What do you think of when you first wake in the morning? At the end of the day, what has occupied your mind
A mother worries about her son's tonsillitis. A gardener wonders how long it will take to finish the tree trimming job. An interior decorator is pleased with the improved design that occurred to him. An insurance agent is going over all the policy benefits before her big superannuation presentation. Fair enough, nothing
But what about this? The mother's main concern is that her son won't be able to compete in the highland dancing and she won't get the recognition she craves. The gardener hopes to get an hour's lie down in the sun, in the boss's time. The interior decorator's "improvement" is just a cost cutting measure in his own interests, not his client's. The insurance agent treats the policy "benefits" as mere selling points, and has at heart the ten thousand
These imaginary people are not having terribly wicked thoughts. But a problem is becoming evident in their thinking. The problem is who is at the centre of their thoughts.
Lost Secret of a Happy Life
Now there is nothing wrong with thinking about yourself. In fact, I'm trying to make you do that! The problem is thinking of yourself as the centre
In Philippians 2:3-5 we are taught by the example of Jesus to think of ourselves as servants of others and putting their interests above our own. This may surprise you, because it is the lost secret
A TV commercial appearing in early 1990 included this quote: "It is more blissful to give than receive". The quote was followed with "Author Unknown". The unknown Person who made that statement was Jesus (Acts 20:35). He understands life. It is one of the paradoxes in life that the more you try to make others happy, the happier you yourself become. Of course, the most important Other is God. Strive first to please Him
The Truly Satisfying Life
The truly satisfying life is lived as follows: "each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God"
The old vinyl records that we played on turntables had a locating hole in the centre. If the hole was off-centre, the music sounded weird. How does the "music" of
In the last Judgment, the righteous who enter into eternal life and escape hell fire, are those whose lives are self-sacrificing. The others, who were self-centred and self-serving, found in the end that their lives were an irony: in serving themselves they had done themselves the
Jesus told of a man whose attitude to life was short-sighted. He said to himself, "Self, you have enough stored away for years. Take life easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!" But God said to him, "You fool!" because that very night the unwary man was going to die. The life to come was not the many years he thought he had in this world, but an eternity in another world he had not even considered
Lift Your Mental Horizon
Jesus Christ lifts our mental horizon to "seek those things which are above". Rather than short-sightedly seeking earthly things, our lives are "hidden with Christ in God"
Christ can give you "eye ointment that you may see". He can enlighten your heart's eyes that you may see his glory and your inheritance in the ages to come
This far-sightedness does not mean you are too heavenly minded to be of any earthly use. It means you live a more fruitful life in this world because your heart is set upon God's eternal purpose for you
On the Up and Up?
Many people can say, "I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining every day". But they are talking about a better job, higher sales and production figures, wage rises, bigger homes, fancier cars, more exciting sex, more leisure, more security and independence, more travel, going to classier restaurants, better scores in golf, higher educational qualifications, more recognition and power in the community, more satisfying
You can pursue all those things without sin, in the sense that you may not lie, steal, fornicate, or kill to get them. But you can get so bogged down in these things that your real joy and glory
To appreciate what we have been talking about, you must be spiritually awake and aware, not sick and asleep
Being Watchful
Over and over again we are urged in God's word to wake up to ourselves. Yet many of us go through day after day unmindful of God's purpose for us and his coming judgment upon us. To live like that is plainly stupid. There should be a flame in our hearts, because there is surely a flame in hell. "Take heed, be watchful, for you do not know when the time might be"
If you asked a strong Christian who is full of the Holy Spirit, "What concerns you most about your society in general, and your church in particular?" what do you think she would say? Would she mention immorality, the crime rate, materialistic consumerism, the trend to paganism, the divided and ineffectual churches, degradation
The 'Huh?' Factor
To me, the most serious concern is none of the above, but something I call "The Huh? Factor". It's the spiritual equivalent of the problem we sometimes experience with a teenager. You ask, "Is there any mail in our box today Fred?" He says, "Huh?" You say, "Pass the salt please Fred." He says, "Huh?" You say, "Is it OK if I use the bathroom now Fred?" He says, "Huh?" You say, "Hey, Fred! A volcano has erupted right outside our door and it's raining frogs." He says, "Huh?" You whisper, "Fifty dollars Fred?" He says, "Gee thanks! You couldn't make it a
Spiritually "The "Huh? Factor" means that when you try to talk to people about God, sin, heaven, the cross, the church, death, love, truth, prayer..." about all you get is, "Huh?" Incomprehension. A switched-off, dazed, darkened heart that
That Two Dimensional World
Do you live in a two-dimensional world like that? The first dimension is "me" and the second dimension is "mine". God has no place in the scheme of things. His purpose, the kind intention of his will, is unrealised,
Switched-off People
If only you could be awakened and taught what life