Heart Surgery

Its been awhile since my last entry. For a moment, I believed I exhausted all of the major topics for the Christian single life. Then I heard a program on the radio about living the lie of the Christian life style for whatever the purpose and I thought of you...the readers of this blog. Not that it describes you, only information so you will know what to keep watch for. Which of us are perpetrating to get what we can from the other? Do you know? Would you recognize the traits in yourself?

The heart of a true believer is easy to see if you are really interested. I was sitting in a restaurant with my son who just finished his boot camp training. In those short 6 weeks, he could tell from his surroundings, who was in the military and who was a civilian. He even got up and spoke to one of them having never met him before. My father being in the military, never told us that it was an automatic training that one could spot at a glance. In the bible, when Jesus was being convicted for absolutely nothing, the people looked around to catch all that were around Jesus for any length of time. They accused Peter because he dressed and spoke like Jesus. Peter cursed so the people would think otherwise. It must have been the worst day in Peter's life (Matthew 26: 69-75 AMP). Point being, in both instances, it was easy to detect a person trained in the military as well as someone who is committed to the faith in Christ.

It is written, a tree is known by the fruit it bears (Luke 6:44 AMP). It's just that simple. Do you or the person you consider a friend, the potential for a business partner, or a spouse has the fruit you would like to partake of? The fruit of the Holy Spirit is clearly listed. It takes time for the process of developing such fruit and sowing seed for this to be a continuum. Yes, sowing seed is necessary for God to receive the harvest we have heard preached for all of those Sunday sermons. I hope you know you are a part of that process. If not...grow up already!!!

It's funny when you think of all that we have asked God for ourselves yet if we asked Him what He

sees when He looks at us, many of us would not want to hear the answer. I often think of when God asked Adam after he sinned, where he was. It is the same question that answers itself, when the coming of Christ is over and those left wonder why when he/she considered themselves as born again believers too. Would God recognize who you are? Will He see you in that day? Will the bridegroom come and we are still not prepared (Matthew 25: 1-13 AMP)? Examining yourself consists of all of the tests we go through with God. We learn something new, whether in service or daily living, and we are expected to use that new thing and not resort back to that which has been declared old and passed away. Every single time we use the "old thing" we take steps back to the grave. What do I mean? In using the "old thing" is using the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP). It has its own reward which absolutely has nothing to do with life. How exasperating for Jesus must it be to look at the state of the church using the same "old thing" and justifying it with stupid cliché's that have been reiterated over the years with no Word to back it. He saw these days when He took the stick and started writing in the sand. I get annoyed just thinking about it knowing I still have matters to clean up too.

So you wanna get married and think you have been waiting way too long; even to the point of saying to yourself, "I am at such and such age and being single all of this time makes no sense." Well, it sure doesn't (James 1:4 KJV). Think for a moment what Jesus must be feeling like having waited all of this time for His bride. He, up there with God looking at His bride getting ready for His return; only, just when she is almost complete with all of the body parts in the right places so she doesn't look disabled, a test comes. Not a new test, something that has been tried over and over again. Only there was this pastor, minister, evangelist type that thinks if he/she had to get it on his/her own, why should they do any favors for anyone else that wasn't birthed from them. Yeah, and the disabled body goes through all sorts of crap all over again. All it takes is one person to mess everything up or make things right. Don't believe me? Remember Adam? How about Joseph? Esther had a huge role. Oh, and then there is Jesus (course, no one else can do what He did, but in our own lives - we can!). Yup, just one person. Seriously.

There are those who are still in the stages of maturation believing that he/she cannot keep one's self disciplined. So marriage is your answer. According to the Word - you are not sinning if this is what you need to do. But, and I mean take that "but" seriously, you WILL have trouble (1 Corinthians 7:28 AMP). It is written...trouble! Who goes into something knowing there is going to be a long hard stretch of torture along the way? Is that why the marriage rate is down in the church? Do you really think you are saving yourselves by playing house without a commitment? If you didn't know, God sees you. You cannot be one way in front of the congregation and someone else behind closed doors. Your sin will find you. It is why preacher's kids have their own label (PK's - a completely separate entry). Paul writes that he hopes those who believe will continue to do so in his absence...and as they do, do so with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12 KJV). Why would he write that? I think he was allowing for those to rely on God instead of watching to see if this man would do what he taught. It is up to you to be the mature man/woman to walk this life out. You cannot rely on the past nor on anyone else but God.

When you date, he/she must be the mirror image in what you have discovered or desire for yourself. If you decided not to discipline yourself for the one God created just for you, then you get what you get. Stop expecting perfection when you are far from it! If you are raising the bar to have the best of this and that, make sure you can meet that bar. She will be of no help to you if she doesn't understand the principles of Christianity. He will be a thorn in your side if all he can do is spew the kind of words that makes your flesh tingle. You need for your heart to be in the right place for God to see you in the body. If your heart is not right, He will ask the same question He asked Adam: where are you?