The Passionate Heart

One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”  Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ Mark 12: 28-30

This week we learn that our motto should be: keep the main thing the main thing but “what is the main thing?”  I can’t speak for you but I meet Christians daily that are working so hard to please to God.  And as a direct result they are EXHASTED. As if this work that He has invited us to be a part of will collapse without my involvement.  After all without my gifts, talents or education this particular ministry will fall apart.  I have placed myself in a treacherous place with very loose footing.  Some would even say, “You’re Building the ministry on the sand”.      

I was reminded of a story in the New Testament.

Luke 10:38-42

 38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with [a]all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

For those of us who relate to Martha be encouraged, Jesus is NOT Disgusted, Angry, Disappointed or even Distant.  He is NOT saying, ‘come and I will Ignore you’.  “Come to me all that are Thirsty” What great encouragement to share with our boys that ‘Jesus is THE thirst Quencher”.   And His thoughts towards us outnumber all the grains of sand in the world.  He Loves us.  

A passionate love affair with Christ Jesus is the Main thing.  

PREVIEW CHAPTER 6: THE WILLING HEART

Question: Do I have a Willing Heart?

Key Verse: For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.   Phil 2:13

The Overflowing Heart

I am so sorry; we missed most all of December with our team.  First we lost our copy of the book and then December took over.  Fortunately, we found our copy of the book and December is behind us. Let us press on.  By the way I’ve started reading excerpts of the book to my immediate support staff in my weekly leadership meeting.  They are very excited.   

THE OVERFLOWING HEART

John 7:37-

“Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out. Saying, ‘if any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  He who believes in me from his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water”.  

What happens when you run into a Christian who is “full of God”?  

What does a “full of God” person look like?  How would we really know if we banged into one of these critters?

Although I agree completely with the examples that Dave Busby sites as examples answering the questions above.   I thought I would let hear what was spoken around our dinner table the other night when we asked these questions to our boys.  

A little background is important here.  In our home there is freedom to laugh at what we call the “Sunday School Answer”.  So if these questions are asked in our home you need to be prepared to be laughed at if you sight the “Sunday School” answer which is or something similar too “Dad, you know you will look like Jesus”.   

So, the question’s were asked and after we distilled all the “Sunday School Answers” one of our son’s replied “so you would look like the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’”.  We had the opportunity to explain that just because you wear the title of “Pastor, or Missionary” does not make you a “Full of God” person.  In fact it’s common among Christians to polish the outside of the cup and just pretend that the inside is “full of God”.   

So the real question may be, how long has it been since you sat underneath the “fountain of living water” and let Him fill your cup? Are you trying to produce the “Fruits of the Spirit” on your own?  Be encouraged we are wired to be thirsty and the one who wired us this way He is also the One who can and does quench our Thirst. The bottom line is....rivers of living water will never flow out of us if they are not flowing into us. 

PREVIEW CHAPTER 5: The Passionate Heart

Key Verse
Mark 12: 28-30

One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”  Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 

Question:

What is the main thing?