July 11th, 2025
In a world where motivation often feels fleeting, how can we find an enduring source of inspiration for our lives? The answer lies not in temporary pep talks or fleeting bursts of enthusiasm, but in the transformative power of God's love and the compelling call of the gospel.
Let's explore three powerful motivators that can propel us forward in our spiritual journey:
1. The Fear of the Lord
While it may sound intimidating at first, the "fear of the Lord" is not about being terrified of God. Rather, it's a reverential awe of His holiness and a deep understanding of the seriousness of sin. The Bible reminds us in Hebrews 10:31 that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
This holy fear compels us to share the good news of salvation with urgency. We recognize that people desperately need the Lord, and we understand what's truly at stake. The reality of God's judgment should motivate us to "persuade men" (2 Corinthians 5:11) with compassion and clarity.
God's holiness is not a personality quirk that changes with His moods. He is the same God who parted the Red Sea and spoke the world into existence. While He is abounding in mercy and compassion, we must not take His grace for granted. The door of salvation is open today, but it will not remain open forever.
2. A Heart Transformed by God
When God truly changes our hearts, it revolutionizes every aspect of our lives. The Apostle Paul's dramatic conversion is a prime example. His priorities, passions, and entire worldview were radically altered by his encounter with Christ.
This inner transformation often puts us at odds with the world's conventional wisdom. As followers of Jesus, we may appear "crazy" or "beside ourselves" to those who don't understand. But as Paul declared, "If we are beside ourselves, it is for God" (2 Corinthians 5:13).
We see this same willingness to appear foolish for God's sake in the life of King David. When the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem, David danced before the Lord with all his might, unconcerned with looking undignified. His wife Michal despised him for it, but David's response was clear: "I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes" (2 Samuel 6:22).
When our hearts are truly changed by God, we lose regard for human opinion and find our motivation in pleasing Him alone.
3. The Compelling Love of Christ
While the fear of the Lord and a transformed heart are powerful motivators, the greatest inspiration of all is the love of Christ. Paul writes, "For Christ's love compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14). This isn't about our love for Christ, but rather His overwhelming love for us.
The love of Jesus is at the very heart of the gospel. In a beautiful, concise statement, Paul encapsulates the entire New Testament message:
"...that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again" (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
Let's break this down:
- His Death for Us: Jesus died as our substitute, taking the punishment we deserved.
- Our Death in His: When we place our faith in Christ, our old sinful nature is crucified with Him.
- Our New Life with Him: We are born again, with Christ's very life living in and through us.
This isn't mere religion or a set of moral codes. It's the transformative power of God living within us, changing us from the inside out.
Applying These Truths to Our Lives
How can we let these profound truths motivate us in our daily walk?
1. Remember the "terror of the Lord" and share the gospel with urgency and compassion. People need to hear about Jesus before it's too late.
2. Seek to know God more deeply. Allow Him to continually transform your thinking and priorities. This intimate knowledge of God is what enabled the early Christians to turn their world upside down, even in the face of persecution.
3. Meditate on the love of Jesus. Reflect on what He has done for you personally – dying in your place, putting an end to your old sinful nature, and giving you new life in Him.
The Christian life is not about summoning up our own willpower or relying on temporary bursts of motivation. It's about allowing the very presence of God within us to empower and inspire us each day.
As the hymn writer beautifully expressed:
"No one ever cared for me like Jesus,
There's no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,
Oh, how much He cares for me."
Let the perfect love of Christ be your unshakable source of motivation. He loves you, He died for you, and He offers you new life. When we truly grasp the magnitude of His love and sacrifice, how can we help but be compelled to live wholly for Him?
May we, like Paul, be able to say, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
This week, let the fear of the Lord move you to share His love with others. Allow God to continue transforming your heart and priorities. And above all, bask in the incomparable love of Jesus, letting it fuel your every thought and action. In Him, we find a motivation that will never run dry.
Let's explore three powerful motivators that can propel us forward in our spiritual journey:
1. The Fear of the Lord
While it may sound intimidating at first, the "fear of the Lord" is not about being terrified of God. Rather, it's a reverential awe of His holiness and a deep understanding of the seriousness of sin. The Bible reminds us in Hebrews 10:31 that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
This holy fear compels us to share the good news of salvation with urgency. We recognize that people desperately need the Lord, and we understand what's truly at stake. The reality of God's judgment should motivate us to "persuade men" (2 Corinthians 5:11) with compassion and clarity.
God's holiness is not a personality quirk that changes with His moods. He is the same God who parted the Red Sea and spoke the world into existence. While He is abounding in mercy and compassion, we must not take His grace for granted. The door of salvation is open today, but it will not remain open forever.
2. A Heart Transformed by God
When God truly changes our hearts, it revolutionizes every aspect of our lives. The Apostle Paul's dramatic conversion is a prime example. His priorities, passions, and entire worldview were radically altered by his encounter with Christ.
This inner transformation often puts us at odds with the world's conventional wisdom. As followers of Jesus, we may appear "crazy" or "beside ourselves" to those who don't understand. But as Paul declared, "If we are beside ourselves, it is for God" (2 Corinthians 5:13).
We see this same willingness to appear foolish for God's sake in the life of King David. When the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem, David danced before the Lord with all his might, unconcerned with looking undignified. His wife Michal despised him for it, but David's response was clear: "I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes" (2 Samuel 6:22).
When our hearts are truly changed by God, we lose regard for human opinion and find our motivation in pleasing Him alone.
3. The Compelling Love of Christ
While the fear of the Lord and a transformed heart are powerful motivators, the greatest inspiration of all is the love of Christ. Paul writes, "For Christ's love compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14). This isn't about our love for Christ, but rather His overwhelming love for us.
The love of Jesus is at the very heart of the gospel. In a beautiful, concise statement, Paul encapsulates the entire New Testament message:
"...that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again" (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
Let's break this down:
- His Death for Us: Jesus died as our substitute, taking the punishment we deserved.
- Our Death in His: When we place our faith in Christ, our old sinful nature is crucified with Him.
- Our New Life with Him: We are born again, with Christ's very life living in and through us.
This isn't mere religion or a set of moral codes. It's the transformative power of God living within us, changing us from the inside out.
Applying These Truths to Our Lives
How can we let these profound truths motivate us in our daily walk?
1. Remember the "terror of the Lord" and share the gospel with urgency and compassion. People need to hear about Jesus before it's too late.
2. Seek to know God more deeply. Allow Him to continually transform your thinking and priorities. This intimate knowledge of God is what enabled the early Christians to turn their world upside down, even in the face of persecution.
3. Meditate on the love of Jesus. Reflect on what He has done for you personally – dying in your place, putting an end to your old sinful nature, and giving you new life in Him.
The Christian life is not about summoning up our own willpower or relying on temporary bursts of motivation. It's about allowing the very presence of God within us to empower and inspire us each day.
As the hymn writer beautifully expressed:
"No one ever cared for me like Jesus,
There's no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,
Oh, how much He cares for me."
Let the perfect love of Christ be your unshakable source of motivation. He loves you, He died for you, and He offers you new life. When we truly grasp the magnitude of His love and sacrifice, how can we help but be compelled to live wholly for Him?
May we, like Paul, be able to say, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
This week, let the fear of the Lord move you to share His love with others. Allow God to continue transforming your heart and priorities. And above all, bask in the incomparable love of Jesus, letting it fuel your every thought and action. In Him, we find a motivation that will never run dry.

Pastor Phil Morgan
Posted in 2 Corinthians: Onward We Stumble
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