Pastor's thoughts 1 11 2010

                             PASTOR JACK'S THOUGHTS    JANUARY 11, 2010

GOD'S GIFT OF 'HEART' RENEWAL
Last month, I talked about Christmas attitudes.  I would like for us to talk about the source of our good and bad attitudes , the heart.  The Bible has a lot to say about heart issues.  Jesus Himself mentioned several major sins that are connected to our minds and our hearts! These are sins that often are secret and known only to us and God.  Jesus gave a warning which we should always keep in mind in Matthew 15:10-11 and Proverbs 23:7, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."  In other words, we become like the thoughts that we think!  Jesus elaborates on this in the New Testament when He says that if I think about evil in my heart, I have actually already sinned in that way.  Powerful words!! Then in  I Samuel 16:7 the Bible says,  "For man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart."  He is constantly looking for those whose hearts are completely His. (Read II Chron. 16:9)

When was the last time that you had a spiritual "heart check-up?" Actually our spiritual heart is more important than our physical heart since the spiritual heart is eternal and the physical heart is only temporary!  Let me urge you this week to talk with God daily about the attitudes you have in your mind and heart. Give yourself a 'spiritual heart check up.'  Are your thoughts pure and pleasing to God?  Do you think more about what YOU want for your day or about what GOD wants?  It might be a good thing to sit down and ready Psalm 51 and let King David show you the attitudes of his heart so that you can ask God to adjust your own thoughts and attitudes.  May our prayer, this week, be "Create in me a new heart of God and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (v 7)  As our heart changes, so will our attitudes become more pleasing to God!

Praying for a pure heart,
Pastor Jack

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