Profound

Tonight at church, we were asked to pray and ask God to help us to 'remove' the things in our hearts and minds that may keep us from being Christ-like. And after the few weeks I have had, whew! I may have been there a LONG time! Now, to clarify, God is going to love me whether I ask Him to show me or not. He loves me and I can choose to stay in the pit I am in, or I can choose to ask for His help to get out of it. I am choosing to get OUT!

God gave me a few scriptures. The first set was this: Luke 6:20-36. I am going to post the scripture in "The Message" translation because WHOA!!! However, feel free to look it up in whichever translation you prefer (i.e. King James, NIV, etc.)

You are blessed when you have lost it all.
God's kingdom is there for the finding.
You are blessed when you are ravenously hungry.
Then you are ready for the Messianic meal.
You are blessed when the tears flow freely.
Joy comes with the morning.

22-23"Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—skip like a lamb, if you like!—for even though they do not like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses having always been treated like this.
Give Away Your Life

24But it is trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you will ever get.

25And it is trouble ahead if you are satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long.

And its trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. There is suffering to be met, and you are going to meet it. (HELLO!)

26"There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests — look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular. (OUCH!)

27-30"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, gift-wrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

31-34"Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that is charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.

35-36"I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You will never — I promise — regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we are at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.

The second set was Matthew 7 ... yes the WHOLE thing. Again, it is in The Message translation:

A Simple Guide for Behavior

1-5 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, and criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It is easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It is this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. (Again, OUCH!)

6"Do not be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Do not reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you are only being cute and inviting sacrilege. ..

7-11"Do not bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you
need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we are in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you would not think of such a thing. You are at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love would be even better?

12"Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get.

Being and Doing

13-14"Do not look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Do not fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

15-20"Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Do not be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.

(This WHOLE next paragraph got me!)
21-23"Knowing the correct password — saying 'Master, Master,' for instance — is not going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience — doing what my Father wills. I can see it now — at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You do not impress me one bit. You're out of here.'

24-25"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

26-27"But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."

28-29When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying—quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard.

I know He was telling me several areas I need to shape up in. However, He also showed me grace in these passages to and answered some prayers at the same time! He is so awesome.
I just wanted to share this and I hope it blesses you as much as it blessed me. God is faithful and lovely, even when we are not. And more importantly, He does not expect us to 'clean ourselves up' before we come to Him. He wants to do that. He loves us JUST the way we are. But He loves us too much to leave us the way we are! God bless!