Every Decision Counts

Isaiah 46:8-11 (ESV)
“Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.

Do you know, that for every single decision you make, there can be a massive chain reaction of other events that you did not plan, may not want, and probably don’t even know about? To illustrate, I’m going to write a little story. With two endings. This story may seem farfetched – but I have heard many more amazing things in real life!

So lets say you are on your way to church, but in a little bit of a hurry. As you get to a major intersection, there are a lot of cars, but there is a gap. It’s probably too small, but you might be able to make it. In that moment, rather than be patient, you nail the accelerator and merge.

Unfortunately, the gap wasn’t as big as you thought, and the guy behind, Aaron, had to jam his brakes to avoid denting your car. Unfortunately Aaron also spilled his coffee (debates about drinking coffee while driving aside…). Even more unfortunately, Aaron has a temper issue. But before he can stop at a set of lights and abuse you for your indiscretion, you turn off to church and he goes his way.

Aaron is still pretty mad, and is driving like it. A little too fast into the next corner and he spins, ending up stopped head on against a tree. He’s not particularly injured, some minor bruising, but his car is busted. Aaron is now not going anywhere.

And now for the final kicker. Aaron needs his car to get to work, and has absolutely no money or credit to get a new one or get one repaired. And due to his frequent temper issues, Aaron doesn’t have anyone he can rely on to get him to work. As a consequence, Aaron has lost his job.

All because you chose to rush in, instead of being patient. And really, you don’t know any of this – it is all just a hidden consequence of your actions.

So first, the bad ending. Aaron’s life goes pretty downhill from here, we have all seen it – no money, no job, not really any friends. He resorts to crime and ends up doing time. On top of this, where he worked the business wasn’t doing very well – it was pretty close to closing down. To save some money, the boss decided not to replace Aaron, thinking others could pickup the slack. Turns out, Aaron, temper and all, was much more important than he seemed. Inside of a month orders aren’t getting shipped, and customers are getting mad. Within 3 months the business has gone bankrupt, and 200 other people are now without work, because Aarons boss tried to save a buck, because Aaron couldn’t work, because you were not patient. Sound unlikely? Don’t bet on it!

But wait, we have a better ending! Aaron opens the paper and looks for a new job, and miraculously, finds it through a friend from years ago. And this job has a car, so Aaron is earning more, and has a car, and his friend from years ago is able to again build a friendship back, and Aarons life is back on track. Even better, Jack, and unemployed Christian father of 4, gets hired into Aarons job, and is able to again support his family and give back. Without the accident, Aaron never would have looked for and got a better job, and Jack could still be unemployed living in a 1 room basement with his wife and 4 kids. All because you chose not to be patient.

So what am I getting at? Every single decision in your life has effects far beyond what you can see, even far beyond what you could dream and imagine. I’m sure you have all heard of the shoe salesman who was saved – and shared his faith with a guy buying shoes one day. That guy? Billy Graham. Just an example of someone who made a decision to do something – and look what effect it had!

Only God truly knows the outcome to every decision, every situation.

So what is the solution?

James 4:13-17 (ESV)
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James is getting at a big point here. We need to live in God’s will for our life – not just for the big decisions in life, but minute by minute, second by second. Every single decision we make needs to be help up to God’s will and standard and tested.

God doesn’t exist as an emergency room - I’ve said it before, God is not a paramedic! Yes, He is there when there is trouble and emergency in our lives, but He is also there all the time – not just for trouble! God is not just there for the big decisions in life, like who to marry, or what job to take, or when and where to move – but for every single decision.

So how can we bring every single decision to God? We need to ‘walk in’ God’s will. We need to hold a close relationship with Him. We need to be in constant prayer. We need to read His words to us regularly, and fellowship with other Christians as often as practical. In short, we need to be Godly. Then, and only then, can we be sure that as we live day by day, we are living as God would have us live.

Heavenly Father, guide us in our daily lives. Teach us to live by Your Word, to live in Your will, to bring every single thing we do before you and live filled with the Holy Spirit. Teach us Your ways, show is the truth we pray in Jesus Name, Amen.

Selfish! Self-Centered! James 3:13-18

James 3:13-18 (ESV)
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

One of my biggest personal frustrations is my selfishness, and my self-centeredness. I am constantly thinking of myself.

So often I look and see my motivation – self. Self glory. Self satisfaction. Selfish gain. My way.

You could easily excuse these feelings, and I know at times I do. You can easily say that they are natural – it’s just the way I am. But no! The only reason I am this way is that I am born in sin, and have become good at it through constant practice and training.

Even in our world today everything is about ‘self’. How to be successful. How to get what you want. How to get your own way with others. How to earn more. How to be happy. These are all worldly measures of self and success that are sold to us as the norm for society – there is nothing wrong with it, it is normal! This is the way you are, learn to make the most of it!

And again –No! I have read the Bible often enough to know that selfishness is not Godliness – but quite the opposite. I know that in many ways my life is significantly less self centered than it was 20 years ago, and yet, I still see so much of it! So, what does the Bible say?

Well, we could probably go for months looking at passages and examples, so I will just look at this one in James for now. So where selfishness exists, which is ‘wisdom from below’, earthly, unspiritual and even demonic, you will also find jealousy, disorder and ‘every vile practice’. Selfishness leads us far, far away from God.

So what is the answer? I think the key is the first item – purity – but let’s look at them all.

Purity. We need to remain pure before God, forgiven of our past sin, doing our best in Him to avoid any other sin. We need to keep our mind and thoughts on Jesus, and remain pure. I think if we do this, the rest will follow in due course!

Peaceable. This one is a tough one to define, but the way I see it is mostly staying off our personal ‘soap boxes’. We need to be honest and truthful, and call out error when we see it (and are called to – there are times to remain silent), but we need to do in an honest, sincere, loving way. Not a divisive, ‘I am right’ (see the selfish ‘I’ there?) way.

Gentle. Gentle with ourselves and others. Not condemning, but gentle and graceful in the love of Christ. Not divisive, but peaceable. This one goes hand in hand with the one before!

Open to reason. We all do things wrong from time to time. We can’t be right all of the time! We need to be open to reason from others, open to teaching from others, and open to correction from others. Obviously, we need to be wise to who we take these things from, but we all need to be open to others that they might be the vessel God uses to bring us closer to Him, through teaching or correction, counseling and guidance.

Full of mercy. Just as God has been merciful to us, we need to be merciful to others. It is terribly easy to see ourselves as right and just, and then judge and condemn others. But God has called us to a higher standard – to show mercy just as we have been shown mercy.

Full of good fruits. An outflow of our salvation and purity should be fruits of the spirit! We all have hopefully heard them many times, spoken, shared and maybe even sung if you went to Sunday school. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22-23).

Impartial. Not judging someone differently from another – for any reason. Maybe you judge because of color, or maybe you judge because of hair, or clothes, or the car they drive, or the house they live in. Or maybe you are more discerning, and you judge because of the church they go to, or the doctrines they preach. But God has called us not to judge one another – because we will be judged in return using the same measure! So instead of that, we need to leave our own opinions out of it, and be impartial to all.

Sincere. Genuine, Free from pretense and deceit. That is what it means to be sincere. Not ‘peddling religion’, or selling your own viewpoint (see the ‘your own’ in there?). But being honest and open, honest and sincere about God and what He has done for you.

So how do you measure up? If you are anything like me, sometimes, not so bad. The rest of the time, not so good at all! But know that there is hope. God hasn’t called us because He wants us to live under condemnation for eternity, but that we will be right and whole before Him once again. So as you go about your day today, keep these things in mind. Look at your actions with others, your actions when driving, your actions when racing down the supermarket aisles, your comments on Facebook, and measure them up to the above. And if possible, measure them before you act, and try to be less selfish!

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Is the Bible still relevant today?

It’s been almost 2000 years since many of the books of the Bible were written. Lets say at least 1915 years since the last books were penned. I have seen arguments from 68 to 95AD for Revelation, so lets call it 95, just to be safe.

By almost anyone’s standard, that is a mighty long time.

A lot of things have happened since the year 95AD. In fact, a lot of things have happened since 35AD, which is about the time Jesus was crucified.

Jerusalem has fallen.

The whole Roman empire grew, and then crumbled into dust.

A few hundred years we romantically call ‘the middle ages’ happened. During this time, society started to change from the Roman way of life to others.

Come the 1600′s, global travel really started to take off, well with a few people anyway. The Puritans left England and headed for America. Come the 1700′s people were finding places on the other side of the world, and deciding what a nice place it would be to send English prisoners.

And since then? The industrial and technological revolutions of the last 200 years have been astonishing. Everything (well, almost everything) in our lives has changed. The nature of work, the nature of travel, the nature of relationships even with the advent of ‘wonders’ like facebook.

The world now is almost utterly unrecognisable from the days when the Bible was written. So back to our question.

Is the Bible still relevant for today?

The answer I believe, lies in who you think wrote the Bible.

Was the New Testament written by a motley crew of fishermen, tax collectors, doctors and others from the fringes of first century Judea? Yes? Then certainly some of Jesus words will have some application for us today, but the rest? Well, we need to contextualise it,  examine it against societal norms, and then see what we should apply.

Or was the New Testament (and the Old too) written by God, through direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, to human authors at that time in history?

I believe it was written by God Himself. And if an all knowing, all powerful, good, righteous, holy and just God wrote those words by directing authors to write what He wanted, then I am utterly convinced that God knew where we would be today, and where will be even in 1000 years should Jesus tarry that long. And so since they are the words of God, I need to treat them as such – as words written to all people, in all times, for all occasions, to teach, train, encourage, convict, reproach and equip us.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (ESV)
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

So the question is, who do you think wrote The Bible?

God has a purpose for you (or, what is Gods will for my life?)

Ephesians 4:17-18 (ESV)
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

What is Gods will for my life? What am I doing here? What am I supposed to be doing?

Is there even a plan for my life?

If God loves me, why am I still sitting here not knowing what to do?

These are all valid and frequent questions in our lives. Now I am not going to tell you exactly what you should do – sorry! But I do want to go through some basic Biblical principles to help in our daily and lifelong search for Gods will.

In all honesty, you have to remember that the testimony of most people is that Gods will is most evident in retrospect. It is often difficult to see God working, or why things are happening. But when you look back and see where you have come, you will be amazed at all the ‘little moments’ that meant nothing to you at the time, but ended up guiding you and defining your life.

Firstly, I want to affirm something important. God has a plan for your life. Are you alive? Yes? Then God still has a use for you, God still has a plan for you. We don’t serve a God who sits back, watches the scenery and makes adjustments as He goes. No! We serve a sovereign God, a deliberate and purposeful God, who has a plan for everything, as amazing as that sounds.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

So, we know God has a plan for our lives. How can we find it?

Faith

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

We first have to have faith. Have faith first in God, then in the fact that He is sovereign. Once we know that God exists, and we know God has a plan, we have a foundation to go forward. Without a foundation of faith in God, it is very hard to do anything else!

Stop worrying

Matthew 6:27 (ESV)
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

You got it, stop worrying about it. There is a distinct difference between ‘concern’, ‘interest’ and ‘worry’. We all want to know what God wants of us in our lives – that is natural. He gave us that desire when He made us! But worrying about it isn’t going to help! We need to take more active measures. So starting with faith, that utter knowledge and conviction that God DOES have a plan, we can take it to Him in prayer…

Pray

You got it, pray. Pray for guidance. Even more so, when you are worried, instead of fretting about it, take it to God in prayer! It doesn’t need to be long winded and formal (see mark 12:38-40 for example) – just call out!

Mark 9:23-24 (ESV)
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Maybe you will just call out something like this. “God, help me. I don’t know what you want, and I am worried about it. Help me to have faith! Help me to have peace in the knowledge that you do have a plan! Guide me now, in Jesus name”. Nothing fancy, just honest, open communication to God.

Read the Word

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Read your Bible. Don’t expect it to pop out and say ‘DZ, you need to go and apply for a job at Boeing today’. Do expect it to speak into your life however, because God speaks through His word. Expect it to guide you, teach you, adjust you, move you, in ways you don’t even expect. And as you grow closer to God, you will find your way!

Seek counsel

I know this one seems obvious, but seek some counsel with Godly people. We can’t always see everything in our lives! I was reading just the other day about a guy who is now a pastor. Before he was one he was struggling mightily with what God wanted him to do – he really didn’t know, and was lost. But he was at a Bible study, taking and teaching, when a wise, godly old lady said to him ‘you have a gift, have you thought of being a pastor?’. He didn’t seek the counsel, but he remained in the presence of other Christians, doing God’s work, reading the Bible and praying, and it came clear as day to him.

Have Peace

Romans 15:13 (ESV)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

This is the final point, and for many of us, the place we need to come to before we can take the next step forward. Because for you to have peace, your foundation needs to be secure. Your faith in God is secure, full in the knowledge that He has a plan for you, He knows what He is doing, and He will reveal it the moment you need to know more – not a moment sooner lest you pre-empt God, not a moment later so that you will miss it.

Have peace, knowing that God has a plan for your life – a full and complete plan, that is Good, and part of His will.

What are you doing for God?

James 1:22-25 (ESV)
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

There is a lot of focus in some parts of the Church these days on mission. Living missionally, ensuring that the poor are fed, ensuring that communities are supported. Going out into the world to do the work that Jesus commanded us to do.

Some of these people and churches are doing amazing good works in the name of Jesus. They are reaching people. They are feeding the poor, helping widows and children, and generally doing the social work of the Gospel. This, in many cases, is a great thing.

But there remains a question mark – which Gospel are they proclaiming?

Ephesians 2:4-10 (ESV)
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The verses here in Ephesians that were written by Paul are well known to many – and rightly so. They are central to our faith and our understanding of the Gospel of God.

We were dead in our sins. There was nothing we could do, or can do, to solve this problem.

But God is gracious, and has saved us through faith, despite our inner condition.

And this was of God alone. There was nothing about us, nothing we thought or did, that brought us this grace.

For many people, this is not the Gospel! The Gospel for them is the social gospel – living ‘the life of Jesus’. In the end, this gospel that many people live, whilst it is lived with good intentions, is nothing but good works! And we can see straight away, that we are not saved by good works, not matter how good our intentions are.

We are saved by grace, through faith, so that no one may boast.

Is this the Gospel you know? It is not always the Gospel that is preached, or how the gospel is understood by many people, even those who would honestly call themselves Christian. If you ask your modern day ‘evangelical’ Christian what it means to be saved, you may get responses like -

• Jesus calls us to live lives as good people and to try and do good to others
• Jesus was a great teacher who by His example led a life we should all emulate
• Jesus calls us to accept His love, and go and love others in the same ways.

Is this the Gospel? No! There is no mention of sin, of atonement for sin (which means blood and death), of resurrection and new life. There is no mention of grace, faith or scripture. Jesus was not just a good or great teacher, a moral leader or example how to live. He was God incarnate on the earth, come to pay the price for sinners like you and me!

But wait, there is more!

Why were we saved? “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

We are not saved by good works, but for them.

I have nothing against people serving our communities socially – this could well be the works that they were saved for. But I want to make sure we all take an honest look at our works, at the things we ‘do for God’. There are good works that lead to nothing, because they come from our own desires in an effort to please God – and there are good works that He has planned for us to walk in – once we come to terms with the fact we are saved despite everything else in our lives.

So the question is not ‘what are you doing for God’, but ‘why are you doing these things?’. If your answer is that you are saved and God has called you to them, then Amen and Amen.

But if you find yourself wondering if God really accepts you, or if God really approves of these works, or hoping that all the things you are doing will be enough that God will like you that little bit more than He does now – it is time to stop, read the Bible, and examine your life in light of what you find.

Prayer

Lord God, teach us to rest in your grace alone. Help us to understand, that no matter how good our works seem to be to us and others, that it is through your grace alone we are saved. Help us to see that if our works are not based first on your saving grace, then they are worth nothing! Draw us ever closer to you as we learn that you, not works, are the center of our faith. In Jesus Name. Amen.