The Issues of Ethics

One thing I love about Australian culture is the high value placed on volunteerism and being involved in the local community to make a positive impact.  For over a century in Australia, scripture teaching has been provided in public primary schools.  I have been delighted over the last year and a half to volunteer to teach one class a week at a local school.  While scripture teaching is available to all students, parents are free to have their child "opt out" of these classes.  I am in agreement with this policy.  As much as I believe in the power, truth, and necessity of scripture for life, I respect the rights of parents to choose for their kids.  May God use the children who attend scripture to positively live out the scriptures before their classmates in obedience to Christ - a far more powerful and persistent influence than I could ever wield.

In recent years there have been additional options provided, such as "philosophical ethics."  It has been put forth as a secular alternative to scripture with the slogan, "Just Think About It."  Truly, this is the desire of all who teach scripture as well.  Christian apologist Dr. Ravi Zacharias has an aptly named radio program called, "Let My People Think!"  I do not view any tension between scripture teaching and philosophical ethics as in any way being in competition with one another, as if "anything you can do I can do better."  The fact is, the worldview and philosophies of scripture and ethics are on opposite ends of the spectrum.  From a biblical perspective, the approach of ethics saddens me for many reasons.

The basic claim of scripture is it is the divinely inspired Word of God.  It is the unchanging truth of an unchanging God who created all things, loves His creation, and created man in His own image.  He holds forth absolutes concerning the fall and subsequent sinfulness of man, the consequences of sin being death, and He has demonstrated His love for all by sending Jesus to be the Saviour of the World.  Through Jesus alone does man find eternal life and the power to live life now in the way that pleases God.  God has revealed Himself, and man can have a relationship with the God who created and loves Him through faith.  The Bible teaches us only God is good, and man despite his best efforts is futile and lost.  Man needs God, and that is a critical problem in ethics.

Since anything good comes from God, anything "good" (by the scriptural definition) must come from God.  Anything "good" therefore in the philosophies of men has been borrowed from the Bible and repackaged.  Ethics appeals to the supposed good found within people which God's Word says does not naturally exist, nor is it fostered through the efforts of the flesh (Ps. 53:3).  Even if the right thing is done, it can be performed with the wrong attitude.  Philosophy is powerless in itself  to provide the actual means, motive, or ability to do the good which only comes through the Holy Spirit empowering a person to do so.  The very nature of a secular approach to ethics suggests man can be good or do right without God.  Humanistic ethics denies the necessity of repentance, spiritual regeneration, and salvation.  It substitutes man's wisdom (which the scripture deems folly) for God's wisdom - the true wisdom from above.  Instead of mere behaviour modification, God desires to transform us from within by His grace.

The scripture says in Colossians 2:8-10, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."  God is not like a man, and God's wisdom is not like man's wisdom.  The Bible is a spiritually discerned book, and we can only implement the truth into our minds and lives by the power of God who dwells within born-again believers.  Most men will proclaim their own goodness, and there is a rare man who sees his faults and acknowledges them.  Without the power of Jesus Christ, however, no man has within him the power to change himself or earn forgiveness of sin.  Jesus Christ is the Way, Truth, and the Life, the wisdom from above who powerfully transforms all who trust in Him!

So the question which must be asked is, has scripture teaching been reduced to ethics or an exercise in behaviour modification?  Or is an opportunity been provided to experience the truth of God's Word and a life of faith in Christ so the change comes from within?  One of the expressed purposes of scripture teaching in New South Wales is for children to hear the scriptures from people who personally exercise faith in their lives.  Information is important, and a relationship with God far more important still!  If scripture is ever reduced to focusing on sharing information or addressing behaviour, it is sorely missing the point.

Never Return to Egypt

"Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!"

Isaiah 31:1

God delivered the children of Israel from hundreds of years of bondage and slavery in Egypt.  With miraculous signs and a mighty hand God brought forth the Jewish nation and gave them His Law.  Centuries later, a day came when Israel faced the threat of the Babylonian nation.  Desperate to save themselves from occupation, captivity, or annihilation, some Jews decided to take refuge in Egypt from the advancing army.  God pronounced woe on those who looked to Egypt for help rather than look to the Holy God of Israel in faith.  It was folly to return to the "iron furnace" from which God had delivered them. (Deut. 4:20, Jer. 11:4)  How quickly we can forget how horrible our bondage was!

God proved His power and authority over all Egyptian gods through miraculous plagues before the exodus.  After the tenth plague, the children of Israel were released by Pharaoh.  Not long after they departed from his lands, he and his princes had second thoughts.  So hard were their hearts they decided to pursue the freed slaves with chariots and horsemen.  God protected His people and caused the Red Sea to part so the people could pass through on dry land.  When the Egyptian armies attempted a pursuit, it was to their destruction.  The entire army perished, for God fought for his people.  As the people saw the corpses of their enemies washing up on the shore, Exodus 15:1 tells us:  "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: "I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!"

The Jews going to Egypt was far more significant than traveling to a distant city to avoid conflict:  it was telling of the people's hearts before God.  They had forsaken the God who delivered them and returned to a place of bondage.  They hoped for safety from those who had oppressed them, and trusted horses and chariots to save them - the same horses and chariots God had vanquished in the depths of the Red Sea.  The people had departed from serving the living God and did not trust Him to save them.  Israelite kings were given victory by the power of God, but foolishly gathered up the idols of the kings they destroyed and worshiped them instead.  Jeremiah 2:12-13 says, "Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; be very desolate," says the LORD. ¹³ "For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns--broken cisterns that can hold no water."

Having been given salvation freely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, it is possible for Christians to do the same thing:  to seek deliverance and salvation from current conflict by returning to a life of bondage which could not save at all.  When we lean on our own understanding, walking by sight and not by faith in God, the old ways of thinking and living prove alluring.  But we should never be duped to return to Egypt.  It is God who has saved us and He is our God and King.  He is the One who fights for us.  It is He who vanquishes our enemies and provides rest for our souls.  Consider the wisdom of David in Psalm 20:6-9:  "Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. ⁸ They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright. ⁹ Save, LORD! May the King answer us when we call."  Do you trust the One in whom you have believed?  Let us seek our Saviour who provides living water, and refuse to hew for ourselves broken cisterns.

The Impossible God

My wife and I recently submitted applications to become dual-citizens of Australia.  It was the exciting culmination of many years of effort and desire.  But truly, it is God who has done all the work.  He has opened a door to us that no man can shut.  Even when God opens doors, the way through them is not as straightforward as I would like!

The online application process proved challenging because I could not figure out how to include Laura on my application.  We had to apply separately, which proved inconvenient because our interviews with the test were scheduled a week apart!  We paid our fees, gathered all the appropriate paperwork, scanned and attached the files to our online applications, had passport-sized pictures taken, and an authorised friend of ours filled out the identity declaration.  We started studying for the test and Laura's appointment came first.

I received the first text from Laura when she boarded the train, another when she entered the building, and then another.  The last message really grabbed my attention, and not in a good way:  "No go," it said.  A small strip of correction tape had been used on the form and therefore it was invalid.  Laura was tasked to contact our friend and have the form filled out again by 3pm and she could go ahead with the test.  "And if you are unable to do so," the man said, "it's looking like April is mostly booked.  You will need to call and reschedule."

This was bad news.  Not crushing or devastating news, but a terrible disappointment.  I felt bad Laura went through the trouble of preparing, made her appointment on time, but was denied from her interview because of a little correction tape.  But right on top of the form it did read, "No liquid paper."  So the rest of the afternoon was spent praying and spamming our poor friend's mobile phone to try to make contact to fill out a clean form.  I had a peace about the situation because God is faithful.  I committed the matter into the LORD's hands, believing it would be resolved before 3am.  It was not to be.

After the 3pm deadline passed, Laura called the office in Parramatta.  She eventually was able to speak to an associate and explain the situation.  "It looks like April 30th is the first opening," the woman said.  I told her my husband had an appointment on 1 April, even though the man said it was impossible.  "Let me check one more time."  And would you believe the women said, "Oh, I can book you in for 1 April at 11:20am."  Would you believe that is the exact same day and time as my appointment?  How awesome is that?  We wanted to have our interviews at the same time, and God answered our prayer in a most unexpected way.  Now we technically don't have the same appointment, but it happens to be at the same place at the same time.  Amazing!

When Laura told me the good news of her rescheduled appointment, I was flabbergasted.  Words came out of my mouth which convicted me deeply:  "How did God do that?"  Ah, me of little faith.  I saw the folly of my words as soon as I said them, for God is the God of the impossible.  I confessed my sin and placed my trust in God, and affirmed the wondrous thing He had done.  The things we cannot do He does without effort.  In this case, He divinely allowed this circumstance to be a tool to reveal a dearth of faith.  God does things like this.  He wants us to recognise though we trust Him, it does not mean we are trusting Him.  It is not my faith which earns blessings from God, but they are all of grace.  God is gracious to show us our lack so He can supply all needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus.

God-willing on 1 April Laura and I will meet the interview and test requirements to become dual citizens.  Our children are included in our applications and will be dual citizens as well.  The next step in the process is to go to a ceremony where we recite a pledge before God.  I am looking forward to it, for my God is an awesome God.  The words of Mark 7:37 apply perfectly in my case:  "And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."  Jesus Christ is the God of the impossible!

Be Reconciled to God

"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

When we moved into our current house over a year ago, it was not long before I realised something strange was happening in our shower.  It was most peculiar.  Over the years, a small gap had opened around the edge of the shower pan, and to my horror I discovered insects were living in there.  After a good clean, I began to notice thin black streaks on the tile.  One night I turned on the light and there were these tiny little bugs racing around in the shower.  I used bleach, I used toilet cleaner, anything to erradicate those dirty little pests.  Nothing worked as a long-term solution.

I decided to ask permission from our land lady to re-grout the gap.  I went to the shops and bought all the necessary supplies:  a tool to remove grout, bucket, float, new grout, and an additive.  For whatever reason, I didn't perform the repair right away.  Months passed as I was busy with other projects or activities.  With my knee rehab I wasn't keen to be kneeling in a small space.  But in all honesty, any reason I can provide is a lame excuse.  I half-heartedly kept up the losing battle with the shower bugs, but finally I was fed up.  "This weekend," I told Laura with fresh commitment, "I am going to fix our shower."

I had put off the task because replacing grout is a serious pain.  It is a tedious job on your hands and knees, removing the old grout, mixing the new grout to the correct consistency, spreading it evenly into the gaps, and wiping up the excess.  Oh the wiping!  Time after time I emptied the bucket and replaced it with clean water.  Again and again I passed the sponge over the tile, removing the cloudy haze from the glazed surface.  Finally it was complete, and I walked away satisfied the battle with the bugs was over.

When a job long put off is complete, a funny thing happens.  I look at the finished product and ask myself, why did I wait so long to finish this job?  I had all the materials, ability, and time:  why didn't I make this a priority months ago and begin to enjoy the beneficial results sooner?  The same can be true about sin in the life of a Christian.  Through faith in Christ, we have been freed from the power of sin.  Why do we put off being reconciled to God or others when it is so wonderful to finally be free of addictions, hatred, unforgiveness, and bitterness?  How is it we have the promises of God and the divine empowerment at our disposal with all the tools granted by God's grace, but we choose instead to keep fighting a spiritual battle through the efforts of the flesh?

I am very pleased to have a renewed shower, clean and free from the corrupting influence of those pesky insects.  How much more satisfying and pleasing it is when our lives are once again free from sin and aligned with God's will in obedience and fellowship?  Jesus has become sin for us so we might be the righteousness of God in Him.  Take to heart the exhortation of Paul today:  "Be reconciled to God."  Once we have confessed our sin, repented, and received Christ's forgiveness and liberty we will undoubtedly say, "Why didn't I do that sooner?"

The Atheist God Used (to make a Christian live like one)

When I entered Grossmont College as a freshman, I had relatively low expectations.  It amazingly turned out to be an eye-opening season of my life.  I could not have guessed the English professor teaching Advanced Composition would be instrumental in changing me for the better.  A consummate scholar and intellectual, now doctor, author, and acclaimed professor, the man was eccentric, witty, well-read, and captivating.  I felt I recognised and appreciated his brilliant mind more than others:  what was this genius doing teaching at a Junior College?

Our class met on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7am.  Upon arriving for our first day, we were warmly greeted with an interesting question:  "Are there any monotheists in this class?"  I was one of three, and we were directed to sit on the right side of the classroom.  The class was further separated into those with atheistic and agnostic leanings.  The class was heavy on discussion of current events and reading from A World of Ideas by Lee A. Jacobs.  By far it was my favourite class because of the professor I thoroughly admired, with whom I sensed a strange connection.  Perhaps I was able to conceal my admiration, but likely not.  The brilliance of the man in my eyes was undimmed by his worldview, which was admittedly atheistic.  Instead of rejecting me for holding to the view that God exists, I was impressed by his acceptance.  There was a mutual respect which transcended our differences.  I did not always share my professor's views (especially concerning secret messages from Carol LaBeau), but I respected him like no other.

I came into the class believing there was a God.  I grew up reading the Bible, praying, believing God heard my prayers and answered.  I had seen God's answers to prayer.  I knew I had been forgiven and trusted Jesus as Saviour.  It was far more than a mental exercise.  But during my teen years, I had grown spiritually proud and dull.  My heart hardened, though I maintained a clean exterior.  I did not use the crass language of others, drink alcohol, view pornography, or sleep around.  It was of me Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:5:  one who had a form of godliness but denied the power thereof.  As I was exposed to worldly thoughts and philosophies in English class, I was challenged to the core.  It was like I stood in the valley of decision:  would I hold fast to my faith and belief in the scripture, or would I exchange it for a secular, atheistic worldview?  The temptation was very real.  As the weeks passed I realised I could not forsake Jesus who had died for my sins and rose from the dead.  The resurrection of Jesus from the dead was beyond doubt.  The truth was, however, at the time I was not living for God at all.

My first English class in university marked a turning point in my life, to move from knowing about God to living for Him.  God used my atheist professor and the confronting nature of the class to force me to either reject the Bible wholesale as a work of fiction, or actually mix works with my faith.  If I believed God was real, if I believed in the veracity of scripture, then I needed to take steps to intentionally live life for the glory of God.  That class drove me to the scriptures to seek the answers.  As I read the Word of God, I found my feet secure on solid footing.  My confidence shifted from my knowledge to trusting God Himself.  No longer did I feel unsettled by questions or doubts.  I did not know everything, but what I knew was trustworthy, secure, and unshakable.  Once settled with faith in Christ, I no longer felt overwhelmed by the intelligence of my professor or peers.  My conscience was at rest, founded on Jesus Christ and the unchanging truth of the Bible.  I was content with the fact I would likely never be an intellectual revered by colleagues in academia if I held fast to biblical truth.  The class taught me a life marked by Christ's love, grace, and service far exceeds a Christian worldview alone.  It wasn't long before I began volunteering to serve at church, and the rest is history.

I have a great debt of gratitude to the professor God used to change my life for the better.  Shocked out of my complacency, a fire was started in my soul which has continued to burn and spread to this day.  Isn't it ironic God would pull me out of a construction trade over a decade later having ordained me as a minister and pastor?  I would be putting my university education into practice in the most unexpected way as I prepared studies, lessons, and sermons.  I am grateful beyond words how God used that brilliant man to compel me towards Christ.  I love atheists, agnostics, and my fellow believers because God does, and God can use them all for His glory too.  You don't need to believe in God to be used mightily by Him, but how much more glorious it is to know God and be used by Him as well!  To be known by God is more profoundly satisfying than any accolades received on earth.  Our lives on earth will soon be over and we will be forgotten, but the Word of the LORD endures forever!

Groceries From Jesus

I began trusting in Jesus Christ as a child.  When I look back on my childhood, I can see how God worked to provide, protect, and bless our family.  My faith was not primarily built in a church classroom, but at home by parents who were faithful in trusting God and leading us kids to do the same.

By worldly standards we were not rich by any means, but our home was rich in love and faith in Christ.  I never felt poor or deprived in any way, though money was tight.  God always provided for our needs.  When family, friends, or even total strangers needed a place to stay, my parents opened our home to visitors who stayed for years.  During one of these seasons, we had a family of four staying with us.  I remember having two bunkbeds side by side with a roll out mattress in between.  Construction work had taken a big downturn in the 80's, and my dad worked hard to support his family and guests.  We had to put the dresser in the closet because the room was full of beds!

Years later I was told the whole story of what became a defining moment of God's faithfulness in my life.  My mum opened the cupboards one afternoon and came to the startling discovery there was no food on hand for dinner.  She talked with the other mum and prayed for God to provide for us.  As hungry people do, they started talking about the things they would love to eat.  One suggested a spot of tea would be wonderful.  The day continued on, and nothing was said about dinner.

I was in the kitchen about an hour later when I heard a knock at the door.  I can't recall who opened the door and greeted the two smiling African American women at the door, but I remember vividly I had never seen them before.  They held in their arms brown paper grocery bags.  One of the women said through a broad smile, "We've got groceries from Jesus!"  And in they came.  I watched as the joyful strangers brought in bag after bag of groceries, placed them on the bench (counter), and left.  We never knew their names, where they came from, or how they could have possibly known our dire need - a need I didn't even know we had!

It was like Christmas when we started taking the food out of the bags.  I remember there was syrup bought from a store, something we never had at that time.  My mum was deeply touched to find in the bounty there was even some tea, a special personal touch from the God who loved us so much.  I have always been thankful to those beautiful women I never had an opportunity to thank or express how important their generous gifts were to us.  I have thanked and been profusely grateful to God who loves us, hears prayers, and answers miraculously right on time.  The same Jesus who healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, cleansed lepers, and fed 5,000 men plus women and children with five loaves and two fish, sent me groceries when I was hungry.  He has refreshed my soul when I have been weary, swallowed up my fears with His love, and proved Himself faithful without fail.

Jesus willingly went to the cross, died, and rose from the dead to make a way for sinners to be saved.  He is alive today.  He has done much more for you than giving you a meal but has provided Himself as Living Bread from heaven.  All who trust Him will be forgiven and have everlasting life.  Do you know Him?  I find it fitting to close with John's remarks in John 20:30-31:  "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."

Feeling Sorry for God

At the Calvary Chapel Senior Pastor's Conference in 2005, Bob Coy delivered a message called, "Loving God First."  One of the questions he asked made me think:  "Do you ever feel sorry for God?"  God did so much for His people.  He heard their cries and delivered them from slavery and bondage.  Yet they forsook the LORD and went after idols.  Pastor Bob read from Jeremiah 2:2-5:  "Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothal, when you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. ³ Israel was holiness to the LORD, the firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; disaster will come upon them," says the LORD.' " ⁴ Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel. ⁵ Thus says the LORD: "What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me, have followed idols, and have become idolaters?"

In a sense, I do feel sorry for God.  He deserves only the best, and sometimes His people can do the worst.  But unlike men who have been wronged, God does not feel sorry for Himself.  He does not have divine "pity parties" when we do not meet expectations because nothing surprises Him, nor is He self-focused.  He is altogether loving, gracious, and good.  He hears our cries and forgives the repentant and contrite.  Jesus Christ is God made flesh, come to earth to demonstrate God's love for sinners.  This fallen, cursed world cannot be redeemed, but every person in whom God has breathed a living soul can - through repentance and trusting in Jesus.  Some look at the suffering on this earth and think in some way it reflects badly upon God.  The exact opposite is true.  This world is under the curse of sin and will surely perish, and only in God can we be made righteous and saved for eternity.  God stands in holy contrast to all the wickedness, injustice, and pain of this earth.

God allows suffering, and did not insulate Himself from the worst.  Jesus suffered like no man before or since, especially since He was completely righteous and without sin.  God allows people to experience the severe consequences of sin - pain, suffering, sorrow, disease, sadness and death - to bring them to their senses so they might repent and find rest and comfort in Him.  Unfortunately, all the suffering in the world cannot force a person to see their need for repentance and salvation.  The book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ speaks of great plagues people on the earth will face and how their hearts will only be hardened against God and hate Him even more.  Revelation 9:29-21 says, "But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. ²¹ And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts."  God chastens those He loves, and it is awful so many of the souls Christ died to save will ultimately refuse and reject His atoning sacrifice to their own destruction.

It is one thing to feel sorry, but another thing altogether to take intentional steps to do what is right.  Feeling sorry is an exercise in helplessness if that is where it ends.  Feeling sorry is not enough.  Because of what Jesus has done - not because of what we or others have not done - we ought to love God completely, serve God faithfully, speak of Him boldly, obey Him faithfully, and trust Him loyally.  Ten good things which happen to us in a day can be easily overthrown by one bad thing.  Yet God is not so inconstant.  His delight in those who love and obey Him is not tempered by the fact many have and will reject Him.  He is not looking for sympathy, but hearts responding positively to His love.  When we walk in the way which fully pleases God it does not right all wrongs.  Jesus has already done that!  Our response is to be compelled by the love of Jesus, not guilt or sorrow that God has been slighted.  We are not responsible to change others, but we are responsible before God to cooperate in being transformed according to His perfect will.  Rejoice believer, not in your progress or efforts, but in God who loves you, has delivered you, is saving you, and He will be faithful to complete the work He has begun.

A Heart United

When Christians think of unity in the context of church, it is natural for us to assume this means unity among people.  That is an aspect of unity, but that is not where unity begins.  As each person in the church is made part of Christ's body, we first must be united with Him in faith.  When a person repents and is born again, the Holy Spirit unites us with God by dwelling within us.  Yet placing our faith in Christ does not mean we are wholly united with Him.  Our minds may be in agreement with the truth of His Word, but that does not ensure we are walking in light of that truth.  We can be in two minds over something, and our own hearts can be divided.  If our hearts are divided within us, uniting perfectly with others will prove impossible.

This fact hit me as I read Psalm 86:11-12:  "Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. ¹² I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore."  The psalmist asked God to "unite his heart to fear God's name."  This illuminates the fact our hearts are not always united within us.  Even as our beliefs and actions do not always agree, our hearts can be strangely segmented and stand at odds with each another.  After David asked God to teach him His ways, having firmly decided he would obey, David asked God to unite his heart to fear God's name.  Verse 12 combined the answer and result:  David praised the LORD his God with all his heart.  No man can know his own heart, but God does.  In faith our hearts are united to praise God and glorify Him forever.

Is your heart united in the fear of the LORD?  Praise Him with all your heart, for only God can make us whole, united, and join us in sweet fellowship and victory with others.

Threshing and Declaring

"Oh, my threshing and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you."

Isaiah 21:10

There is a good application from this verse for all who preach the Word of God.  The role of a teaching pastor is much like that of a chef, in that the preparation of a sermon is similar to preparing a meal.  Quality ingredients are prepared, mixed in the right proportion, and cooked or baked to make nutritious, hopefully delicious dishes.  The audience is considered, even as a chef would adapt his fare to appeal to children or a gourmet critic.  A preacher would be wise not to approach a class of year-three children the same way he would a lecture in seminary.  The truth of the message must not be changed, but the presentation should be altered slightly to communicate the truth of scripture in a way it can be easily understood and received by the listeners.  Appropriate illustrations and applications tailored by the Holy Spirit shed light to illuminate profound spiritual truths in simple ways.

After wheat or other grains are harvested, they must be threshed before they can be eaten or ground into meal.  Threshing is the violent process of separating the inedible husk and stalk from the wholesome grain.  If you are interested for an amazing transcript of a sermon on the subject of threshing by C.H. Spurgeon, follow this link!  A preacher's job is not to read the Bible and thresh the good from the inedible, for all of God's Word is spiritually wholesome, nutritious, and good.  A preacher's own thoughts, motive, and words, however, must be thoroughly threshed.  There are plenty of inedible, coarse, and empty words naturally found in me which must be threshed from my discourses.  We must carefully weigh our interpretations and applications of the text according to the leading of the Spirit to cull our own opinions so we might faithfully hold forth the wholesome Word.  A bushel of chaff is not as valuable as a few kernels of good grain.

May all preachers of the Word be able to say, "That which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you."  We are to preach the Word, not ourselves.  My opinions and words of my crafting are chaff, but the Word of the LORD will endure forever.  God's Word is good seed which has the potential to transform, cleanse, grow in the hearts of willing hearers, and be fruitful.  Preachers must allow God's Word to thresh us of errors so we might faithfully preach as the scripture exhorts in 2 Timothy 4:1-4:  "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: ² preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. ³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."

Let us declare faithfully the truths of God's Word, and also strive to be doers of the Word.  We cannot expect our sermons to have any lasting effect on anyone if we ourselves are not transformed.  God designed men with two ears and two eyes, and there is little value in a preacher who is all mouth.  We must hear from the LORD and submit to God's truth before we have anything of value to say.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear.  Praise the LORD for the effectual life in His Word, and those who hear it and obey will be established and fruitful for God's glory!

Know Your Motive

We can never be sure of the motives of others, but God sees the heart.  Motive is the difference between a word of encouragement and flattery, from manslaughter and first-degree murder.  Motive is the difference between a gift and a bribe, the difference between being genuine or manipulative.  When Samuel looked upon Eliab the son of Jesse with approval, God spoke of the importance of the heart in 1 Samuel 16:6-7:  "So it was, when they came, that he [Samuel] looked at Eliab and said, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him." ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."  Appearance may convince men, but God is not fooled.

It occurred to me sometimes we can fool ourselves - despite the conscience God has sovereignly placed within us.  How gracious He is to send the Holy Spirit to convict, help, comfort, and guide us into all truth.  As we read God's Word, the Holy Spirit applies it to our hearts.  One verse can be a healing balm, another a sword which pierces us through.  Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  Even a seared conscience is revealed as tender inside when the sharp sword from Christ's mouth slices like a razor through the thickened exterior.  He does not cut with His Word to injure, but to promote repentance, healing, and wholeness.

We should think before we speak, and our motive ought to be carefully considered.  Words have the power to build up or throw down, to strengthen or undermine.  Proverbs 20:9-10 says, "Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin"? ¹⁰ Diverse weights and diverse measures, they are both alike, an abomination to the LORD."  The use of diverse weights and diverse measures implies an effort to deceive.  Unethical traders would tamper with their weights to affect business transactions in their favour, receiving too much money for too few goods.  It is important our words are carefully weighted with God's truth.  We are responsible to ensure our lifestyle matches our words, we do not show partiality, or act differently around certain people we hope to impress.  So much in the life of a Christian boils down to motive.  May we be transparent and teachable before God as it is written in Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; ²⁴ and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Sin's Wages

I live in Australia, a country which has abolished the death penalty.  Because of looming executions of high-profile Australians in Indonesia, capital punishment has been the subject of discussion frequently of late on television, radio programs, schools, and cafes.  Opinions and views abound.  The implications of what has largely become a politicised issue effects everyone personally, no matter what country a person lives in.  God said through the prophet in Ezekiel 18:20:  "The soul who sins shall die."  The wages of sin is death.

When God created Adam and breathed into him a living soul, He gave Adam freedom to eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden except the one in the centre.  God warned in Genesis 2:17, "...of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."  Death was assured to be the certain consequence should Adam rebel against the command of a holy, righteous God.  Of course it is all history:  Adam sinned in eating the fruit, was cut off from fellowship with God, was cast out of the Garden with Eve his wife, and was prevented from ever entering Eden again.  Adam's body continued to live, but he slowly began to die.  He eventually died, and the sentence of death has been passed down to all since.

Everyone born on this planet is under the curse and sentence of death.  We all experience the effects of Adam's sin before our bodies perish:  sickness, sadness, pain, suffering, disease, and crying.  Men have toiled over the ground which produced thorns, and women have experienced intense pain in childbirth.  These too are results of the fall.  God has allowed these things to be reminders of the reality of sin's existence and the ultimate destruction which await all who have sinned.  From high-rise flats in developed metropolitan areas to remote solitary huts, people find themselves (for the most part) unwittingly on death row.  Ban capital punishment if you want, but it won't keep people from dying.  A doctor may give a person weeks or months to live, but no one knows precisely the day or means of their death.  Experience in this world tells us we will all surely die, just as God said.

It was through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross which God demonstrated His love for all people.  He is not willing any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  Our bodies will die as a result of sin, but our souls can live eternally in a glorified body God has prepared for all who repent and trust in Jesus.  This truth is so monumental!  Here is how the Bible describes what God has provided through Jesus in Romans 5:6-21:  "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. ¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-- ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. ¹⁶ And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. ¹⁷ For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) ¹⁸ Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹ For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. ²⁰ Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, ²¹ so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

We can be born again through faith in Christ and experience eternal life through Him.  A day is coming when our bodies will perish and we will all go the way of the earth.  But no man needs to die spiritually, for Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.  Justice is satisfied by the atoning, substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross for all sinners who trust in Him.  Friend, do you know Jesus?  Have you received His forgiveness?  Is your soul at rest, knowing you have received the free gift of salvation provided through Christ's death and resurrection?  Today is the day of salvation, and all fear of death can be swallowed up in the victory of Jesus.  The chains which hold us fearfully awaiting judgment can be shattered, for God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness when we confess our sin, repent, and believe the Gospel.  Whether Christians stand before a firing squad or contract a terminal disease, we can know our passing only speeds us along to heavenly glory.  In receiving our wages we cash in on Christ's sacrifice and enter eternal glory to live with Him forever.  We can say joyfully before and after, "Death, where is your sting?  Grave, where is your victory?  Thanks be to God who always gives us the victory!"

Eternity in Our Hearts

Man is unlike all other created beings.  Sometimes humans are touted as the "top of the evolutionary ladder," but it does not take a PhD to see the the distance between the rungs of primates and humans is an impossible jump.  Man is a world apart in complexity, thinking, morality, philosophy, technology, and especially spiritually.  Human beings are more than beasts, even if we choose to act like them or are deceived to think somehow, someway, we share ancestry with them.

The Bible says God made man in His own image and breathed into Adam a living soul.  He was formed out of the dust of the ground, not from some lesser species.  The distance between the rungs of man and beast is an eternal expanse, impossible to navigate through the sheer force of natural selection.  Solomon wrote of God and men in Ecclesiastes 3:11:  "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end."  God has put eternity in the hearts of men, an awareness of time and eternity no other created animal has.  We realise our time on earth is limited.  Our eyes have been opened to consider the implications of space and time.  We wonder what will happen after we die.  Animals do not "think" or have such longings for knowledge of the future, nor do animals care to enshrine the past.

My son is spending a week at Macquarie University working in the museum with antiquities.  He has been learning how to handle these valued  treasures carefully to preserve our connection with the ancient world.  Apes, elephants, cats, snakes, or chickens have no appreciation nor concept of history or the distant future.  We view many animals as "smart," and some are very clever - as far as animals go.  But in comparison to human beings there is an infinite difference.  There are no chimpanzee philosophers, musicians, historians, or lab technicians.  Apes cannot study music theory, biology, theology, chemistry, or even participate in physical education with small children.  But to only look what apes can and cannot in relation to mankind would be an extremely narrow approach.  The most critical difference between animals and people is how God created us.  There is a spiritual aspect - a soul - God has put inside every human being.  He has given us a conscience, a sense of right and wrong which agrees with the truth of God's Word.  God has put eternity in our hearts and a complexity of thought, the capacity for artistic expression, and knowledge of time like no other created beings on this earth.

A dog's life is governed by breakfast time and dinner time, but humans realise we only have twenty-four hours in every day, seven days in every week, and fifty-two weeks in every year.  People agree with the statement in the Steve Miller Band song "Fly Like an Eagle" which says, "Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin', into the future."  The older people grow, the faster time seems to go.  This reality concerns humans deeply, but animals pay it no mind.  There is no growing sense of urgency in the life of a dog or cat as their years go on to accomplish something more significant than existence.  The Bible which tells us of God creating man reveals all people will stand before God and be judged after our lives on earth.  Animals will not face this judgment, for they do not have in them a soul with the capacity to understand, think, feel, and know as man does.  The scriptures say the wages of sin is death, and the soul that sins will surely die.  Should we die in our sins, humans will face eternity in hell separated from God forever.  Yet because of God's great love for us, He made a way all can be saved through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  This is called the Gospel, the Good News.  People are able to enter into the joy of the LORD and everlasting life when they believe God's Word and rely upon Jesus for salvation.

To say Jesus was only a man is like saying man is just another primate.  Jesus has been revealed from heaven as the Son of God, Immanuel - God with us.  The one true God put on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ to reveal the way of salvation to all who would believe and receive Him.  Matthew 16:24-26 reads, "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  Jesus laid down His life on Calvary's cross, then rose three days later proving His power over sin and death.  The human soul provides an awareness, a startling knowledge that there is something beyond this life.  Instead of worrying about the future or ignoring those feelings, trying to convince yourself that heaven and hell are not real, look to Jesus Christ as your LORD and Saviour.  Open a Bible and read His words for yourself.  You are more than a monkey, and Jesus is more than a man.  Trust in Him today!

Divine Appointments

The phrase "divine appointment" is commonly used by Christians to acknowledge God's hand in orchestrating meaningful moments.  God does not employ "luck" or "coincidence" to accomplish His will, but leads us with or without our knowledge.  These divine arrangements do not only go one way.  Sometimes God has used me to share words through which others benefited, and God has used many to minister to me.  No matter your calling or role in the Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit dwelling within every believer has the wisdom and power to speak everlasting truth through you with power and authority.

When you think of "divine appointments," do you view yourself typically as the one who imparts or the one who receives?  It would be supremely improbable anyone could find themselves smack in the middle.  With the amount of writing, teaching, and conversing I do, I would say I tend towards the "imparting" side.  To be balanced, I need to make an intentional effort to be quick to listen and slow to speak.  Why is this balance important?  Because God wants to use others to share with me what He has taught them, just as He desires I share what He has taught me.  If I only talk about what I know or think, how can I receive from others what God has provided for them to share me?  It's hard to talk with your mouth stuffed with food, and it's practically impossible to listen when your ears are full of the sound of your own voice.

We should be excited to share what God is teaching us with other people.  Let's be just as excited to hear and receive what God is teaching others!  My "two cents" never amounts to much.  How good it is to hear what God says in His Word, and what an encouragement to hear what God has impressed on others through it.  Be ready for your next divine appointment, whether you are speaking or listening!

Love is Not Inconvenienced

I have lived my life in an age of convenience.  Some of the definitions of "convenient" found in the Merriam Webster dictionary are, "suited to personal comfort or to easy performance; suited to a particular situation; affording accommodation or advantage."  The world panders to our natural selfishness.  We want things to be easy, comfortable, and advantageous.  Most people are happy to pay more for greater convenience.  We complain when the seal on the tomato sauce or the peanut butter doesn't have suitable sized tabs for easy removal.  We avoid peak-hour traffic when we can because it is a great inconvenience.  Today was a lesson in convenience I won't soon forget.

My eldest son began his work experience today at Macquarie University.  My wife had planned on accompanying him on the bus and making sure he arrived at his destination.  Riding the bus in Sydney can be tricky because there are no announcements of an upcoming stop or what stop it is!  You need to know where you are going and push the "stop" button and the driver will stop at the next scheduled stop on the route.  I already had the day planned, and hoped to accomplish some important preparation for the week.  It turned out Laura woke up with a terrific migraine.  I would have to drive to the station, take the bus to Macquarie University, and turn right around and come home.  I was not happy.  My plans were shot, and it was most inconvenient.

As the bus rumbled along at a snail's pace, I thought about feeling inconvenienced.  What I saw in my heart was not pretty.  If I could boil it down to the most fundamental aspect, it is inherently selfish.  It is placing your own ease and comfort above everything else.  I thought about how Jesus left the glory of heaven, entered time, inhabited a human body for decades, only to be rejected and die a brutal death on the cross.  Jesus knew this faced Him, but He gladly did it anyway.  "Inconvenient" does not begin to sum up His sacrifice.  There I was, annoyed about a modified schedule which would cost me a few hours, when Jesus joyfully went to the cross for my sins.  I was convicted by my selfishness.  And then a thought came:  "Love is not inconvenienced."  Jesus did not see it as "inconvenient" to leave heaven and become a man.  He did not come to earth for convenience:  Jesus came because He loved lost souls He wanted to save.

Isn't it true when you walk in love, nothing is too hard or difficult?  No sacrifice is too great for your beloved, and even great personal cost is as nothing.  I was once invited to be a groomsman at a close friend's wedding.  It was a day of great rejoicing.  It didn't matter it was quite a long drive to the church.  It didn't matter the tux rental cost me more than a day's wages!  I didn't care how long the wedding lasted.  I loved my friend, his bride, and family, and just being there with him on his wedding day was a treasured joy.  But I honestly have not always felt this way about every wedding.  Some weddings I have been invited to seemed a bit inconvenient because of location, duration, or many other factors.  It was because I was not viewing that person through the lens of Christ's giving, unchanging, unrelenting love.  Love is never inconvenienced because it is wholly focused on others and saturated with grace and mercy.  This morning I repented because my feelings of being inconvenienced proved I was not abiding in Christ's love.  My early morning perspective was all about me when it should have been about loving God and others.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 provides a tidy description of God's love:  "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  God's love is infinite, and there is no description adequate to sum it up.  Today God gave me a practical application in my own life by allowing my feelings to alert me to a problem in my heart.  Thankfully God forgives all who repent.  This morning I had my own plans, but God's plans included teaching me a lesson I will benefit from for eternity.  How good and gracious the LORD is to not only give awareness of sin, but the righteous path leading to joy and gladness!

Thirsty for Mercy

Recently I discovered a connection I had never noticed before:  the correlation between receiving mercy from God and courageous strength.  Many times in scripture the exhortation is given by God and devout souls who feared God:  "Be strong!"  The glory of young men is their strength, but it is not by lifting weights and physical exercise that brings this strength.  Spiritual strength is derived only from God through faith and experienced as we obey.

The Bible is filled with examples of people who triumphed over their enemies - not because they were physically stronger, had larger armies, better weapons or training, or held a strategic advantage - but because they trusted God and obeyed Him.  There are also examples of people who faced unbearable suffering and horrendous circumstances.  Strength from God was needed just to endure the day, for their lives hung by a thread.  This is the sad condition faced by God's people in the Lamentations of Jeremiah.  God punished those in Jerusalem for their sins through cruel enemies, and people were dying in the streets during the siege.  The first few chapters of Lamentations paint a picture so bleak, so horrible, it is truly beyond comprehension.  The enemies were closing in, God had shut out the prayers of His people, and death loomed ever closer.

Lamentations 3:18-25 records the words of the prophet:  "And I said, "My strength and my hope have perished from the LORD." ¹⁹ Remember my affliction and roaming, the wormwood and the gall. ²⁰ My soul still remembers and sinks within me. ²¹ This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. ²² Through the LORD'S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. ²³ They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ²⁴ "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!" ²⁵ The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him."  Out of the deepest, darkest depression, Jeremiah's heart shifts away from suffering to the God who loves him.  It was in remembering God's goodness, mercy, and compassion when the light of divine hope shone upon Jeremiah's mind and heart.  He realised it was only by God's grace and mercies which were new every morning which brought strength and salvation.  In the darkest pit, God's goodness still shines bright because God is always faithful, merciful, and good.

In 2 Corinthians 4:1 Paul wrote, "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart."  God is merciful and His mercies are new every morning for great is His faithfulness.  These mercies are received by faith in God.  Paul recognised the connection between receiving mercy from God and in doing so finding strength and courage to serve God.  Things were not easy for Paul, and life is no easier for us.  God does not change, and He remains ever merciful.  When you lose heart, remember to turn your eyes back to God again.  Receive the mercy He has graciously provided for you today.  As we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.  We can lose heart, but we don't have to!

A Crucified Life

"But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation."

Galatians 6:14-15

The triumph of Jesus was culminated by His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection.  Not only was the blood of Jesus shed to atone for the sins of the world, but the Law which condemned all men was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14).  The death of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world provided the killing blow to the power of the enemy to condemn or destroy all who repent and receive the Gospel.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul draws upon the imagery of the cross to reveal another accomplishment of Christ for all who trust in Him.  The world had been crucified to Paul, and Paul had been crucified to the world.  The world under the sway of Satan was rendered powerless by the death of Jesus on the cross.  The world which used to influence our minds and hearts, the things which once held us in bondage, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lure of the lust of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life had been dealt a death blow.  When a cruel tyrant is killed, the people once oppressed rejoice and shout for joy.  The one who once exerted power over them is now powerless in death.  This is the case for all who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus.  The power of sin to control, addict, and oppress us has been conquered by Christ's victory, and we can walk in newness of life and freedom.

Christ accomplished much more than ending sin's reign of terror in our lives.  He has transformed us into new creations, and is now enabled to live His life through His redeemed by the Holy Spirit.  This world has been crucified to us, and we have been crucified to this world.  The spiritual reality of Christ's death and resurrection is our flesh has been stricken of power to dominate and control us for evil.  Satan, the world, and our flesh only have the amount of power we allow or give them.  The truth is, we don't need to give a place to the devil or let the demands of the flesh rule our lives any more.  This is the reality for all who are in Christ, not something we say to convince ourselves.  "Positive thinking" has nothing to do with walking in victory.  Knowledge of our identity in Christ and the reality of what He has accomplished must impact our minds and hearts.  Once we are convinced of the reality of Christ's victory at the cross and our new nature free from the power of sin apart from our works, knowledge mixed with faith and obedience paves the way for us to walk in absolute victory.

The early church struggled with legalism, as many do to this day.  Paul's emphasis was not on touting circumcision or justifying uncircumcision, but our need to be "in Christ Jesus."  Through Him the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.  If you are in Christ, the world has been crucified to you and you to the world.  Does your life demonstrate this reality?  The rule of Satan, the world, and the flesh has been forever vanquished by grace through faith in Christ.  If we have been freed from bondage, why should we return to bondage?  The efforts of the flesh could not save, perfect, empower, or deliver us.  Only Jesus can do that!  it is not what we have done, but according to His mercy He has saved, is saving, and will save us!

Jesus Satisfies

When the Rolling Stones hit "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" rocketed to number one on the charts in 1965, it struck a nerve which has continued to twang.  Few people have obtained the fame, money, and notoriety of the Rolling Stones, and they still play the same song at nearly every show to this day.  The issues the song speaks of - useless information on the radio, having the whitest shirts, and sexual frustration - can be interchanged with anything this world has to offer, but the grain of truth remains static:  this world cannot deliver on true, lasting, genuine satisfaction.

Reality never seems to scratch the itch of fantasy.  It always beckons alluringly, tantilisingly just out of reach.  The lie it perpetuates is if the conditions were altered slightly according to our desire, we would achieve satisfaction that seemingly eludes our grasp.  It is an exercise in futility because this world cannot possibly deliver all it promises without the negative side effects it doesn't talk about.  The bait always has a hook which makes us wish in retrospect we never went for it in the first place!  The pleasure, satisfaction, or enjoyment of an the activity, experience, or thing was supposed to provide never measures up and doesn't last.  It is not that our standards are too high, but it is an issue of this world and our hearts.  Think of it this way:  how many times have you obtained your desire only to realise it wasn't what you thought it would be?  Say you designed your house and even chose the colours and hardware, but in retrospect you would have changed something.  Or perhaps you chose a concrete finish and you weren't happy with how parts of it turned out.  Or there was more maintenance than your originally thought.  The list goes on and on!

This world has never delivered on any promise.  We can be "satisfied" with our purchase, in that we believe we have been provided a good product at a fair price.  We can experience something which we romanticise in our minds and at great expense we labour to experience it again.  No matter how hard we try, no matter the cost, it never delivers quite like we hoped it would.  All our problems would be solved with a different job, career, spouse, or if we won the lottery.  Yet even when we obtain our desire, dissatisfaction only seems to increase.  King Solomon was a man of wealth, fame, and power few have ever obtained.  He pointed out the objective reality in Ecclesiastes 5:10-11:  "He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, they increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes?"  This points to the heart problem of every person on earth.  The things we love cannot satisfy us, and do not profit.  We think perhaps if we were able to obtain more of the thing we love it would do the trick.  But it doesn't work, and it never has.  Yet like mythical lemmings or sheep without a shepherd, people keep futilely following after the same things thinking it will satisfy their desire for love, significance, acceptance, and satisfaction.

In our natural state, we all have idols we worship and value.  But no man can offer his life as a sacrifice to an idol out of a pure heart:  we always have an self-serving angle.  Even if we worship self and try to satisfy our every whim, we find ourselves increasing empty and dissatisfied.  All our consuming only consumes us.  We desire riches and wealth because of the things we could buy, the things money would allow us to do, or places we could go.  We pursue relationships with other people to obtain our own desires.  We want a particular career because of the money, status, or influence we would gain.  In many eastern cultures idols are worshiped to promote health, become wealthy, or to drive away evil.  People sacrifice not because they love the deities they worship or are loved by those same deities, but because they hope to somehow benefit themselves.  The world is packed with users:  people using others whilst being used themselves.  It provides a narcissistic recipe for envy, bitterness, cynicism, and disillusionment.  The world cannot deliver anything that truly satisfies.

Contrast the reality of this world's inability and futility to save or satisfy with the life of Jesus Christ freely offered to all who repent and trust in Him.  Proverbs 21:21 says, "He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honour."  1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us Jesus Christ has been made for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and wisdom.  As long as we are following the dictates of our deceitful hearts, we trust a blind guide which cannot lead us to what our souls long for.  Jesus Christ delivers exactly what we are looking for.  It is in following Jesus Christ our righteousness which enables all we who seek with their whole hearts to be satisfied - and more still!  Notice in the Proverbs passage how following righteousness and mercy opens the door to life, righteousness, and honour!  In Christ alone are all our desires perfectly satisfied.  Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  Jesus came to this world with the express purpose to provide abundant life.  It is a life obtained through being born again through faith in Jesus.  There is always more for us as we follow Jesus, a more abundant life by God's grace.

Would you use a delivery service which never actually delivered anything like you hoped it would?  Would you support a politician who has not delivered on a single promise ever?  Then why do we keep going back to this world in a vain attempt to satisfy our souls?  Look to God and trust in Him, for in Christ we find all our desire and more than we could have ever imagined.  I can't get no satisfaction, but Jesus gives satisfaction to all who repent and trust in Him!  You will never be satisfied apart from Jesus.  Will you receive Him today?