Prayer

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Turning A New LEAF

How often do you wish that things were different?  Guess what, so does God!  The difference often is that we want this or that circumstance to be different, or this or that person to be different — but God wants me (and you) to be different!

God has called us to himself and tells us, “What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?  What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?   What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?  For we are the temple of the living God.  As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.  Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.  I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.'” (2 Corinthians 6:15-18)

If different isn’t a label you would like to wear, some passages say that God has called us from among the nations to be a “peculiar” people! 🙂  God always expected that his chosen people, his royal priesthood, would stand out and be noticed for their qualities that reflect his nature.  If I am no different from the world — from those outside of a relationship with Christ — in the way I talk, live, work, interact with friends and enemies, and play then what do I really have that they are in need of and how will they know I have something they need?

Paul writes to the Ephesians in chapter 4 about the body of Christ and the unity it ought to have.  He describes that unity coming from the body completely functioning under the Head, that is, Christ!  This occurs when the body is equipped by those gifted for the equipping of the members so that each part does the work it was designed to do.  A huge stumbling block to this happening is our refusal to be different — to leave the ways of the world that we are comfortable with.  Paul puts it this way, “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.”  The first readers would have heard that sentence as a command to no longer live as pagans, as those outside of relationship with God!

So, if we’re to be different — a peculiar people — it is likely that most of us will be need to be “Turning a New LEAF” in some areas of our life.  As it turns out, I just preached a sermon this morning with that very title! 🙂

When we choose to be different from the world we need a new Language!  The language we use in our communication methods says a lot about what is inside of us.  Jesus says that it is out of the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.  The same can be said of our written and other communication forms.  I have a good number of friends on Facebook and see a lot of posts in a week’s time.  It is rather alarming to see the language that many people use in this social media venue.  A good number of them, I am confident, would never dream of using the words or suggestive nature of their posts in face-to-face communication but they seem to have bought in to the idea that everyone “talks” that way on-line so it is okay.  As we consider the new language God desires for us to have, he says we should “not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, but only what is  helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  I think the same instruction applies to our other forms of communication as well.

We also need to have a new Eye as we seek to live differently from those outside of relationship with Christ.  Jesus says the eye is the light to our body — some translations would say it is the window to our soul.  Either way, the application is the same — if the eye is filled with evil, the whole body becomes filled with darkness.  While it may be nearly impossible to keep our eyes from seeing inappropriate things and images, we should have control over how long we gaze at such things.  If we watch the same shows, go to the same movies, view the same websites as the world and simply pass it off as “that’s just the way entertainment is now days”, what does that say about our desire to be holy as Christ is holy?  Not only do our “new eyes” need to not gaze on that which is inappropriate, they also need to cause us to look at people in a different way.  Paul writes to the Corinthians to remind them that since Christ died for all we should “regard no one from a worldly point of view.”  As we turn a new leaf, our eyes begin to see every person as Christ sees them — a valuable creation that he loves enough to die for!

Often times, one of the greatest hindrances to living with a new language and a new eye is our need for a new Attitude!  Paul writes to the Philippians and reminds them of all the encouragement, comfort, fellowship, tenderness, and compassion they have as a result of being united with Christ.  He goes on to tell them that because of all this they ought to have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus!  This new attitude calls for us to look at all we would consider great — even equality with God in the case of Jesus — and consider it not worth holding on to if letting go would benefit others!  Our new attitude must consider the eternal good of others above our own wants and desires.  We change our language — not out of a legalistic requirement but out of love for people and a desire to reflect Christ more accurately.  We change both what we view and  how we view — not because we have to in order to meet God’s approval but because we want people to have a glimpse of the holiness of God lived out in our life.  This new attitude is a big-time game changer when we decide to humble ourself and consider the needs of others above our own.

If this all sounds easy to you, I can think of only a couple of options.  One, you need to teach the rest of us in this area of turning a new leaf and living a life worthy of the calling we have in Christ Jesus.  Or two, and more likely :), you need to join the rest of us in pursuing this final aspect of turning a new leaf — living a new Faith!  James makes it clear that having a vibrant, living faith is where the rubber meets the road.  One easy test to decide if this new faith is needed is to ask yourself a simple question, “What activity is my faith accomplishing?”.  James says that a faith that is not doing anything is dead and therefore not really a faith at all!  If your belief in God does not compel you to do the things he calls you do then I’m not too sure you really believe in the Almighty God of the Bible.  If you fail to act because you don’t belief it’s possible or that your sharing of Jesus will make any difference, then I suspect that you need a new faith — the faith that believes that God really can work together all things for good to those who love him and are called according to his purposes.  This living faith ties all three of the other “new leaf” components together as it determines if we really do anything about our language, our eyes, or our attitude!  The faith that God calls us to says that I will be different because I know that God can accomplish great things through my weaknesses.

So, do you really wish things were different?  Enough that you are willing to be different?  I pray that you and I would daily remind ourself that “God wants ME to be different!”  I pray that as we decide to turn a new LEAF that we would live with a new Language, a new Eye, a new Attitude, and a new Faith!

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Lessons From A Thanksgiving Day Gathering

I had planned on preaching a compilation sermon this morning of all six components of my current Sunday evening “Giving THANKS” sermon series.  God had other plans as He gave me a different “Giving THANKS” sermon to share at the North Wayne Mennonite Church this morning.  It was a sermon that I know God has been teaching and preparing me to share, but definitely a different direction and outline than I had planned.  Oh, and I realized this new direction for the sermon on the drive to church this morning. 🙂

Anyhow, this version of “Giving THANKS” is based around a “made-for-the-movies” stereotypical family thanksgiving day.  Here are six things I think we can learn about giving thanks from a traditional Thanksgiving Day gathering.

We start by giving Turkey!  I know, you probably have the same reaction that the congregation did this morning — “What?  Did he say what I thought I heard?  He didn’t just say turkey, did he?”.  Yep, I said turkey!  When you think of Thanksgiving, for most people, the first thing that comes to mind is turkey.  It is the traditional main course, the very center and substance to the meal which surrounds it.  When I say, “give turkey”, that is what I mean — give thanks with substance and meat at its very heart.  Don’t settle for simply mouthing the words thank you when you can give thanks with turkey — with real depth and meaning behind it.  This is a thanks that settles in and satisfies the deepest reaches of a person’s being.

Another key element to a Thanksgiving Day gathering is giving Humor!  Without a good sense of humor, Thanksgiving and other family gatherings can fall apart quite quickly.  We give thanks when we don’t take ourself too seriously.  God says that a cheerful, or merry, heart is good medicine!  I believe that there are boundaries that need to be kept when it comes to humor but laughter is not only good for the spirit, it is good for the body.  This is not only true of an individual but it applies to a family, or a church family, as well.  Don’t take every situation more seriously than it ought to be taken.  True joy can shine through brightly when you give thanks with humor.

Does anything symbolize the American Thanksgiving Day gathering any more than a table overflowing with every variety of food imaginable — a table of Abundance?  Jesus said He came to not only give us life, but to give us life abundantly!  Do you give thanks with abundance, or just enough to get by?  When we want to celebrate or to remember great things, we would likely never ask how little can I do and still look good.  No, we would examine our resources of every kind to determine how abundantly can I celebrate to make my joy known to all.  When we want to express deep-felt thankfulness it ought to be the same way — not what do I have to do but how much can I do.  Your generosity overflows when you give thanks with abundance.

Ahhh . . . turkey, plenty of good humor, an abundance of food . . . I’m tired.  What good Thanksgiving Day gathering would be complete without a Nap?  We give thanks when we give Naps!  When we allow a person to relax and rest we communicate that we value both them and their time.  If every interaction with a person has you walking away knowing that they expect something from you it is not likely that you will feel a true appreciation regardless of any words of thanks.  Resting is a God-given concept and gift that we typically don’t use enough ourself and seldom think to give to others.  The sabbath concept, a day of rest, is connected by God to the fact that on the seventh day He rested from His work of creation.  We, and those around us, are more tolerable when we give thanks with naps.

What family gathering is complete without that cousin that’s . . . well, he’s just different.  Regardless of his different looks, different political views, different lifestyle, different pie preference, or different whatever, he is part of the family so we give Kindness.  Extending kindness doesn’t mean that we agree or approve of everything about him — we may pray and work desperately to influence positive change in his life.  It does mean, however, that we acknowledge his value as a person and do our best to include him in the family celebration of the Thanksgiving Day gathering.  We all sin and find ourself in need of God’s greatest kindness — the undeserved gift of forgiveness and salvation through the blood of His Son, Jesus!  It is this example that we must follow when we give thanks with kindness.

Finally, the part that no one really needs but no Thanksgiving Day gathering is complete without — Sweets!  Take away the pie, the ice cream, the cookies, the fudge, the chocolate, the candies, and the other desserts and what do you have?  You have one very unhappy and disappointed family!  Sweets are those over-and-above extras in life that shout “thank you” in ways that little else can.  When we really want to give thanks, we adopt an “and then some” attitude.  We do what is expected and required . . . and then some.  We walk the extra mile.  We take the extra time.  We give the extra attention.  With our actions we say loudly, “you’re worth it!”.  Just as dessert completes the Thanksgiving Day gathering, our expressions of gratitude are completed when we give thanks with sweets.

So, how are you at giving THANKS?  I pray that as you gather with others this Thanksgiving day, you would give “Turkey”, give Humor, give Abundance, give Naps, give Kindness, and give Sweets!

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Just PRAY?

I was privileged to preach this morning at the Deer Run Church of Christ as part of the launching of the “A November To Remember” church-wide prayer initiative!  The challenge point of the message came from the conclusion of Paul’s teaching to the Ephesians about the complete armor of God.  Because of the spiritual battle that we are engaged in that fights for our very soul, Paul concludes the teaching of the necessity of the armor of God with this command, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”  (Ephesians 6:18 NIV)

How are you doing in the “keep on praying for all the saints” department?  Do you take seriously this command to pray for one another?  How important is it to you and to those you should be praying for?  When life hits us at 60 miles per hour and we’re not real sure which direction is up and because we often view prayer as a very passive activity, we fail to be encouraged by the statement, “Just Pray!”.  Instead, because of our doubts and uncertainty, many view it through the lens of skeptical questioning, “Just Pray?”.  We’re not always sure it does that much good and instead of taking our cue from the disciples who ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, we simply give up.

So, how do we go from “Just Pray?” to “Just PRAY!”?  I believe the answer lies in living and practicing a better understanding of prayer.  We begin that move when we include a foundational element of “Just Pursue!”  Our wholehearted pursuit of God is critical to our finding Him.  God tells Solomon that when He brings judgment or discipline upon the people and they suffer uncertainty and hardship that it is then that if His people “will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways” that He will hear their cries.  Throughout scripture it has always been that way.  Prior to the giving of the ten commandments to the Israelites, God tells them that there will come a time they will be scattered and that from wherever they are if they will seek Him they will find Him when they seek Him with all their heart and with all their soul.  As you “Just PRAY!”, just pursue God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength!

A huge stumbling block to adopting a “Just PRAY!” mindset is this next element of “Just Repent!”.  A wholehearted pursuit of God will most likely reveal sin that God calls us to just repent of.  Many times it is “out of sight, out of mind” and hinders our prayers unbeknownst to us.  More often though, it is not so deeply hidden and we hold back in our prayer life thinking we can avoid God pointing it out and calling us to repent of it.  We let society convince us that if I am sorry about it that is enough — no reason to actually get rid of it, I’m sorry and that attitude of remorse ought to suffice.  God would say nothing could be further from the truth.  The Bible teaches that true sorrow, Godly sorrow, leads to repentance.  God doesn’t simply want us to be sorry for our sin, He wants us to repent of it and no longer walk in that manner.  When Peter and John are called into account for healing a lame man, Peter addresses the crowd and calls them to repent and turn to God so their sins would be wiped out and “that times of refreshing would come from the Lord”.  I don’t know about you, but the promise of times of refreshing from God should make it easier to give in and “Just Repent!”.

While “Just Repent” can be a stumbling block in our prayer life, we often enter into great confusion when “Just PRAY” calls us to “Just Act!”.  This is the result of living with a very passive view of prayer — a view that sees it as us giving God our list of things He ought to do and act upon and us waiting for Him to accomplish it through miraculous means.  The idea that we would be the instruments and means through which He works to accomplish His will and purpose often seems beyond our comprehension.  Paul prays for the Thessalonians that by God’s power He would fulfill every good purpose of theirs as well as every act prompted by faith.  It is a prayer connected with faith that prompts us to “Just Act” when God seeks to involve us in His work.  He says that we are His workmanship, created by Him to do good works which He created in advance for us to do.  When our pursuit of God and repentance of sin prompts us to act, we need to be ready to work.  It is always fascinating to me that when Jesus teaches about the harvest being plentiful but the workers few and asks His followers to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers that the very next action recorded is the “pray-ers” being sent out as the workers!

Finally, all of the change of attitude from “Just Pray?” to “Just PRAY!” is wrapped together in the mindset of “Just Yield“.  Jesus teaches us that our prayer should be surrendered to God’s will — “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.  Many times our prayers “fail” us because they are prayed with expectations that it is our will that should be done.  We become upset and disillusioned with prayer when God doesn’t answer according to our expectations and timing.  As a repentant pursuer of God who desires to act according to His purposes, we must yield fully to His will and lordship.  The call to discipleship is a call to give up everything and follow Jesus.  We pray the effective prayers of the righteous when we just yield.

So, where are you in the journey from “Just Pray?” to “Just PRAY!”?  I pray that you are well on your way in pursuing God wholeheartedly, that you fully and freely repent as God’s Spirit convicts you of sin, that you are not only called to action through your times of prayer but that you actually do it as you yield fully to God.

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A November To Remember

A “November To Remember” launched this morning at the Deer Run Church of Christ as the church-wide prayer initiative was laid before the congregation.  The purpose and plan are to raise the level of prayer for “one another” within the congregation.  This is a 40-day prayer initiative designed to be a starting point, or restarting point, for individuals to take seriously the command to “keep on praying for all the saints.”

The Sunday prayer focus each week will be for the preaching and teaching at Deer Run; for David  Honeycutt, senior minister, and Paul Stearns, youth minister; for the teaching volunteers; and for the Deer Run finances.  Monday through Saturday each week will have a list of 11 to 12 names of people for everyone to pray for that day with each of the six elders being listed on one of the days each week.  There will be a handout available at the church each Sunday with a listing of people to pray for each day of that week.  Along with the names for each day is the following prayer guide to help participants know how to pray for individuals they may not know.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”  Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

If you know the person listed, it is usually easier to know how to pray for them.  It is my prayer that you will use these 40 days of prayer to grow in your connection to the body of Christ at Deer Run.  These names represent children, youth, and adults that have had a connection with Deer Run over the past year.  If you have not yet gotten to know the person, here are some prayer ideas based on the Lord’s model prayer found in Matthew 6.

1. Pray that they would honor and lift up the name of God.

2. Pray that they would actively pursue God and follow His will as given to us through His word.

3. Pray that their spiritual, emotional, physical, and all needs would be met and that they would look to God as the source of all good things.

4. Pray that they would have both a spirit of forgiveness and a heart of repentance.

5. Pray that they would be clothed in the armor of God so as to resist the temptations of the evil one.

6. Pray that they would experience the power of God.

As stated in the above guide, the listing of names include children, youth, and adults.  All ages are encouraged to participate not only as being prayed for, but also in praying for others.

If you have any questions about the “November To Remember” prayer initiative, or want further information, please feel free to contact me via the “contact” page of this blog or through my prayer ministry website, www.impactprayerministry.com.

Praying that this November really is one to remember in your life as you grow in your relationship to Him and to one another in prayer.

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Opened Doors, Closed Doors, and Granted Favor

“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
Nehemiah 1:11

I am in the process of looking for a plow truck (similar to the one pictured above, although a V-Plow would be nice 🙂 ) for Michiana Christian Service Camp.  Searching for a used vehicle can be quite nerve-wracking — particularly when it is for a ministry and you are even more acutely aware of the need to be a good steward of funds God has provided.  I want something durable, reliable, and with no hidden or unseen problems that will serve us well for years to come.  With that said, I realize even the best mechanic can’t see inside an engine, transmission, or other major component and predict its longevity with complete accuracy.

That’s where I think the above verse comes in to this process. 🙂  Some may say, “What does God care about a truck, or buildings, or other “stuff” that a camp may need?”  Yet it is in the context of “stuff” that Nehemiah prays!  He receives word that his Jewish brethren living in Judah are in great need.  The walls of Jerusalem have been broken down and the city gates have been burned.  Nehemiah is concerned for the physical needs of the people and the city.  So, in his position as cupbearer to the king, he knows that the resources exist to help.  I believe he also knows that this process could go extremely well or could be an incredible disaster — kind of like buying a used truck. 🙂

So, Nehemiah does what we all ought to do when faced with a decision — pray!  While he knew the person who could provide everything that was needed, he also knew the God that could move the heart of the king to respond favorably!  Nehemiah didn’t rely on his connections, influence, or ability to convince the king to do what was needed.  Instead he prayed that God would give him success by granting him favor in the king’s presence.  In essence, he is praying that God would open doors that needed to be opened and close doors that needed to be closed in order for the needs of the Israelite people in Jerusalem to be met.  His success was connected to God granting him favor.  Did you catch that?  It wasn’t that the king would grant him favor but that God would grant him favor!  The king was simply part of the resources that God was providing to a servant who was faithfully seeking Him.

So I pray!  I pray that God will give me success in this plow truck search by Him granting me favor in the presence of the seller of just the right truck to serve the camp needs!  I pray that He continues to close doors of potential truck sellers that would be bad for the camp and that He would open the door clearly to the seller of the truck that God knows would be best for the camp!  Would you join me in praying that God would give me success by Him granting me favor in the presence of the right seller?

Thank you!

Update:  . . . and here is what God provided — If you can’t tell from the picture, it is a V-Plow!

plow truck

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Crossing The Red Sea

During our church gathering this morning, the preacher asked how we would have crossed the Red Sea if we had been one of the Israelite people when God opened up the sea for their escape from the Egyptian army.  His suspicion is that we would all have approached it like he would have — very cautiously, testing the ground and the walls of water with hesitancy and fear before fully heading out and getting through the unknown “bottom of the sea” territory as quickly as possible.  I would guess that’s more true than I would like it to be.  I like to think I would put my hand in the wall of water — running it up and down, making patterns with my fingers as I walked along — but somehow, I think fear would have kept me from touching it.

The real question, though, was not what would I have done but what do I do now when life appears to be a desert with no way of escape and God opens up a “sea” in front of me and says, “Step right in!”  Do I trust Him enough to do it?  How hesitant are my steps?  How much do I enjoy the journey and how much do I just hurry through — trying to get this part over with as soon as possible because who knows how long God will continue to hold up the “walls”?

Yet that is primarily just theory — the what would you, what if questions that have unproven answers until actually put to the test.  The hard part came through another set of questions — “What is the “sea” in front of you and will you be still long enough to see and trust God’s way through it?”.  Wow!  Is there something in front of me that is preventing me from escaping my past that God wants me to be still long enough to be able to see His path through it?  Is there a path that He has already opened for me but fear and logic has kept me from even considering it?

These were the hard questions this morning and I don’t have answers to them.  The only answer I know is to seek God more fully and learn to trust Him completely.  There’s an old chorus that I remember from years ago that goes something like this: “Got any rivers you think are uncrossable, Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through, God specializes in things thought impossible, He does the things others cannot do.”

I pray that you and I would consider the surroundings of our life and remember what God has called us to.  When there appears to be a sea in front of us, may we be quiet before the LORD long enough to hear and see the path that He will make and may we be courageous enough to walk through it with Him.

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Why Job?

Why Job?  For the purpose of this article that would be the Bible character, not the work.  Although, the answers could be surprisingly similar. 🙂

I’ve been teaching from the Old Testament for a Wednesday night Bible class for a couple of years now.  We began with the book of Joshua and have worked our way through Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and now, 1 Samuel.  It has been interesting, and sad, to hear participants who have been Christians and involved in church for many years comment that they had never before been in a Bible study that had gone through an entire Old Testament book. They’ve been taught the highlights — the quotable moments — but not usually much context around it.  We may well say that we believe God when He says all scripture is profitable, but do we practice that?  God included each book for a purpose.  Not only is the information in each meant to be transformational, it also helps provide context and greater understanding of other passages and the Bible as a whole.  I know for me, our study of 1 Samuel this past year has really brought greater depth and meaning to my daily reading in the Psalms.

As I thought about these comments, I wondered what gets overlooked the most.  I know there are verses and teachings that we avoid or skip over because we find them too controversial, divisive, hard, convicting, difficult to  understand, challenging, old-fashioned, restricting, . . . you get the idea; but I’m thinking from a Bible book perspective, what would make the bottom of the list in books studied in their entirety?  Unfortunately, I’m sure there are several that would be in the running for that bottom spot.  I think Job would be one of the books on that list.  I know I don’t recall ever teaching through the book of Job or being involved in a study through the book that someone else was leading.

It made me think, “Why not Job?”  As I’ve pondered this question, the answer that keeps coming up is interesting.  Could it be that we avoid the book of Job, other than a few quotable verses, because the answer to another question is “too controversial, divisive, hard, convicting, difficult to  understand, challenging, old-fashioned, restricting, . . . you get the idea”?  We’re not sure what to do with the question, or the answer to the question, “Why Job?”.

But is that really the question that catches us?  If you’ve read the book, or at least started to read the book, you know the answer — God!  And that’s the answer I think we struggle with.  Not so much the answer to “Why Job?”, I don’t think most of us really care that much about Job, rather the majority of the time someone is asking, “Why Job?”, they are really asking, “Why me?”!  We focus on the loss and suffering we face while being misunderstood by everyone around us and we go to the book of Job for answers — after all, he lost much, suffered greatly, and was misunderstood by those closest to him.  Yet to go to the book of Job searching for an answer to the question, “Why me?”, forces us to at least consider the answer may be the same as the one Job received — “None of your business!”  Yes, you read that right!  We have the opening commentary that gives some explanation to what was going on but there is no indication that Job was ever let in on any of that.  To boil it down, the answer God finally gives to Job at the end of the book sounds a lot like, “I’m God.  I know what I’m doing.  Trust me.”

So, what do you do when the foremost question in your mind is “Why me?”.  Do you hear God say, “I’m God.  I know what I’m doing.  Trust me.”?  Do you believe it?  Can you look at the book of Job differently than perhaps you ever have before?  You see, I’m not convinced that the primary theme of Job is the loss and suffering that we often connect with the book — I think the primary theme is faithfulness!

Jesus said in Matthew 19:29-30, “And everyone who has left [lost] houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”  Isn’t that the heart of the story of Job?  He lost nearly everything for the sake of God’s name yet through faithfulness it was restored many times over.

Why Job?  Because no matter what happens and no matter how little or much you understand, being faithful is the only way to live!  It is not the swift who receive the prize, but only those who remain faithful to the end.  “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!'”  (Matthew 25:21)

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What’s Inside?

I’ve been working at cleaning and organizing the maintenance shop at camp with the help of my family — well, MJ has been  helping and Susan has patiently watched movies while we worked. 🙂  As we have pulled boxes, containers, and items off shelves and out of corners one question keeps coming up, “What’s inside?”! 

If you’ve ever sorted through years worth of things others have accumulated, you probably already know the secret to finding the answer to that age-old cleaning question, “What’s inside?” — you  have to look, open, or empty the container and see what comes out!  You quickly learn that the writing or label can say whatever it wants– that may, or may not, have anything to do with the actual contents.

That is kind of like life and people, isn’t it?  We can dress up the outside and label ourself, and others, but at some point what  is really inside comes out and is revealed.  Jesus puts it this way, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”  (Luke 6:45) 

Carl Evans shared a sermon tonight at Deer Run that challenged each of us to allow God’s Word and Spirit to check us for heart trouble.  So, how do we do that?  How do we check the condition of our spiritual heart and what do we do about what we find?  Well, I have good news and even better news. 🙂

The good news is that this heart check-up is not difficult — it could be painful to see and acknowledge, but definitely not difficult.  God says that if you want to know the condition of your heart then you should carefully observe just what it is you say and do.  In Galatians, Paul writes that the actions of our sinful desires are obvious.  He goes on to list many actions and activities that we would often put in different categories of very bad, bad, not so bad, and somewhat tolerable.  Paul, however, says all of them are symptoms of a heart that is in trouble — so much trouble that God says if we choose to continue to live in these actions we will not have a place in His kingdom.

The even better news is that there is a cure to whatever heart trouble our spiritual check-up may reveal! 🙂  Paul follows up the list of actions that come from a bad heart with a list of characteristics that flow from a good heart — a Spirit-filled heart.  In Ezekiel 11, God tells his people that he will call them back to himself and they will put away the actions that were in disobedience and rebellion toward him and he will put within them a new spirit — he will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.  The cure for our heart trouble is to repent from the deeds of sin and rebellion and live by the Spirit.

To fully recover from the heart transplant, Carl pointed out tonight some instructions that are commonly given when a person faces a physical heart trouble.  To follow-up on our spiritual heart change, we need to change our diet and get appropriate exercise.  🙂  We must live, and feast, on a steady diet of God’s Word.  As we allow God’s Word to fill and satisfy us, we must get appropriate exercise by actually doing what it says.

I pray that your container, your jar of clay, really does contain what the exterior says is inside.  I pray that you spend time with God listening intently to what comes out of you that would reveal how accurate the label Christian is in your life.  I pray that you  are living with a changed heart and that you are maintaining that renewed heart with a healthy diet and plenty of regular exercise! 🙂