Day 54 "The Great Exchange"

What motivates you? I mean, really motivates you? Is it money? Love? Fear? Revenge? Obedience? When it comes to the stock market, do you know why the market falls much faster than it rises? The reason is that fear is a greater motivator than greed? It is one thing to not make as much money, but it is entirely different to actually lose money! A motivator is something that provides a reason or stimulus to do something. It is the fuel upon which the engine runs. The greater the stimulus, the greater the effort one puts forth.

By faith, we live our lives simultaneously in two spheres: in the physical world and in the spiritual world. In the physical world, we can use our senses to move around and live. In the spiritual realm, we have to trust and have faith in God's word- through which we derive our understanding of a world outside of our ability to see or touch or hear what is there. Nonetheless it is still there. And whatever we do in this life, we simultaneously affect the other.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

"Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your

thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest."

Hebrews 3:1

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds

and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

"Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" James 2:5

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17

"And this is his command: to believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us." 1 John 3:23

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3

So, the question can come back to, what can motivate us the most when it comes to living our lives, now, in this physical world, for the benefit of the world to come? A game changer occurs when we no longer see God as a taskmaster calling us to obedience and to adhere to his set of laws and ways to see God as being our heavenly Father who loves us and has our best interest at heart. When our thoughts and perceptions adjust to take in this different viewpoint and mindset, we can transition into the "Great Exchange" mode where we willingly give up what we have perceived to have been the "Have To's" to embrace the "Want To's." Since Jesus fully paid our way to be reconciled back into a relationship with the heavenly Father with his life , since our sins are completely and forever forgiven past, present and future, there is nothing to compel us to follow God's ways. Jesus already took away whatever punishment we would have experienced at God's hands. There is no other punishment that awaits us for obedience or no obedience.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ." Romans 8:1

By faith, you either believe that statement or you don't. But what you do with it has great ramifications to how you will live your life. If Jesus has set you free, you are no longer obligated to act in such and such a way. Therefore, what will propel you forward to become all that God has designed for you to be and to do what his will for your life would be? His love for you! When you see your life from the viewpoint that God loves you, your response will be to let go of the obligations you feel to God's ways and, instead, take up the mantle to follow Jesus, not because you have to, but because you want to. What Jesus did was to take you from being a ragamuffin before God to becoming a child of God.

"But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you hold in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation." Colossians 1:22

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14

So, how you choose to live your life will largely be determined by your motivation. Will you begrudgingly feel like it is a duty to follow Christ even though you would rather live life the way you want free from anyone else's control? Or, in love, will you see God's benevolent handiwork at work and willingly lay down your life to follow Jesus- not because you have to but because you want to?

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In his love, welcome to the "Great Exchange!" You give Jesus your life in exchange for Him giving you his.

See you tomorrow.... "Carpe momentum in love"