What Drives & Sustains You?

Introduction:

1. You do what you do by the variety and proportion of influences and factors that motivate your life.
2. The better you pick and rank the influences for your life, the better and stronger a person you will be.
3. You can measure yourself and others by how high you or they live in this hierarchy of life influences.
4. Each of these influences in men’s lives could be greatly expanded from the Bible. This is a sample.
5. These factors in men’s lives may overlap at times, but this adds to the influence rather than reduces it.
6. Life is probationary existence with a buffet of choices for what you live for and how you will live it.
7. What drives you? What sustains you? What consumes you? Where do you fall in this brief survey?

Conformity

1. This is the first and worst influence in life but easily followed by many – peer pressure.
2. The fear of man brings a snare (Pr 29:25; 1:10); because others sin, this person follows.
3. It can apply to chameleon reprobates that conform on Sunday for a seat (Matt 22:8-14).
4. Early in Moses’ law, God warned individual Israelites not to follow a crowd (Ex 23:2).
5. God warned us not to conform to the world, but rather to be transformed (Rom 12:1-2).
6. A friend of the world is God’s enemy; many are in the broad way (Jas 4:4; Matt 7:13).
7. God has planned that we would be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

 

Consequences

1. This is the second worst influence because it merely reacts to rewards or punishment.
2. A lazy, selfish, greedy, or timid soul will do what it takes to advantage himself/herself.
3. If this person likes luxurious living, then he is at risk for wining and dining (Pr 23:1-3).
4. This person will profess repentance when caught, only to avoid judgment (II Cor 7:10).
5. If there is family, friends, or financial advantage being a Christian, they will join up.
6. God warned us to do what is right no matter the cost (Psalm 15:4; 56:4; Heb 11:24-26).
7. God planned the worst consequences for rejecting His Son (I Cor 16:22; II Thes 1:7-9).

 

Conscience

1. This factor of life we rank third for at least it is from God (Prov 20:27; Rom 2:12-16).
2. But all consciences are very limited, depending on teaching, training, and development.
3. God only puts basics in the conscience – only enough to condemn Gentiles by His laws.
4. Many do not have a real conscience due to searing it (Ep 4:17-19; I Tim 4:2; Tit 1:15).
5. It can be honored and obeyed in others to be strong and useful (Acts 23:1; II Tim 1:3).
6. The conscience can be educated to be stricter, or blinded (Acts 24:16; I Cor 10:25-29).
7. The best conscience is one good by the gospel of Christ (Heb 9:14; 10:22; I Peter 3:21).

 

Character

1. This lauded factor is one of those words assumed to be noble but so vague it is worthless.
2. Character is not a Bible word; it can mean any kind of consistent conduct, good or evil.
3. It is the traits that define a person e.g. diligent, lazy, generous, stingy, godly, jester, etc.
4. It is the code of conduct trained in a person or chosen later (Prov 22:6; Psalm 101:3-8).
5. It is more than conscience – it is the expected conduct due to it (Ps 112:5; Matt 12:35).
6. There is good or evil character (Ps 1:1-2; 10:4; 15:1-5; 36:1-4; 112:1-10; Phil 3:18-19).
7. The best character, from child training or later, is to be like Christ (Phil 2:5; I Cor 11:1).

 

Consistency

1. This factor is highly overrated and foolishly considered a virtue by those lacking zeal.
2. If you are consistent by doing nothing very bad and nothing very good, you are average.
3. Such consistency forfeits your life to mediocrity; neither God nor men are impressed.
4. Average is lukewarm and nauseating – a Christian without passion or zeal (Gal 4:18)?
5. Consistency = no change = no growth = no conversion = nothing great tried for God.
6. Lovers of God are not average; they are zealots, almost wild (Phil 3:12-14; II Cor 5:13).
7. Our Lord, our first and great goal, grew with zeal (Luke 2:52; Rev 3:14-22; Jn 2:17).

 

Commitment

1. This influence is the most conscious one yet, though it may rely on a past commitment.
2. Both employment (contracted) and marriage (covenant) involve significant promises.
3. Honest persons making commitments will intend and perform to fulfill and even more.
4. Apostles could not stop preaching; Agrippa could not risk his office (Acts 4:20; 26:28).
5. Timothy was faithful to his commitment; Demas was not his (Phil 2:19-23; II Tim 4:10).
6. Most professions and baptisms bear no fruit (Matt 13:18-23; 22:1-14; Luke 14:16-20).
7. Baptism is a real commitment – I have decided to follow Jesus (Rom 6:3-5; Col 3:1-4).

 

Cause

1. This influence is outside a person; it focuses life choices and efforts on a higher purpose.
2. Think politicians (law, socialism), doctors (health), teachers (literacy), jihadists (Islam).
3. Soldiers lay down their lives for country (rare); mothers will do anything for children.
4. Men have spent their entire lives and fortunes pursuing all kinds of causes, good or bad.
5. Why did Baal’s prophets cut themselves and priests/nuns vow celibacy (Rev 14:8-12)?
6. What drove David to be unlike all Israelites facing Goliath? His cause (I Sam 17:29)!
7. Foolish Christians may be distracted with family or getting rich (Matt 10:34-37; 19:24).
8. The greatest cause is the gospel kingdom of Christ (Matthew 13:44-46; I Tim 3:15-16).

 

Christ

1. This is the best, highest, strongest, and most passionate and personal life factor of all.
2. Men have followed Buddha and Mohamed, Alexander the Great and William Wallace, Billy Graham and Jack Hyles, even Jesse’s son David, but Jesus Christ is best of all.
3. Religious, military, or political leaders are at best but men, offer you far less than they have, disappear at death, cannot help your death, and cannot empower or possess you.
4. Jesus motivated Paul to be a zealot like no other for the last 2/3 of his life (II Cor 5:1-7,14-15; Romans 8:35-37; 14:7-9; I Cor 6:19-20; Philippians 1:20-23; Galatians 6:14).
5. Christ and love of Him is the strongest influence and motive (John 14:21-23; 15:4-6; Acts 7:59; Col 3:22-25; Heb 4:12-16; I Cor 1:29-31; Eph 3:14-21; Rev 1:9; 12:17; etc.).
6. He has life-giving power, personal affection, ability to inhabit you, is infinitely superior to any other by any measure, has made us joint-heirs with Him, and is coming for us.
7. Martyrs were thrilled by the gospel and expectation of joining Him in heaven by death.
8. Loving Him can make life perfect and help defeat addictions and faults, as a songwriter wrote, The things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
9. He can lift your heart and mind higher … take your life farther … give you greater joy, peace, and hope … and make you most profitable to others. Love Him supremely today!
10. You can make a commitment today that your cause will be Christ! Follow Him today!
11. Then you change your inputs and priorities to make pursuing Him the greatest ambition of your life, and He will come to you in affectionate power to embrace you in His arms.