Sermon Recap | Feb. 23, 2025

February 26th, 2025

The Reward

Living a life of faith requires understanding what truly motivates us and how God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Our motivations shape our actions, priorities, and ultimately our relationship with God.

What Motivates Our Actions?

Horizontal Motivators (worldly):

Fear of loss
Guilt
Pride
Hope of physical gain
Reputation
Prestige
Pleasure

Vertical Motivators (spiritual):

Having no other options but God
Reverential fear of the Lord
Love and gratitude
Our identity in Christ
Purpose and hope
Longing for God

What Are the Enemies of Spiritual Passion?

Several factors can diminish our spiritual fervor:

Complacency
Erosion of spiritual disciplines
External obedience over internal transformation
Having merely a functional relationship with God

How Can We Cultivate Spiritual Passion?

To maintain and grow our spiritual passion:

Develop a growing awareness of God as a person
Spend time sitting at Jesus' feet
Actively imitate Jesus
Cultivate spiritual affections
Maintain focused attention on God
Desire to please God more than people
Mature in trust

Why Is Gratitude Important in Our Faith?

Gratitude serves as a litmus test for spiritual maturity. Instead of focusing on what we lack, we should recognize and appreciate what we have received:

Health
Provision
Relationships
Freedom to worship
God's faithfulness

How Does God Reward His People?

God is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). His rewards:

Come from faithful service
Establish our priorities
Impact our relationships
Influence our conduct
Bring peace and joy
Are eternal in nature

CapitalLife.org/serve

Life Application

This week, challenge yourself to:

Examine your motivations - are they primarily horizontal or vertical?
Keep a gratitude journal noting God's daily blessings
Identify and combat any spiritual passion enemies in your life

Questions to reflect on:

What truly motivates my actions and decisions?
Am I serving God out of genuine love or mere obligation?
How can I cultivate more spiritual passion in my daily life?
What rewards am I seeking - temporal or eternal?

Remember: Works are a sign of a life touched by grace that responds in gratitude. Let your actions flow from a heart of thanksgiving rather than obligation.

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Posted in Prayer + Devotion, Sermon Blog