God's 'will'

Lately I’ve been considering what Gods ‘will’ for my life is, and how do I know that I’m fulfilling Gods will and purpose for my life, and this is the conclusion that I came to: It all comes back to the way you think; your mindset. Let me explain.

As I thought, I came to the conclusion that if I think the way God thinks (which obviously no-one can do purely), then I will make decisions that God would want me to, leading to me reaching the destiny that He has for my life.

And I know that no-one will ever have the same mind as God because we are only human and have faults. But it goes to show that the closer you get to thinking the way God does, the closer you will get to being completely in Gods will and fulfilling the destiny that He has for you.

Therefore, what you think is SO important! Because its your thoughts that shape who you are. That then begs the question ‘What is shaping your thoughts?’ or more to the point… ‘What are YOU allowing to shape your thoughts?’

There’s a quote that I’ve heard a few times by Ralph Waldo Emerson that goes like this:

Sow a thought, reap an action

Sow an action, reap a habit

Sow a habit, reap a character

Sow a character, reap a destiny

This simplified says that what you think, leads to your actions, which can then become habits, which is who you are. So it changes your character which is at the core of who you are, which then affects where you go in life.

Therefore, its simple to see that if you are having good, pure, right, happy, godly, righteous, self-controlled thoughts, then that will create you into someone with all of those traits, leading to your destiny being closer to where God wants you to be.

Whereas if your thoughts are not self-controlled, if they are un-godly or unrighteous, or any bad trait, then that will be who you become, which takes you away from God’s will, and leads you away from God.

So it all comes back to the way you think. It reminds me of the theory of the butterfly effect. That something small and minute can create a massive change. Like the small thoughts that you have leading to who you are, what you do, and where you end up in life. So its clear that how you think leads to whether you fulfill God’s will for your life. If you think and make decisions that God would, then you will end up perfectly in His will. Whereas if you don’t think and make decisions that God would, then you will end up a long way from God’s will.

How then do you begin thinking like God? Or should I say ‘Closer to the way God thinks?’ (as no-one will ever think exactly the way God does).

Romans 12:2 says ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.’

So this says that we will know God’s will if we don’t conform to the worlds way of thinking, and if we are transformed by the renewing of our mind. Simply this is saying that we need to think more like Jesus, and less like the world.

How then do we do this? By meditating on God’s word day and night (Psalms 1:2).

Something that I’ve noticed with people is they usually start to become like people they hang around the most. Look at any best friends and you will find many commonalities. And that because they spend a lot of time together. Therefore if you spend a lot of time with God, reading His word, and talking with Him, then the way you think will begin to be transformed into the way He thinks, hence leading to the decisions you make to be more in line with God’s will for your life.

So the more time you spend with God, the greater chance you will end up doing His purpose and will for your life and fulfill your destiny. And the less time you spend with Him, the greater chance you will end up somewhere completely different to where God wants you to be.

Ill finish this with something Paul told the Philippians (Ch 4:8-9) on what they should be thinking about. But I also encourage you to start spending more time with God, searching through His word, and speaking with Him. Then you should have confidence in the decisions you make.

‘Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.’

Choose to be holy

In Matthew 6:22-23 Jesus said ‘The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!’
Jesus’ teachings here are so true. What we take in changes who we are, whether we like it or not. Therefore we need to be VERY careful with what we allow ourselves to take in. If we watch things with swearing, or violence, or adult themes, or sexual references, let alone sex scenes or nudity, it will corrupt who we are to some degree. By allowing ourselves to watch or listen to these things it dims the light of Jesus within us.
A bit before Jesus said this he told us in Matthew 5:16 to shine our lights before all men like a city on a hill, and how can we do that if the light within us is dark?
You cannot shine your light to the world if there is no light in you. And the things you see and hear and do determines whether that light within you is light or dark.
It’s like what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:33 when he says ‘Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character”’ If the people we hang around can corrupt our good character, then the same can happen with the other things we surround ourselves with. If we allow ourselves to watch movies or TV shows with wrong things in it, no matter how bad it is, it corrupts our character. If we allow ourselves to listen to music with wrong lyrics or bad language then it will corrupt who we are. Whatever we do and whatever surrounds us will change who we are, and Satan uses them to change us for the worse. He will use the things around you to corrupt who you are.
You don’t think that Satan is some static being that doesn’t do anything and hopes we all stuff up do you?? Of course he isn’t!!! He’s out there trying to put stumbling blocks all around us… And what do you think he uses?? The things that you surround yourselves with! It’s up to us whether we fall on his stumbling blocks, or avoid them. Therefore we need to be very mindful of what it is that we surround ourselves with.
Romans 12:2a says ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ and James 1:27 says ‘Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world’.
Both of these verses warn us to not conform to, or be polluted by the world. And its so easy to do. What you surround yourself with is a reflection of who you are. Now that’s not to say that we should all go and live life as monks in the hills because that’s the only way we can remain pure…. God has called us to preach His gospel to everyone. So what I am saying is that as you go out into the corrupt world to shine the light within you, don’t take any part in the corrupt ways of the world.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says ‘No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.’
We need to make a stand for what is right. We need to surround ourselves with only good things that wont corrupt who we are. We need to give Satan no opportunity to change who we are. We need to be children of light, and make sure that the light within us shines brightly. And to do this is to say no to the wrong things of this world. I know so many people who on Sunday have a really strong and sound faith, but during the week they allow the things of the world to corrupt them. As Christians we are called to be different. We are to become a product of God, and not a product of the world. In this way the light of God will shine brightly in you.
I think a question we all need to ask ourselves is ‘what are we surrounding ourselves with or doing that is corrupting us?’ CHOOSE TO BE HOLY! It doesn’t come naturally. It’s a choice we have to make.
Take an honest good look at yourself!................... Is the light within you darkness?

WORDS

You know, it says in Matthew 12:37 that by our words we will be acquitted, and by them we will be condemned. It also talks about how we will have to give an account for all the careless words we speak. And that got me thinking, if our words are spoken about like this in the bible, they must be important. Why then do we not take more care and put more thought into the words that come out of our mouths.
You know, I had this one experience when I went to Africa on a team of people. We all got along great, but I always used to joke around about my weight and one or two of the girls on my team too. And they all knew I was joking, so I thought it was ok. It turns out though that another girl on the team had massive weight issues when she arrived home. And, I’m not sure whether my joking about my weight had anything to do with what happened with her. But it’s scary for me to think that I may have been the reason for her having weight problems. And even though she eventually got over her weight problems, it got me thinking about all the other people’s lives that have been stuffed up through what other people have said to them. And not just weight, but also on other things like when you rip someone off, or say careless words without thinking, or participate in conversations you shouldn’t. And your words can even affect yourself depending on whether they come from a bitter heart, etc.
I know a lot of people who have been hurt from what people have said to them. Whether its promises that have been un-kept, or harsh words. I have seen people’s lives be messed up because of what people have said to others.
Words can make, or break people. An encouraging word can lift someone up and make them feel worth something, and a harsh word can crush people’s spirit, their very life. A promise kept can bring people closer together, and a promise un-kept can tear them apart, not mentioning the deep trust issues that develop from un-kept promises.
So it’s important to make sure that your words are not ruining someone else’s lives. Make sure you think before you speak. After all, you will be judged according to your words.
So many people are turned off Christianity because of hypocrites. People who say one thing and do another. I don’t want to be responsible for someone going to hell for eternity because of some careless words I speak. Be an example of a true follower of Christ and only say things that will edify Christ.
People’s lives on earth (and your own) can be ruined and wrecked because of your words, but the thing I’m more worried about is how it affects their and your eternity. Are your words hurting others? Is Christ being glorified by your words? Matthew 12 says that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. So what you say is who you are inside. When I thought about this verse it shocked me, because I realized that even though I participated in conversations I shouldn’t have and didn’t think it was right what was being said, I still went along with it, and that was who I was to others. What others see is who I am to them.
Set a good example to others through what you say. I don’t want to be responsible for ruining other peoples lives both here on earth, but more so in eternity.

Living Letters

Are you the fragrance of life to people, or are you the fragrance of death to people?

The other day I was playing soccer in the local church soccer comp. and I was disgusted that the other team could play in the manner in which they did, whilst still proclaiming to everyone that they are Christians. We were winning for the most part of the game by a couple of goals, so it wasn’t a tight contest, but some of the language that came out of some of their mouths was disgusting. Not only that, but on a number of occasions one of our players was pushed over by one of their players, and all of their guys would congratulate the player that injured the player on our team. On one occasion one of our players was bleeding from the head…

The manner in which they were playing was not only rough and disgusting, but it was unchristian. And it made me disappointed to know that many people would evaluate Christians from these people. No wonder so many people believe that Christians are hypocrites. If they are basing their opinion off people like this than its true.

I believe that this is something that every Christian should always keep in mind.

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 says ‘You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts’.

What this verse is saying is that we are all letters of Christ, and that everyone is reading the letter we write. So then, that begs the question of what it is that your letter says. Everyone, whether Christian or not, is telling the world something through who they are. The actions you do, the words you say, the morals and values that you hold to. The manner in which you react to hard things. It all says something about who you are. It is the letter that EVERYONE is reading.

What letter are people reading about your life? Do you swear? Do you get drunk? Do you get angry easily? Are you impatient? Do you speak without thinking? Do you act without thinking? Is there anything that you do that you know God is not pleased about?

Repentance is deciding not to do wrong anymore, and choosing to do right. Repent of your wrong. Ensure that the letter that people read about you is the fragrance of life, and not the fragrance of death.

N.B. Something else that I learnt from the soccer match is that knowledge does not equal wisdom. One of my ex school teachers (from a Christian school) was in the other soccer team and was instigating a lot of the bad behaviours and encouraging it. This teacher I used to hold in high regard, but his actions showed the opposite of wisdom.

WISDOM= seeing things through Gods eyes and evaluating all you do and say by that (and acting accordingly). Its of eternal worth.

Knowledge= facts figures, ways of doing things. For the most part it is not of eternal worth (those things that are of God are of eternal worth).

Slow Down!

What is the point to life? You know, I believe that sometimes we get in such a hurry and we get caught up in the busyness of day to day life that we forget what it is we are doing it for. We forget the point.
You know, 2 days ago I was down the street and I was crossing the road at a crossing, but I started a meter off the crossing, but by half-way I was completely on the crossing. Now there was this car coming, and I could see they didn’t want to stop, but I kept walking, and by this time I’m completely on the crossing, and you know what, just as I was walking off the crossing they blew their horn at me. And just as he did that I turned and looked to see this guy staring at me, by this time he was speeding over the crossing, but you could see the hatred that had built up with in him through his eyes. Then you know what he did, he flipped me off. And you know, I don’t know what satisfaction or revenge he felt he got from that action, but it got me wondering about how we can get so caught up in every day life, that we lose sight of what is important. Our priorities become all over the place and we become confused, and even the simplest smallest things can tick us off.
You know, I’m not that guy. I don’t know his situation or circumstance. But I don’t understand how waiting an extra 3 seconds at a crossing is so important to become angry about. Sometimes in life we can become so focused on what we are doing and what is important to us that we forget that there are other people around. And you know, what is the point to that. I believe that life is about relationships. Well, first our relationship with God, then our relationship with others. Its like the good Samaritan story. The 2 people were so focused on what they were doing they couldn’t find the time to help the guy that was beaten up. Sometimes in life we need to slow down, like the Samaritan, and see what is important in life. Because you can achieve all that you want in life, but it is your relationship with God, and others that counts in the end.
Make sure that you don’t get caught up in the busyness and hurry in life that you forget what the point to it all is.

It even goes with the things of God.
Prov 19:2 says ‘It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.’

Eternal Perspective

During my life I have found that the most important thing, besides believing in and following God, is to make sure that you always have an Eternal Perspective in everything. Having an eternal perspective means viewing things through Gods eyes. It means understanding the happenings and events of your life on earth are but only preparation for your life in eternity. Therefore we must always have an eternal perspective on everything that happens in life so that we may not jeopardize our eternity in heaven to an eternity in hell through our actions and reactions.
Having an eternal perspective means that when we worry, or are hurt, angry, frustrated, confused, when we feel helpless, and any other feelings and emotions we may experience, you can just trust that God has everything in His hands and stay calm and collected in any situation or circumstance because you have the peace of God with you.
Having an eternal perspective means that you do not worry about dying, because that just starts the beginning of eternity with Jesus. Having an eternal perspective means that you don’t value the things of the world, but rather the things of God (e.g. saving people from eternal hell and damnation) because in the end all that matters is your relationship with Jesus, which determines whether you are going to heaven or hell.
The life of someone with an eternal perspective is spent trying to bring people into relationship with Jesus to save them from eternal hell.
Do you have an eternal perspective? Are you making a REAL difference in the world? Many people spend their life trying to make a difference in the world, but the only REAL difference that has any value in eternity is whether people are saved or not. Where is your focus at?

Priorities

What things are you buying while people around the world are dying?
A couple of days ago I was on my way driving to Sydney just thinking about cars (as I’m looking for one currently), and at one point I looked around at all the cars around me, and it was interesting to observe that the cars I could immediately see would all have been worth about 15 grand or more (some a lot more), and of those cars virtually all of them would cost a lot to run and maintain. And in that moment of looking around at these cars I couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of despair and inequity. Now I’m not suggesting that these people that owned these cars didn’t deserve them. Infact they’ve probably worked very hard to acquire them. But it made me think about priorities. In that moment I wondered how many of them donate to aid organizations that assist people to survive each week. So many people overseas are contracting HIV aids, catching malaria, are malnourished, and commonly die from these preventable diseases. And all of this not because they are lazy. Infact a lot of people in these situations work much harder and endure many more hardships than we do. These people struggle to survive each week, let alone think about getting an education. And a lot of the things such as HIV aids, malaria, and malnourishment are easily prevented or cured. And it would only take a little bit to help people in these situations. Yet we live in a materialistic world. Were too interested in the new i-pad, or the better car we can get, or the video games we can play, or whatever it is that you like or want.
And by no means am I saying that people with these things should be condemned right now. Everyone would be in the wrong if this were the case. But if you’re not doing anything for the cause of the needy and less fortunate people in society (or ones overseas) than I believe you should feel convicted right now. Where is your sense of morality?? Where is society’s sense of morality?
It’s easy for us to see pictures of orphans overseas and be upset for them. It’s so easy for us to sympathize with the horrific living conditions many people are forced to live in (just go to the slums in India and the Philippines), whilst we sit down in our air conditioned comfortable homes to a meal that would be 3 days worth of food for them.
And once again, I’m not trying to condemn everyone that has a comfortable house or these kinds of luxuries. But are you helping those people that can’t help themselves?
In the bible in Ecclesiastes Ch 2:10-11 Solomon says ‘I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind: nothing was gained under the sun’.
What this is telling us, and rightly so is that whatever wealth or whatever possessions you acquire for yourself is all for nothing in the end. Once you pass away, the money you gained or the wealth you built means nothing. Material possessions will eventually rot away, so the man who goes around his whole life trying to acquire material possessions lives a meaningless life. Solomon calls it ‘chasing after the wind’ because it’s a pointless act.
It’s too easy for us to see those that need help, and then go and buy the latest gadget without a thought. Morality is proven by action! It’s easy to sympathize with the needy, but it means nothing if action isn’t taken. Re-evaluate your priorities and consider whether you should be doing more to help those genuinely in need. This will give you a reward far greater than any material possession.