satan leaves us 'chronically dissatisfied'

While I was reading this morning the news was on in the background. A sound byte caught my ear. The commentator was saying that new studies indicate that the ‘pursuit of happiness’ may not, after all, be good for us. The psychotherapist or psychologist or behaviorist who was being interviewed (I didn’t catch it soon enough to collect this detail) was saying that people tend to go for the short term gratification rather than what is best for the long haul. When they do that they are ‘chronically dissatisfied” because the short term goals for happiness are seldom lasting and they are left always wanting more.

For me that statement can be compared to being dead tired but instead of stopping work, having a decent meal and a rest we grab a quick cup of coffee or an alcoholic ‘pick-me-up’ and keep going. The immediate effect is that we are no longer tired, but in the long run we crash. The immediate gratification is accomplished but once that initial spurt is gone we are still dead tired.

As happens so many times when I am here alone in the quiet of my room my mind extended this to the spiritual province. People often look at the children of God and ask, “How can they speak of joy when things are so bad for them? How can they say they have peace when their life and the world are in turmoil? How can they be happy when they have absolutely nothing to be happy about?” And the lady this morning gave me the modern psychological key to an answer. The child of God does not operate in pursuit of the short term goal. We don’t pursue temporal happiness.

I thought of Paul writing to the Philippians when he told them, “Now I want you to know and continue to rest assured, brethren, that what has happened to me [this imprisonment] has actually only served to advance and give a renewed impetus to the spreading of good news (the Gospel). So much is this a fact that throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest here my imprisonment has become generally known to be in Christ that I am a prisoner in His service and for Him. And also most of the brethren have derived fresh confidence in the Lord because of my chains and are much more bold to speak and publish fearlessly the Word of God [acting with more freedom and indifference to the consequences]. (Phil 1: 12-14 Amplified) Look at the long term benefits Paul was seeing in his bad times. His short term situation was not provoking of any joy or happiness or peace, but he was fixed on the Long Term.

Further down in the same chapter he reiterates again, 19For I am well assured and indeed know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) this will turn out for my preservation (for the spiritual health and welfare of my own soul) and avail toward the saving work of the Gospel. Now look where Paul was aiming! This is in keeping with my own eager desire and persistent expectation and hope, that I shall not disgrace myself nor be put to shame in anything; but that with the utmost freedom of speech and unfailing courage, now as always heretofore, Christ (the Messiah) will be magnified and get glory and praise in this body of mine and be boldly exalted in my person, whether through (or ‘by’) life or through (or ‘by’) death. For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity]. We can see by this that Paul wasn’t worrying about what was happening just at the moment. His Joy lay in the final accomplishment.

In this statement he is looking toward the “spiritual health and welfare” of his soul and that the work of the gospel might be accomplished. He isn’t looking for personal immediate satisfaction or accomplishment. His desire is that Christ might be lifted up and glorified by what ever is happening to Him. He is looking down the road for himself and others. His goal is the ‘joy set before him’ as was the vision of Christ when he endured the cross. (Heb 12:2)

The child of God has discovered that the pleasures of the world hold no lasting satisfaction. We might labor for the day or week or month to purchase some object or entertainment that lasts only for a short time and is gone, leaving us with an emptiness within. We might spend the night or the week in laughter and partying and fun, but when it is over there is nothing left but dust and brittle memories. We might purchase fine foods and exclaim how satisfying they are to the palate, but the next morning we are again hungry. The fine food satisfied no longer than a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk.

Jesus knew this when He said, Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. And He talks of enduring satisfaction. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." (John 6: 14, 58) The child of God is partaking of that long term satisfaction and has his eyes on the long term goal.

The testimony of Paul, again in Philippians, has always been an encouragement: But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:7-14)

Paul wasn’t ‘chronically disappointed.’ His daily joy and satisfaction rested in the high calling of God in Christ. And there was his blessing. We should take note of his example and be sure our pursuit of happiness rests in achieving Christ’s ends and not the temporal ones of this world.

peace on earth

We sometimes get so wrapped up in all the hype and the traditional messages of Christmas that we neglect to look any deeper than the superficials. Today I want to think about the idea of Peace. Get your bibles and follow along. (don't ever just read a devotion or a message and accept it flat out without looking in your own Bible at the surrounding verses to see if the writer or speaker is using the scripture in context..)

One of the things we hear most about during this season is the concept of Peace. The message of Peace on Earth is bandied about freely by every religious or even semi-religious person. It is of course a popular topic and the thought of those angels singing about peace on earth and good will is overwhelming.

But we generally apply the message differently from the way it was spoken. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2: 13 - 14

We take it to mean that men on earth are going to have peace and good will toward each other. And while those who have experienced the redemptive power of Christ do have that peace and good will toward all their fellow men, it is not something the common man experiences or ever will experience outside of Christ.

So what was the message of the angels? They were glorifying God and stating His intentions toward the men of earth. Jesus came to bring peace and good will extending from the Father to men. One translation says "Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased " We see by this more clearly that the peace of God rests upon those with whom he is pleased. He offers it to the entire world, yes, but only those who receive His Son's offered Salvation will experience it. We must understand this concept or we will come up against one of the so called "contradictions" of the Bible.

The peace of which the angels sang is that peace which Jesus came to bring to the hearts of His Own. Until Christ's coming the hearts of men across the world had been in turmoil with sin and confusion and spiritual darkness. Jesus came to seek and save the lost and to instill in them His Peace. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: John 14:27 These are the people to whom that angels' song was dedicated.

So when we say, "I bid you peace" we are bidding men the peace of the spirit. In this world [we] may have tribulation . . . but [He] has over come the world! Tribulation and conflict will always exist in this world. Let's bid men the salvation of the Father that brings peace in this earthly body. I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

humanism

Recently I received a very deceptive email. There was a scripture at the top of the page, and it purported to be of a Christian nature, but as I read I became aware that it actually had a very ungodly focus. It was one of those oh-so-uplifting sentiments that really encouraged everyone to just be good and do what's best and you'll be okay. It was very easy to be deceived by these platitudes. They sound so good and so positive!

The philosophies of the world are all focused on the human side of our nature. While they purport to be working through the individual for the greater human good, they are fully involved in self gratfication. This email was like that. I even pondered for a few minutes how anyone could find a relationship between the quoted text: "Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:2-5) and the self-serving, self-fufilling statements in the body of the writing. There was none except in so far that the reference to "joy" would be fulfilled for the selfish individual by following the adages presented.

For example, one of the statements said: Do not set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you. Now on the surface the first sentence is a very good statement. But this is the way Satan lures us in. At first it looks good. Looking at the second sentence reveals the deception. It has a very humanistic standard. "Only YOU know what is best for YOU." Now actually, at one time in my life I had no idea what was best for me. I thought I did, but it wasn't until the Lord showed me my sin and I repented that I found that what I thought was best was leading me down the broad way to hell. Only through the Lord's leading can we truly know what is best for us. Satan is a deceiver and will encourage us to believe his lies to damn our souls.

One of the greatest dangers today is presented by the ungodliness of Humanism. Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appealing to universal human qualities, particularly rationality, without resorting to the supernatural or alleged divine authority from religious texts. Humanism can be considered as a process by which truth and morality is sought through human investigation; as such, views on morals can change when new knowledge and information is discovered. In focusing on the capacity for self-determination, humanism rejects . . . a dependence on faith, thesupernatural, or texts of allegedly divine origin. Humanists endorse universal morality based on the commonality of the human condition, suggesting that solutions to human social and cultural problems cannot be [ related to the theological].

Humanistic writings seem all bright and well intended until we consider that they glorify Man and entirely omit God from the picture. When you get these cute little poems and articles and sayings in your email box, read them with eternal principals in mind and with the Lord's standards as your ultimate scale. Compare each of them to what the eternal Word of God says about the first statement. If you pay attenton you will see that by forwarding them you will be an insrument in sending honest but naive souls to Hell.