Hi Joynetters, Most of you might be knowing about "A Word with you" service of Ron Hutchcraft. The messages are beautiful and inspiring. Those who are interested may subscribe by sending a blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] I am copying a message below. Do pray for me, Saju, Bangalore A WORD WITH YOU By Ron Hutchcraft #3811 - "Right Words, Wrong Heart" Mark 7:6 Listen with RealAudio! http://www.gospelcom.net/rhm/sounds/awwy/awwy3811.ram Today he's a respected Christian professional in our community. But legend has it that he had a strong streak of mischief in him when he was a boy - and maybe even now. An older friend from their church told me that when this man was four, his pastor came up to him at a football game and sat down next to him. And the pastor said, "Well, Mark, what have you been doing with yourself lately?" To which Mark replied with a smile, "Would you believe - praying?" To which his pastor replied, "No, Mark, I wouldn't believe it." Smart pastor. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Right Words, Wrong Heart." It doesn't take long to learn the right church answers, does it? I mean even a four-year-old boy can do it! And many of us who've been around a lot longer as well. The danger is that you can really fool yourself spiritually, just because you know all the right words, and go to all the right meetings, and do all the right things. Tragically, a full Christian vocabulary can mask a dangerously empty heart. Jesus talked about that in our word for today from the Word of God in Mark 7:6. He said of some deeply religious people, "These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me." And you can be sure that getting into Heaven will be based on what's in your heart, not on your lips. Your eternal rewards from Jesus will be based on what's in your heart, not your lips, too. Remember, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (I Samuel 16:7) Recently, we called some Native American Christian friends of ours - whose daughter has been struggling with some serious moral and life issues. The daughter was willing to talk with my wife - but only, in her mother's words, "after she puts her coat on." Now, that expression was new to us. Our friend explained that Indians use that expression sometimes to describe saying what non-Indians want to hear - in other words, saying what you think the other person wants to hear. Well a lot of church folks "put their coat on" regularly when they're in a Christian setting. After all, you can pretty much learn the vocabulary of Christianity in about a month - and that will be enough to get you through with most Christians for the rest of your life. But it's not enough to get you through with God. It's wise to stand back every once in a while and ask, "How much of my Christianity is really about Christ - and how much is a mask, a role I'm playing, human expectations I'm trying to fulfill?" If there's been more than one you - the Christian you and then those other guys - maybe you're tired of playing charades spiritually ... you're tired of the performance ... you're tired of the mask. It's time to say, "Jesus, I've been saying all the right words, but You know how hollow it all is really - and now so do I. I just want to love and know You for real - I want this to be all about a Christ relationship, not the Christian religion." And if you've never really given yourself to Jesus, let this be the day you move from playing a role to the reality of knowing this awesome Savior. If you're ready to begin this relationship for real, I'd love to send you the booklet, "Yours for Life," that I wrote about it. Just let me know you want it. Your words will get you by as far as Christians are concerned. But only what's in your heart will get you by with Christ. The words that really matter aren't the ones you say to men about Jesus ... they're the ones you say to Jesus about being really His. ********************************************************************** This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. To unsubscribe, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For automatic help, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In case of any issue related to the mailing list contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] To know more about Jesus Youth, visit http://www.jesusyouth.org **********************************************************************
