It 's A Heart Issue

I am listening to a program I have on a CD called “Highlights from the Messiah.” You may recognize it better as the Christmas Messiah! It was written by Handel earlier in time than I remember. It is being sung in part in Italian. Whether it is sung in French or English the music is the same. It is a “classic “to say the least! It is a classic because it celebrates the gift of God who gives, his Son, Jesus, who is “our Lord, Savior, loving big Brother, our defense lawyer in judgment, the head of the church, which he gave His body physically for! It celebrates that Jesus over comes death and death is no longer a problem! It celebrates the gift of Jesus for mankind!
We celebrate that gift of Jesus in many ways! We first celebrate that gift by coming to Jesus and being Baptized into the blood shed by Jesus on the cross! We celebrate it as part of his church or kingdom in communion on the 1st day of the week! WE celebrate everyday as we try to live a Christian life in every action, word etc… Being a Christian and part of His church calls us to celebrate everyday that Jesus is Lord! Jim and his ministry of “Lifeline of Hope is celebrating everyday by caring for children. Others are in other ministries that are celebrating everyday that gift of God, Jesus our Savior! In being an honest business man or woman, in being an honest and good employee, not lying, not stealing, not being drunk with alcohol, not causing damage to some one or some ones property, not being a slander or gossip, being a servant to people …

IF

The heart is right? If you are good businessman because you don’t want to go to jail or a good employee so you will not get fired then you may be missing God’s point! It takes dedicated effort that comes from the heart to be celebrating “the gift”, the gift of Jesus! Do I think you have to consciously be thinking about Jesus while you are doing what you are doing for the gift of Jesus? No! In fact I hope that after doing good for a number of years because of Jesus that it does in fact become “”second or first nature”. I hope that in your heart it is so engrained in you that you are indeed living every part of your life for Jesus. But, every so often it is a good thing to do to look honestly at your heart! See what is still motivating you! Looking a fresh at your heart will also give you a spiritual energy boast for difficult or tiring times that we all go through. Looking at your heart also gives you a rest from your labor for Jesus!

DON’T FORGET

It is a heart issue, it is a heart measure! Since only you and God know your heart, how do you measure up? Dave

Groupies

Groupies, has and always had an unpleasant sound to me. I never wanted to be a “groupie” for anyone or anything. I was watching a show that had a singing group that I think is a joke and woke up this morning with this “groupie thing on my mind. I have to admit my thoughts that all of us are groupies for something or someone, because that is the way God made us! “Oh, come on Dave, surely you don’t think that? Yes I do, let give you an example”.

I will name some groupies, Seattle Mariners fans, Dallas Cowboy fans, Brewster, Bridgeport and Pateros school & school athletic supporters, Kansas basketball fans, Bass fisherman and fisherwomen, Pilots of any flavor, Fruit canning folks, Starbucks coffee drinkers (don’t you just love the new McDonald advertisements), People who work for the Federal government, people who are teachers, Tennis players, people who play baseball, people who have children in Marylou’s pre-school, people who grow fruit, rodeo clowns and stock people, people who owned farms and ranches, well did I get everyone?

You might have guessed my point that all of us are in groups and need to be part of a group. I always wanted to be an individual (must be the time I grew up in) and many in my generation thought we were and could be just individuals. Well we are certainly individuals, but we are also people who need a group! Still not convinced, take my little test; How many of you like steak, chicken, Coke, Pepsi, ice cream, fruit, pancakes, bacon, etc…? Well for all these foods there are people who like them also and like them the best. Which group are you in?

A couple of weeks ago 5000, people gathered in the evening as a group and in six weeks another 800 to 1000, folks will gather as a group in Portland. The group I am talking about is the part of The Church. The group I am referring to is the Pepperdine Lectureship in LA and the Renewal Workshop in Portland. They who attend are a group because The Church is a group worldwide. A group who follows just Jesus! It is interesting that the smallest group that God created is called The Family! Which by the way is a name that The Bible calls The Church!

No one makes their way alone in this world; we all need a group to help us get through this world. You can be an individual, who likes, pink, blue, fish, cars, sports, sewing or whatever, but you can’t get through life without being in and receiving help from a group! We are just not made that way. The good news is you can choose which groups you will be part of. You can choose to be part of a group that God created or man’s has created. The question is which group will be first on your list? Dave