What makes God tick?

What is it that drives God? I know what motivates me, but what motivates God? I think the answer may be found in a familiar passage of scripture; John 3:16. In that verse it is stated that the reason God sent his only Son was because he "so loved the world". Could it be that the God of infinite complexity has one simple motivation? Simply love. This is what lies
behind all that God does. I don't understand the ways of God, but I do understand the whys.

As we seek to share life together, motivation becomes very important. All attempts at community will fail if we are not motivated by love. In the U.S. we are all about success and for most success is defined by wealth and influence. It is no different in the religious world. Success is how many people we had last Sunday, how much money was raised for our new building and how modern our facilities are. This kind of thinking leads to wrong motivation. We become motivated by the desires of the eye, pleasure and pride. It becomes all about the show, all about what makes me feel good and what makes my chest swell. If these things motivate us, it will poison the well of fellowship and drive us back to what we are coming out of. We will become just another group with an agenda.

To be motivated by love is to seek the welfare of another, at your own expense. It cost the Father dearly to love us. Every stripe laid on the back of Jesus is a testament to the immense love that God has for us. It will cost something to be motivated by love. It will cost pride, ambition and self preservation. It will cost all that we have. The wonderful thing is, that when we are cativated by the glory of the Fathers love, there seems to be no cost at all, only reward.

This is not something we can muster on our own. We need a Divine intervention, a new heart, a new life. This is the life that the Father wants to fill our hearts with. The life of his love. This is the life we live by, the life of faith in Christ Jesus. "It is not I that lives, but Christ who lives in me." The only way that I can truly be motivated by love is to abide in Him and He in me. I know what makes God tick and he is changing what makes me tick, so what makes you tick?

Meeting Report 8-12-07

Eight of us had brunch at the Tougas' house. Each brought food to share. We began with the bread and wine, during which we reflected on various images of Christ and His people. The Vine and Branches, Shepherd and Sheep etc.. There was a lot of laughter and camaraderie around the table as we broke bread in Jesus name.
The table was cleared and the kids went to play outside, while the adults got into some deeper sharing. We met Tim from Mexico ME who shared his own desire to meet simply in the Lords name. We talked a lot about money. How to spend it, give it and earn it in the light of the kingdom and in the Spirit of Christ. Renee shared a song the Lord laid on her heart. It ministered the presence of God to all. We had no set format for the meeting. We just let it unfold as we and the Spirit wished.
We are planning the next meeting for Sept. 2nd at a place yet to be determined.

Meeting Report 08/04/07

Renee has already done a great job with a report on this meeting see her post http://tougas.net/node/1090.

I'll only add that we were indeed an intimate group and enjoyed the conversation greatly. We are having a hard time with finding words to describe what it is we are doing. For now we are kind of stuck on "House Church". Though I'm not really happy with it.

The Declaration of Dependence

When in the course of human and heavenly events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the spiritual bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of earth and heaven, the separate and more powerful station to which the King and His Kingdom entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind require that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold the Word of God as The Truth. The Truth was given to all men that they might have life, liberty and the freedom to pursue their God. That to secure these truths, a government exist among men and angels, deriving its just power from its Creator and King, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to declare and decree a new government, laying the foundation on the Word of God.

We declare and decree that the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; And he shall reign for ever and ever.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Might God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Richard H.