.

Do everything in love. — 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Lord, Today I pray according to Paul’s instruction to new believers who felt pulled in every direction by the culture around them. I want to be true to You, and express Your true-ness all day long. Be on your guard-Show me, Lord, the influences, distractions, or downright attacks that could pierce my spirit or get me off track from this spiritual adventure with You. Stand firm in the faith-Help me to remember today the unchangeable truths I am building my life on: God is real; God is love; God is life; God has requirements; I can’t reach or please God on my own, but in Christ, God has made a way back to Himself. Be people of courage-You’ve made me with feelings that fly one way, then another, then hang limp like a flag at the courthouse. Show me when to trust, and when to distrust, my feelings today. Help me to act brave , even when I don’t feel it. Be strong-Help me to reach for Your promised strength today. Keep me from compromises that weaken my commitment and sabotage my success. Put Your shield of spiritual safety around me. Do everything in love-Yes, everything. But how ? Only by Your presence, which is Love, reaching beyond the stingy limits of my own inclinations today. Oh, especially help me to love, Lord ! In Your name sweet name I pray. Amen

Adoniram Judson underwent a series of conversions on his journey to the mission field.

First, a conversion from deism to Christianity overhauled his ambition and redirected his life. Second, his consecration to missionary service surprised many and propelled the American missions movement. Finally, his shift from Congregationalist to Baptist on a ship deck en route to India ushered American Baptists to the ends of the earth.

While the dramatic stories of his salvation and his embrace of believer’s baptism are often rehearsed, little has been told of Judson’s surrender to the missionary task. What compelled Judson to lead a life of service overseas?

In the end, it was a single sermon.

After trusting Christ as a student at Andover Theological Seminary, Judson began to “reflect on the personal duty of devoting his life to the cause of missions.” The idea of consecrating his life to go to the ends of the earth, an abrupt concept for his family, was not a novel development in 1809 New England.

At Andover, Jonathan Edwards’ “Diary and Journal of David Brainerd” found wide reading among the students as the first full missionary biography ever published. Edwards’ 1749 work told the story of Brainerd’s sacrificial life spent reaching Native Americans with the Gospel. Also in New England, especially among evangelicals, there existed a wide following of William Carey. Motivated by the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, Carey, with the publication of his “Enquiry” in 1792, led British Baptists to support an effort to take the Gospel to “those who have no Bibles, no preachers, nor many other common advantages which are taken for granted at home.”

Judson’s reading of Brainerd and awareness of Carey prepared him to respond to a sermon he read in September 1809 by Claudius Buchanan at the time he needed most to hear a word from God.

Buchanan, an Anglican chaplain and friend of Carey, titled his sermon “The Star in the East,” and started by citing Matthew 2:2: “For we have seen His Star in the East, and are come to worship Him.” Taking the account of Jesus’ birth, Buchanan inventively emphasized the uniqueness of the Gentile visitors, the wise men following a star, as “representatives of the whole heathen world.” The star’s eastern location, Buchanan noted, is significant because “millions of the human race inhabit that portion of the globe.” Therefore, just as in the day of the arrival of God’s Son, the East once again was bearing witness to the Messiah “not indeed by the shining of a Star, but by affording luminous evidence of the divine origin of the Christian Faith.” Buchanan then proceeded to speak of the spread of Christianity in the East and the need for men to take the Gospel to that region of the world.

Judson said the reading of Buchanan’s sermon had two effects on him. First, it enabled him finally to “break the strong attachment I felt to home and country, and to endure the thought of abandoning all my wonted pursuits and animating prospects.” Buchanan’s sermon, which Judson acknowledged was not “peculiarly excellent” in terms of its right handling of the text, still had an epoch-making impact on his life. Second, the sermon focused Judson’s gaze on the East. Judson began to read all that he could regarding countries in that region and, discovering Michael Symes’ “An Account of an Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava,” found his future home in Burma.

On Feb. 19, 1812, Adoniram and Ann Judson departed for Burma. Ann would die in 1826. Judson would lose several children and another wife, Sarah, before returning home in 1846 to a hero’s welcome. After a short stay, he met Emily Chubbuck, married again, and returned to Burma. Illness four years later caused him to attempt to return to America, but he died and was buried at sea in 1850.

What began with Judson’s decision to break with home and country in response to Buchanan’s sermon ended with a translation of the Bible for the Burmese and a life lived in sacrifice for the Gospel.

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[The original illustration at this number was moved to Kerux Sermon #19032]

"Lack of interest in mission is not fundamentally caused by an absence of compassion or commitment, nor by lack of information or exhortation. And lack of interest in mission is not remedied by more shocking statistics, more gruesome stories or more emotionally manipulative commands to obedience. It is best remedied by intensifying people's passion for Christ, so that the passions of his heart become the passions that propel our hearts."

(Tim Dearborn, "Beyond Duty" (World Vision, 1997) p.4)

A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment ... then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys, full of youthful, after-school enthusiasm, came down his street, beating merrily on every trash can they encountered. The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take some action.

The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, “You kids are a lot of fun. I like to see you express your exuberance like that. Used to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favor? I'll give you each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing.”

The kids were elated and continued to do a bang-up job on the trash cans. After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face. “This recession's really putting a big dent in my income,” he told them. “From now on, I'll only be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans.” The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they did accept his offer and continued their afternoon ruckus.

A few days later, the wily retiree approached them again as they drummed their way down the street. “Look,” he said, “I haven't received my Social Security check yet, so I'm not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?”

“A lousy quarter?” the drum leader exclaimed. “If you think we're going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter, you're nuts! No way, mister. We quit!” And the old man enjoyed peace and serenity for the rest of his days.

Five Steps

Be on guard;

stand firm in the faith;

be men of courage;

be strong.

Do everything in love. — 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Lord, Today I pray according to Paul’s instruction to new believers who felt pulled in every direction by the culture around them. I want to be true to You, and express Your true-ness all day long. Be on your guard-Show me, Lord, the influences, distractions, or downright attacks that could pierce my spirit or get me off track from this spiritual adventure with You. Stand firm in the faith-Help me to remember today the unchangeable truths I am building my life on: God is real; God is love; God is life; God has requirements; I can’t reach or please God on my own, but in Christ, God has made a way back to Himself. Be people of courage-You’ve made me with feelings that fly one way, then another, then hang limp like a flag at the courthouse. Show me when to trust, and when to distrust, my feelings today. Help me to act brave , even when I don’t feel it. Be strong-Help me to reach for Your promised strength today. Keep me from compromises that weaken my commitment and sabotage my success. Put Your shield of spiritual safety around me. Do everything in love-Yes, everything. But how ? Only by Your presence, which is Love, reaching beyond the stingy limits of my own inclinations today. Oh, especially help me to love, Lord ! In Your name sweet name I pray. Amen

Five Steps

Be on guard;

stand firm in the faith;

be men of courage;

be strong.

Do everything in love. — 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Lord, Today I pray according to Paul’s instruction to new believers who felt pulled in every direction by the culture around them. I want to be true to You, and express Your true-ness all day long. Be on your guard-Show me, Lord, the influences, distractions, or downright attacks that could pierce my spirit or get me off track from this spiritual adventure with You. Stand firm in the faith-Help me to remember today the unchangeable truths I am building my life on: God is real; God is love; God is life; God has requirements; I can’t reach or please God on my own, but in Christ, God has made a way back to Himself. Be people of courage-You’ve made me with feelings that fly one way, then another, then hang limp like a flag at the courthouse. Show me when to trust, and when to distrust, my feelings today. Help me to act brave , even when I don’t feel it. Be strong-Help me to reach for Your promised strength today. Keep me from compromises that weaken my commitment and sabotage my success. Put Your shield of spiritual safety around me. Do everything in love-Yes, everything. But how ? Only by Your presence, which is Love, reaching beyond the stingy limits of my own inclinations today. Oh, especially help me to love, Lord ! In Your name sweet name I pray. Amen

One of the most cherished episodes for reformed Christians is Franklin's recounting of his relationship to the Reverend George Whitefield. Franklin marveled at the fruit produced through Whitefield's preaching: "It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants ...one could not walk through the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street."

Franklin was impressed with Whitefield's ability to move the masses to give to the mission of establishing an orphanage in Georgia. Although Franklin disagreed with the particulars and resolved not to give, he found himself listening to Whitefield preach, and being persuaded to give all that he had in his pockets. "I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give the coppers. Another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and determined me to give the silver; and he finished so admirably, that I emptied my pocket wholly into the collector's dish, gold and all."

Franklin agreed to print copies of Whitefield's sermons and journals. He greatly admired the booming, far reaching voice of Whitefield. He even opened his home to Whitefield, and claims that the two shared an intimate friendship. Franklin attended as many of Whitefield's preaching events as he was able.

Have you ever read a George Whitefield sermon? He preached four times each day with the clear purpose of calling people to profess faith in Christ Jesus. Have you ever read George Whitefield's journals? He was consumed with preaching the Gospel and was resolved to use every conversation and relationship to present Christ Jesus as one's only hope for salvation. Whitefield never mentions Benjamin Franklin by name in his journals but does, at one point, thank God for a certain printer who was instrumental in broadcasting his sermons.

Did Benjamin Franklin ever embrace the central Gospel message of his friend, George Whitefield? Our best indication comes from Franklin's testimony:

Some of Mr. Whitefield's enemies affected to suppose that he

would apply these collections to his own private emolument; but

I, who was intimately acquainted with him (being employed in

printing his Sermons and Journals, etc.), never had the least

suspicion of his integrity, but am to this day decidedly of the

opinion that he was in all his conduct a perfectly honest man;

and methinks my testimony in his favor ought to have the more

weight, as we had no religious connection. He used, indeed,

sometimes to pray for my conversion, but never had the

satisfaction of believing that his prayers were heard. Ours was

a mere civil friendship, sincere on both sides, and lasted to his

death.

Franklin's autobiography clearly establishes Moralism to be the religion of preference for this great statesman and founding father of our nation. Should not Christians today make as clear distinction between Moralism and Christianity as they do between Islam and Christianity, or Mormonism and Christianity? The better question is a personal one: Do you know the difference between Moralism and Christianity?

But the best question moves you to consider your own intimate relationship with God. Benjamin Franklin marveled at the transformation of lives through the preaching of the Gospel, he gave to charitable causes flowing from the preaching of the Gospel, but he never embraced Christ as his only hope in this life and the next. He enjoyed an intimate relationship with one of the greatest preachers in all history, yet never embraced Jesus.

A local church asked members to donate money for a new building. The building committee made one stipulation: no plaques or recognition of any kind would be placed in the building to honor the givers. The response was mediocre at best. When the committee withdrew their requirement and allowed for a memorial registry with a listing of donors, the building was easily subscribed. What had changed? At first, the building committee was appealing solely to people's charity and generosity. Later, they offered an appeal to their egos, and the egos won.

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Michael Duduit, The Abingdon Preaching Annual 1999, Nashville: Abingdon, 1998, 349. Source: Illustrations, http://www.cybersaltlists.org

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If you're one of the millions of people who never seem to get what they really want in life, the reason may be a few simple attitudes you have acquired that I call “demotivators.” I've found four demotivators common to all of us, which we must overcome to attain our goals.

The first demotivator is the FEAR OF LOSING OUR SECURITY. We are so afraid of losing the security we have, that we won't give it up to get the greater security we seek. I truly believe that there is no such thing as security other than the security we build within ourselves. We are only secure to the extent of our ability to cope with the struggle called living, and we cannot be more secure than our capabilities of handling insecurity allow us to be.

This means we have to give up what we have, to get what we want. If we refuse to give up anything, where will the space, time, money, and energy for new achievements come from?

The second demotivator is FEAR OF FAILURE. How many times have you refused to try something, because you were afraid you'd fail? Isn't it sad how many of us doom ourselves to mediocre lives rather than accept the momentary rejections that success demands?

We must challenge our fears, and conquer each fear forever. Soon, you will find that every time you conquer a fear, the easier it will be to beat the next one. Remember: Do what you fear most and you will control that fear.

The third demotivator is SELF-DOUBT. When we're gripped by negative conviction, we believe everything we do will be wrong. When you're thinking like this it is likely that everything we do fails, and ultimately, we fail.

Instead of looking at what you did wrong, look at what you did right. Keep an “up” attitude, overcome rejection and keep trying.

Soon, you'll start to win. The wins will start to pile up until they smother all self-doubts under a mountain of positive conviction.

The fourth demotivator is the PAIN OF CHANGE. We resist change because it means that part of our old self must die, and a self that is unknown to us, is born. We mourn the loss of the familiar as we labor through the birth of the new.

To overcome this attitude, we should make a habit of trying new things when we don't have to, so we can keep the best of the old in our lives as a strong emotional foundation. Remember, there is an element of pain in all change but, those you put into motion yourself are far less painful than ones thrown at you by others.

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate in KeruxID 25837-26027]