Romans 2:25-29; Heart

How did we get so out of sync with the Biblical concept of the heart? Somehow we made serving God all about following a list of ideas. We have classes where we condemn the Jews in general and the Pharisees in particular; then we go out the door and do the same thing. We believe we can put together a list of proper behaviors that will make God happy with us. We don't believe that God really wants our heart.

In marriage we know this is a stupid idea. Even in business we give seminars to help improve the work environment via improved attitudes. Yet somehow we have a default drive in us that reduces a relationship with deity to a list of actions that we check off.

God told Solomon a long time ago that he looks at the heart and not the externals. Today my goal will be the same, i.e., to practice Godly vision by looking at the heart and not just the external appearance. I will try to be accepting of all who let their hearts be circumcised by God's spirit and sync my heart with God's.

Luke 22:27-40; The Next Age

Jesus sounds very out of sync with today's religious norm . . . of course, he was out of sync with theirs also. It is so against the norm today to believe that someone might not make it to heaven and live in the next age. We have a belief that if God is good then he gives everyone a free pass through the pearly gates. That impression did not come from listening to Jesus.

"But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age . . ." Jesus makes no qualms about the fact that there will be some form of judgment. Some will be considered worthy while others will not. We will all be held accountable to some form of evaluation at the end of this age.

Being out of sync with the religious beliefs around him did not seem to bother Jesus. He was not changed by popularity or a need to conform. It makes me question how many of my beliefs come from conformity to popular thought and how many come from listening directly to him?