When I was a teaching assistant in Old Testament at seminary, a student questioned the mark that I gave for an assignment; the explanation for challenging the mark was that the student had put hours and hours into this paper. I said to the student that I could only mark the paper handed in, not the effort behind writing it.

If we’ve put in a lot of effort on something maybe we think that other people should acknowledge that and give us extra credit for it. But in reality people only give us credit for what they actually see is produced, the end result. Whatever effort we put into preparing for something, making something, or going somewhere, is our business. We just did it. It adds no benefit in the eyes of others, because they don’t know even if it affected the end result/product. So it is important NOT to require other people to give us brownie points for the effort that we’ve put into something. Instead, “Serve the Lord cheerfully” (Psalm 100:2a God’s Word©)

We benefit by the work we put into it because we learn something or the discipline is good for us or whatever, but they get nothing out of it directly – the end product is still only the end product. “Don’t do your duty only while you’re being watched, as if you merely wanted to please people. Do your duty like slaves who belong to Christ, who have a deep desire to do what God wants them to do” (Ephesians 6:6).

In our Canadian society we overdo that everyone should get an award or prize (participation) out of a false notion that if we do not stroke the ego of everyone they may end up damaged, but more damage is done giving them a false expectation that the world should always praise them just because, not because they actually accomplished something in a manner worthy of special note.

And what can be assessed is the end result, not participation or the time it took to finish.

Spiritually, everything we do should exalt Jesus, as Paul said, “I planted, and Apollos watered, but God made it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is important because only God makes it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6,7 God’s Word©).

I was in dialogue with a person about a present-day issue. I referred to one of the places in the Bible where this issue is addressed. The response was, “But what limitation do you put on it?”

In my mind I answered, “None!”

This person is one of the too many who have abandoned Scripture and live loyally to the interpretation their religious group places on the Bible. They were inviting me to accept their dogma, which totally negates what God says in The Holy Word. I could not join their heresy.

Several times recently Galatians 3:1-5** has been thrown into my view. It breaks my heart to think that there are so many people who have been “bewitched” into thinking their ideology, their efforts, their self-appointed heroism and their actions which are affirmed only by like-minded individuals (even though rejected by spiritual Christians) constitute righteousness. Alas, it is merely self-righteousness, the spiritual condition of the 1st century Pharisees who opposed Jesus.

Since the modern-day Galatians who are “under an evil spell” (and those at early Ephesus according to Revelation, also) have lost their first love they are called to “repent” (Revelation 2:1-7). If they do not repent Jesus will “come to [them] quickly and remove [their] lampstand from its place”. My call on them to repent has been met with a closed mind, so far, but I keep praying. They do not realize that their “everlasting life” (John 3:16) is at stake!

** “You stupid people of Galatia! Who put you under an evil spell? Wasn’t Christ Jesus’ crucifixion clearly described to you? I want to learn only one thing from you. Did you receive the Spirit by your own efforts to follow the laws in the Scriptures or by believing what you heard? Are you that stupid? Did you begin in a spiritual way only to end up doing things in a human way? Did you suffer so much for nothing? [I doubt] that it was for nothing! Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you through your own efforts or through believing what you heard?”

One of the persistent and alluring false teachings tempting Christians today is the value of our work for “God”. Read more…

I heard God’s voice in the garden. When I garden I rarely hear God’s voice. Without being focussed my mind flies in every direction in what I would call scattered (not “scatter-brained”, please).

God gave the nine words all of a sudden, Read more…