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There are many "good causes" that do not further God's kingdom or purpose. There are many things done because people know they will get credit or praise or personal benefit.

Psalm 4:2-3 says, "How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Reflect on that. Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him."

"It's for a good cause." How many times have you been exposed to, involved with, or asked to contribute to some project or good cause? I myself have been involved in many over the years.

A few years back, I—along with a group of runners—collected per-mile pledges for a marathon we ran to raise money to buy a car for a single mom. The training to run a marathon is usually a minimum of two hours of running per day. That's a lot of time dedicated to a cause. Was it worth what we put into it? Only God can judge that.

Over the years, I've seen a multitude of people involved with "good causes." I've seen people that spend enormous amounts of time organizing, communicating, and soliciting funds for causes.

There are those that work to save the whales or the owls or protest the wearing of fur to save animals. I've seen people work to raise money to fight disease. There seems to be a never-ending list of "good causes."

I'm saying all that with this thought in mind. I wonder how many people would redirect their time and energies if they really knew the plan of God and what He would like them to dedicate their time to?

People can die and go to the grave being perceived as having had great causes and done great things. The truth is, the greatness of what they have done is and can only be judged by God Himself. All of our works or causes will one day be judged by God, and the Bible tells us about it.

The Bible speaks of two judgments of God after death. One is called the Great White Throne Judgment. It is the judgment of all those that would not receive God's gift to mankind—Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

Jesus died to take away their sins, but since they wouldn't believe in Him they rejected God's gift, thereby dying in their sins without resolution for them.

Revelation 20:11-12 says, "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it...And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books."

Then there is the judgment for those who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior. It isn't a judgment about our sins since a believer's sins have been washed away. They've been forgiven and forgotten by God if we've given our lives to Christ.

Romans 4:7-8 says, "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Psalm 103:12 says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us."

This judgment is called the Judgment Seat of Christ. It will be about the rewards believers will receive. Rewards for the things they did to further the gospel and touch others with His love as directed in their hearts by the Holy Spirit and God's Word.

We will stand before Jesus to review all of the "causes" or things we did to serve His purposes, not our own. Those things done from a pure heart and right motivation and not for self-glory or personal agenda will be considered like gold, or silver, or precious stones.

There are many "good causes" that do not further God's kingdom or purpose. There are many things done because people know they will get credit or praise or personal benefit. They have an agenda or self-purpose behind what they do.

We can pick up the attitude that God is looking for through Jesus' Words in Matthew:

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
(Matt. 6:6)

So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
(Matt. 6:2-4)

People may consider some of the good works that people do of value but if God doesn't, then it isn't. If what people commit their time and energy to isn't what God would have them do, then although they may have dedicated great time and sweat to their cause, it did not serve God's purpose and will not receive a reward.

In First Corinthians 3:10-15 the Apostle Paul put it like this:

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds (or what causes he chooses).

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day of the Judgment Seat of Christ will bring it to light.

It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
(1 Cor. 3:10-15)

Men will love delusions and seek false gods. Why go for the false when we can be rewarded for the good? God has set us apart for that reason!