Archives for May 2020

It’s possible to do the right things, but not for the right reasons, or maybe I should say, not for the best reasons. Sometimes what we do is not as important as why we do it.The Right ReasonsIt’s possible to do the right things, but not for the right reasons, or maybe I should say, not for the best reasons. Sometimes what we do is not as important as why we do it.

For example, we can do things for selfish reasons, which others think we did because of more noble impulses. Despite the accolades we may be given, our heart was actually selfish and unworthy of the acclaim.

Spies serve and work themselves into places where they can get information or have influence. Criminals do the same.

On a more day-to-day level, we can be guilty of doing things for wrong reasons, and we may even spend our life doing that.

A child, for example, may suggest the family go on a holiday, but only because there is some new place they want to explore. A wife may suggest they need a bigger house, but that may be driven by shame about the place they have. A man might suggest the family needs a new car, but only because he is tired of the old one that still serves them well.

In the Bible we have many examples of people who do things for wrong reasons. The Pharisees were often rebuked by Jesus because they loved to put on a show, hiding a lot of evil in their hearts and in their actions.

“They cheat widows out of their houses while making a show by lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” Mark 12:40

“When you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be praised by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.” Matthew 6:3

“When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at street corners, to be seen publicly. Truly, I say to you, that’s all the reward they will get.” Matthew 6:5

I know people who donate to both major political parties. Obviously they don’t fully care for one or the other. They simply want to get favours from whichever party is in power.

I know wives who steer their husband to make choices that suit the wife, even though the wife suggests it is for the family’s good.

I know ministers who only relate with large churches, hoping to have the right connections.

Looking after ourselves is natural. That’s why we work and eat. However, there is a place where self interest becomes the wrong reason to do something.

This is specially so if we use and deceive others and effectively make servants of them.

This comes back to our heart. God watches our heart to give us what we deserve. Our actions may look like we deserve praise, but our heart might reveal selfishness or cover-up.

“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:10

There are people who lavish gifts on others, because they have a guilty conscience. There are people who want to help others, but only so they can be around those people. There are people who volunteer to help, but have hidden agendas. There are those who appear to want the best for others, but their heart is full of malice and deceit.

I say again, God looks at the heart.

“The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, so God can be strong on behalf of those whose heart is blameless toward him.” 2Chronicles 16:9

In all the many things we are supposed to do in life the heart with which we do it is important. You can serve, with resentment in your heart. You can appear kind, but have malice. You can pretend to be happy, while your heart is aching. You can be very religious, but be driven by fears. You can give gifts, but only to fool others.

Let’s run a short check-list to help you see this in practice.

Children are to honour and obey parents. This is to be done with a willing heart that obeys as an act of worship of God. Children, is that how your heart is?

Wives are made as a helper to their husband, being the wind in the sails of his life. This is to be done as an act of worship of God. Wives, do you control your husband and want him to build the world you want, or do you help him achieve his plans?

Employees are to serve their bosses as if working for Jesus, not just looking good, but actually serving diligently from the heart. Employees, do you give half-hearted effort and look to take advantage of your boss?

Christians are to love God and seek to see God’s Kingdom come on earth. Do you care about God and His Kingdom, or only what pleases you? Do you love God with all your heart, or are you more interested in entertainment and doing things your way?

Parents, Bosses and Husbands, you all have responsibilities for those in your care. Do you resent and exploit those ones, or do you bless them by your positive heart toward them?

Whatever your situation, remember in all things you do, that God not only looks at what you do, but that you do it for the Right Reasons.

Is morality somehow in the heart of people, or is it learned, such as a moral code imposed on people by their upbringing?

There are those in our society who think morality is not fixed, but a floating standard that can change as social attitudes change. They think morality has been put in place by society itself.

So, is that true?

Somehow, deep inside us, we have a sense for what is right and wrong, good or evil. But is that a fixed thing or just a feeling we have that can be changed?

We seem to know instinctively what is good and what is evil, even when the boundaries are blurred. We see an example of this in ancient history, when God’s prophet Jonah visited the city of Nineveh.

God sent Jonah to Nineveh to prophesy against it and warn the city that it would be destroyed because it was evil.

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.” Jonah 1:2

Now, if a city has become wicked, that’s because the people in the city want to be wicked. They will have passed laws and made provision for their wickedness, so it would not be considered wicked any more. 

Yet God was not influenced by what laws were passed. Morality and good and evil were not made by man’s laws or social opinions, but by God’s own moral character.

What is surprising is that the great city responded to Jonah’s preaching. They had made ‘wickedness’ normal, so it wasn’t wicked any more, but when God warned them they would be judged they suddenly admitted that what they were doing was evil.

The king humbled himself and made a rule that everyone should fear God.

“Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God: yes, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.” Jonah 3:8

Wow! What happened to their socially acceptable evil? It suddenly disappeared when their conscience was challenged. They could let themselves go along with evil, and they could make evil legal, but they still knew it was evil and immoral.

Human conscience tells us what is right and wrong. It either excuses us or accuses us when we do things.

“They show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another” Romans 2:15

Those who deny a fundamental moral compass need only consider what things they think to be evil or reprehensible, such as senseless carnage, rape, murder, deceit in office, genocide, and the like. Then they could ask themselves why those actions should be wrong.

There is somewhere some reference point by which our actions are measured. So, how do we know we have the right line of demarcation between right and wrong. If rape is wrong, what about nudity, or prostitution?

People recognise the worst kinds of evil but want to excuse other evils of selfishness, pride, abuse of others, anger, hardness of heart, imposing things on others, abandonment of responsibility, using people, and such like. People excuse those things so they can indulge their passions. We hate the worst kinds of evil, but we want to get away with our own versions of evil. We see those as lesser evils.

The Bible tells us that if we have broken the moral boundaries in the least item we are guilty of having broken those boundaries in the most serious way.

“Whoever keeps the whole law, and yet offends in one point, is guilty of breaking all the law.” James 2:10

We live in confusing times when things that everyone recognised as evil are now being promoted and legalised. That creates internal confusion and for some it involves destroying their conscience so they don’t have to live with a sense of guilt and shame.

“The Spirit expressly reveals that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.” 1Timothy 4:1,2

Yet despite all the celebration by some that they have effectively changed morals in the community, all they have done is push their own values and their own desires. The moral compass hasn’t been changed, just as it wasn’t changed in Nineveh, despite the whole society equally engaged in their activities. God called it wickedness, and the society knew that they were wicked.

We are only visiting earth for a short while and after that we stand before God. It doesn’t matter what we decide to believe down here, because we will be measured against God’s moral standards. God gave us a moral compass. We may try to tinker with it, and adjust it to suit ourselves, but in the end we get judged by God’s standards, not those we can promote in our society.

I urge you to be careful in a changing world, so you don’t get your Moral Compass on the wrong settings. Soon enough you will stand before God and He will measure you by His morals, not yours. May you stand approved when you are measured by God’s Moral Compass.

We all want to be happy, so the Bible promise of Joy is a wonderful thing. However we may not be aware how to receive and live in the Joy of the Lord. It is possible you are missing joy you are supposed to have. So, let’s see if we can find you some more Joy.

Joy is a Fruit of the Spirit, one of the things produced within us by the Holy Spirit’s work.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” Galatians 5:22

“The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

The Holy Spirit is also linked to joy in the Apostle Paul’s description of God’s Kingdom. Paul points out that the Kingdom of God is focused on three things: being right with God; having peace; and having joy through the Holy Spirit.

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17

One way for us to experience more joy is to keep filled with the Spirit of God. We are urged to be ‘filled with the Spirit’, which suggests we need to be filled over and over again.

“Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord” Ephesians 5:18,19

I need to point out that joy is not the same as laughter. Joy is a much deeper thing than giggling or being in a happy mood for a time. The difference can be understood by comparing the waves on the ocean to the ocean current deep below.

The waves are visible and splashy, like someone laughing at a party and having a good time. The current, however, is unseen, yet it moves huge amounts of water around the globe. 

A person having fun and laughing will be heard and seen and the impression will be that they are having a great time. Yet we all know that laughter is not the same as happiness and it’s not the same as joy. It can be really quite shallow and hide a heart filled with pain and despair. Wise King Solomon noted that.

“Laughter can hide a heavy heart, and when the laughter ends the grief remains.” Proverbs 14:13

“I said of laughter, It is folly, and of pleasure, What does it accomplish?” Ecclesiastes 2:2

The waves on an ocean can splash in whatever direction they want but the true ocean movement is in the unseen tidal flow below the waves.

I interviewed international motivational speaker Zig Ziglar many years ago. He recommended that people be upbeat and positive in life. He told me that one day he heard a lady observe to her friend at a meal break, “Zig doesn’t look very ‘up’ to me.” That lady thought being ‘up’ was to be in some excited state all the time. Zig assured me he was ‘up’, feeling positive and upbeat on the inside, but he didn’t need to make a show of it, and he wasn’t in performance mode as he has to be on stage.

In the same way we can be joyful deep on the inside, feeling confident in God, happy with the direction of life, content with what God is doing with us. Yet we may look perfectly ordinary, without any raucous laughter or giddy giggling. We know the current running deep in our life is moving us closer and closer to God and to our eternal rewards.

Joy bursts through in our lives at times, but it is there even when it can’t be seen. Jesus’ disciples were arrested on one occasion and beaten for testifying about Jesus. This filled them with joy. It was painful and uncomfortable, yet it was wonderfully joyful. They realised they were counted worthy to suffer the same treatment the religious leaders put Jesus through.

“They left the presence of the council, rejoicing to be counted worthy to suffer dishonour for Jesus’ name.” Acts 5:41

Because joy is the deep current in our lives, sustained by the Holy Spirit within us, we can access that joy when we choose to. An example of that comes from the days of Nehemiah, when the people became distressed on learning how they had offended God. Nehemiah called them to draw from joy, not their distress. He reminded them they had access to the ‘Joy of the Lord’.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep. For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Go and eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:9,10

If you have been overcome by anxieties and sorrows stop to recognise that the Lord is your strength and defender. This is the day the Lord has made. You can choose to put aside your discomfort and celebrate in joy for all the Lord is doing, even in the middle of your troubles.

“This is the day the Lord made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Joy is there, even if you can’t see it for the waves splashing on top of your life. God’s tide of joy and God’s continuing work to bring you closer to Himself are treasures you can draw from, even in the storms of life. The tide is not stopped by the storms on the surface.

The ability to stop and find joy in your life is a gift from God. Accept that gift and pay attention to the joy running deep in your life.

“Everyone should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.” Ecclesiastes 3:13

Don’t despise that gift. Take time to enjoy the life God has given you. It is God’s gift to you.

And remember that there is always joy in God’s presence. It is a joy that is rich and full. So bring your concerns into God’s presence. Wait on Him and let Him bring comfort and joy to your heart.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

God bless you as you discover more of the joy God has provided for your life. May you ever and in every situation find you are blessed with Joy in Life.

Something that is fake can appear real and fool most people. But when properly scrutinised it proves to be worthless. Those who treasured it were duped and wasted their money or time pursuing and finding value in it.

Our enemy, satan, is a master of lies and deception, so we can be sure he has many counterfeits to offer. If we are not careful we will give our life to something that is worthless.

This is so with false religions and all kinds of promises of happiness, that lead people into empty and unhappy lives. There is no shortage of fake things in our world, in terms of life values, ideas, philosophies and things to pursue.

I recognised one of those counterfeits recently, that is very widely accepted. It is a counterfeit life purpose. In practice most westerners follow a rather simple model for life. The course is that of education leading to career, leading to provision to sustain a family and acquire assets, leading to retirement where people hope to get a pay-off for their years of labour.

We are funnelled into that course and most of us accept it and become trapped in it.

In terms of that life purpose we could say ‘The chief end of man is to get a good start in life, to get a good job, to enjoy a nice quality of life then a happy retirement’.

While that is virtually the universal life pattern, let’s compare that with what devout Christians came up with in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. 

‘The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’

Worldly wisdom diverts our attention from spiritual and eternal things, to things that are focused on life on this planet (earthly) and which appeal to our human instincts (sensual) but which are also controlled by satan, who is the prince of this world.

See that in the warning by Jesus’ brother James.
“This wisdom is not from above (heavenly), but is earthly, sensual and devilish.” James 3:15

Those who elevate the world’s life purpose will throw themselves into their study, their career, establishing family and acquiring assets. Most westerners, however, give little time to glorifying God and won’t get to enjoy God now or in eternity. They have been sold a counterfeit.

I’m not suggesting it is wrong to follow the path of study, work, family, assets and retirement. There is nothing sinful about doing that. But if that truly becomes a person’s life purpose then they have abandoned their true purpose.

They can live their life happily with the counterfeit, but when they come to cash it in they will find it is worthless. They will have consumed their life, but not gained things that of true value.

In the eyes of the world, where work, assets and happy retirement are the norm, those who live a life of indulgence and who won’t study, work and acquire assets are scorned. They are seen as irresponsible. The world honours those who are responsible.

Yet God has not called us to keep the wheels of industry turning, or to feed global corporations with our time and money, or to be good tax-payers, or to be wage-slaves, or to chase material gain. We have a much higher calling.

Our calling is to glorify God. In doing that we get to enjoy God, right here and now. We get to enjoy His peace and provision, and a life lived for Him.

That means we are not looking for a new entertainment device in our home, or an impressive new asset to affirm our value in this world, but are looking for how to bless and extend the Kingdom of God.

I recall in my teenage years that the church ran a week-long series of meetings with a guest speaker. My parents wanted to go to all the meetings but my brothers and I could choose which nights we would go. It was the first time I can recall being torn between my worldly pleasures and doing something more spiritual.

There were several television programs which I watched religiously and which I really did not want to miss. In those days recording a program for later viewing wasn’t an option. I chose to attend all the meetings and I’m glad I did. But I’m also glad I had begun to wrestle with the conflict between serving myself, pleasing myself, doing my own thing, or letting God have priority.

I urge you to take stock of your life’s values right now. Are you living to glorify God or to advance your career and get more trinkets? Are you striving to know God more and to serve Him better, or to have more assets set aside for later years? Are you conscious of God and His Kingdom or are you distracted by the cares of this world?

You may have been sold a fake – a fake purpose in life. If so you will one day realise you have empty hands, holding only a worthless thing sold to you by deception. It is time to abandon the Counterfeit Life and to live in the wonder of relationship with God and seeking God’s Kingdom.

My prayer is that God pick you up and place you into the stream of His blessing and purpose for your life and that you are completely set free from all that is counterfeit and empty in your life and family. May you be caught up in the wonder of knowing God and relating with Him and His Kingdom and be completely free from any Counterfeit Life.

In recent years I reconnected with cousins I had not seen since my youth. It was a delight to meet them again and to meet their children. I have other cousins I still haven’t seen in decades, but the ones I reconnected with are now on my radar and I look forward to further catching up.

Growing up I was aware my family didn’t have strong connections with extended family and I coined the phrase for my disconnected relatives as ‘Relative Strangers’.

A friend of mine has done extensive family research and ended up visiting people around the world whom they had never had contact with before. Their world expanded greatly as they uncovered lost relatives.

This shows that we can be related to someone but not be relating. That can happen with people we see regularly too. We can be estranged from parents, siblings, children, and other close relatives.

Being ‘related’ is different to being in ‘relationship’.

This speaks directly to our walk with God. Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God, through Christ. Yet many Christians put their faith in Christ and don’t develop relationship with God. It’s like having a father but never talking with him. We may revere him and obey his instructions, but miss the wonder of sitting on his knee and feeling his care and affection for us.

In teenage years many youth drift apart from parents and siblings, feeling as if self-discovery requires them to cut those relational strings. They want to stand on their own feet, and they may resent parental interference with their desire to make their own way.

Those youth lose something that belongs to them. They lose close relationship with close family. Being our own person doesn’t need rejection of others but it tends to play out that way. In becoming independent we miss out on the benefits of cooperative team support.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their efforts. For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:9,10

Moses was called by God to lead the nation of Israel but he eventually called out to God for helpers.

“I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.” Numbers 11:14

A father is often willing to help out his children, but when the children are determined to go it alone that help is missed. Similarly God is ready and willing to be of amazing assistance to you, but if you are not relating with Him you will not even know what to ask for.

Sadly, too, there are people who enjoy what they can get from God or do in His name, but who do not enter into relationship with Him. That’s like a rich man’s son who enjoys the benefits, but who never spends time with his dad to build relationship.

Jesus pointed out that there will be people who even did impressive things in Christ’s name but who will be rejected because there was no relationship. Jesus put that in the words, “I never knew you.”

“On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and did many mighty works in your name. Then I will reply, I never knew you (never had relationship with you); depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:22,23

There may be reasons why you don’t have a good relationship with your parents or other family members. But there should be no reason why you don’t have a really close relationship with God.

The most likely reason why you don’t is that you haven’t wanted such relationship. When I let various friendships lapse, because of being busy or distracted, I have had to make the effort to reconnect. After taking time and making room for those lost connections they have been restored.

I urge you to make time and take effort to connect with God. Use the idea of connecting with a lost relative as a guide. You would make contact and start talking. You would follow that up with another contact and then look to contacting regularly. You would tell them about yourself, but you’d also be listening to them. You would get to know what they like and how to best fit in with them.

So do that with God. Start talking with Him. Even if you start by complaining, at least you are starting to relate with Him. But also look into His Word, the Bible, and allow God to speak to you from there. You may well find that by regular Bible reading things begin to stand out to you, showing you God’s directions.

You are related to God. You are His child. You will spend eternity in God’s presence. God is your loving Heavenly Father. God wants to relate with you and be your constant mentor and champion through life.

“Behold, what kind of love the Father has placed on us, that we are called the sons of God” 1John 3:1

“Beloved, we are God’s children now” 1John 3:2

“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, your name be glorified.” Matthew 6:9

You are related to God. Now take the time and effort to build relationship. Move from just being Related, to Relating sweetly and freely with God.