It's What's on the Inside That Counts

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Matthew 23: 25-28

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The bible tells us that even if we sin in our minds, we have broken the law. That has been the hardest part of my life in Christ to deal with. We have all had times in our lives when we have thought un-pure thoughts, times when we say things like 'I wish he where dead' or times when we just didn't care what God thought about us. It's natural to think like this, isn't it? Only in our human nature. But God's plan for our lives begin from inside.

Several years ago, when I started my relationship with Christ, I listened to a song that talked about how people live their Christianity on the outside by acting churchy, wearing the christian t-shirts and displaying the bumper stickers that say things like 'I Love Jesus'. But what God really wants is what's inside. We pray for salvation and we ask God into our hearts, we don't ask God to hangout and clean our exterior. I think one of the biggest faults in the modern church is that we tend to look at what is on the outside and not the heart. Here is the kicker. The outside can easily mask what you are really like inside.

The bottom line is this, we can clean up the outside, but if we don't allow Christ to change the inside, what are we really doing? Are we living a good enough life to get to heaven or are we just trying to fool those around us? Don't get me wrong, living out your faith in front of people is not a bad thing at all, but we must make sure that we are right with Him first. You see when James says "Faith without deeds is dead", he is saying that if we truly have faith in Jesus and we allow him to be Lord over our lives, then the deeds will follow.

Here is the challenge for us straight from the apostle Paul, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test." (2 Corinthians 13:5-6, NIV) Take a good look at your life and ask yourselves, am I putting on an act or am I really living for Christ?

Take a Look Around You

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what was made, so that men are without excuse.

Romans 1:20 NIV

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Friday was my day. The one day a week I was responsible for posting on this blog. I let the world step in and stop me from doing it anymore. Let me explain. I used to get really excited about writing blogs, thinking that my students would go on the blog every Friday and read what God had put on my heart and maybe, just maybe, even get something useful out of it. On Wednesday nights I would ask the students if anyone read the blog this week. Dead silence and blank stares would follow my question. It was kind of discouraging. I allowed that discouragement coupled with laziness to say to myself it's not worth it.

Over the past several months I have been doing some self evaluation of my life and ministry. I turned 40 last week and instead of going through a typical mid-life crisis, I have decided to reinvent myself. When I was writing the blog I would spend time on Friday mornings with the radio off in the car and I would drive to work in complete silence waiting for God to put something on my heart to talk about. When I would get to work, I would pull out my Bible and read. I used this blog as a journal for reading God's word and then reflecting on what I read. When I stopped I realized that Fridays had become more about me than God. I found myself thinking about the weekend and what I was going to do. The radio doesn't get turned down and the Bible doesn't get read. Now I can look back and realize that the blog was never about the students, it was about keeping me accountable for being in God's word. Don't get me wrong I would love for everyone to read and get something out of this, but if they don't, then that's OK. I'm writing for God, not me.

I recently went on vacation with my family to Myrtle Beach and every morning I would walk down to the beach and spend time just looking out over the ocean and thanking God for who he is and what he has given me. I would say good morning to my brother as I walked past the sand dunes where some of his ashes were spread and then I would just stare at the ocean. I would stand in awe of its beauty and power as the waves would crash on shore. Then it dawned on me that I am just like the sand that I was standing on, just a tiny piece of God's creation.

While at the beach I decided to go to the bookstore and find a book to read. I came across a book by Francis Chan called "Crazy Love". I started reading the back cover and it said exactly what I needed to hear. That even though I felt like a tiny part of his creation God's love for me was greater than anything imaginable. Needless to say I bought the book and started reading it. Chapter one was entitled "Stop Praying" wait, what? That doesn't sound like something a pastor would say. He talks about taking time to stop talking at God and step back and just take in his creation and realize how big his love is for you. We can't understand how to love until we grasp the meaning of his love. I recommend this book to everyone and I challenge anyone who is reading this to take some time this weekend to stop and just take it all in. Go somewhere secluded and take in God's creation and wait for him to talk to you.