Had a CT Scan lately?

Today i go in for a full body CT Scan. I won't find out results today, but i believe i'll get a good report. This process of throughly checking things out is very good, but it got me thinking maybe we should have a periodic CT Scan of our hearts. I've been examined more & taken my clothes of in front of people & worn gowns more in the last month than in my life! :) (if you were wondering, i don't wear gowns, i don't even like robes!)

Every once in a while a situation exposes our heart. Someone challenges us on our attitude or how we're treating someone or we get a raise & increase our lifestyle but don't think about honoring God or helping others with a portion of it.

I was reading in Mark 12 this morning where Jesus tells the story of a vineyard owner who goes away & entrusts his tenants with his resources. Then he sends an employee to collect his ownings & they beat him & send him away. Then he sends others they beat & kill them. Finally he sends his own son whom he loves dearly & thinks they will respect him, the tenants say, he's the heir, if we kill him we get everything. Of course, the dad is enraged & kills them all. As a guy i love good action movie stories!:)

Jesus was telling a story about how God has sent many prophets over the years telling people how to live & asking for people to honor God with their actions, time & money - since he's the one who gave us life & everything we have. But people in the church have abused that gift & not listened. Finally God sent his only son, who was perfect, Jesus & the religious people killed him so they could live how they wanted & not have to be accountable to God.

What was going on in people's hearts? They wanted to get position & power. God always fights against us when we are selfish & we end up losing what we try to get. God wants us to realize all we have is a gift (our relationships, our money, our power, ...), He just wants us to manage those gifts with integrity and do what he asks - and when we serve him well by how we treat others & how we use our money & influence by furthering his Kingdom here on Earth he rewards us.

Are you using your life to serve others & further God's agenda or to further your personal Kingdom? Has God put someone in your life that is challenging you to use your life to make a difference for God rather than yourself? Maybe that's God's way of trying to Scan your heart to help you see that something is showing up that shouldn't be there (selfishness).

This probably won't be your favorite blog entry to read. :) But who likes going to the doctor & finding out something is wrong that we need to correct? In the end, we're glad we found out & are better off because it changes the way we live the rest of our lives.

Let God examine your heart through people who love you & you'll be able to remove selfishness, resentment, jealousy, materialism and all other kinds of diseases from your life. And he'll replace that with love, joy, hope, peace, kindness, self-control & you'll be better off for it & so will everyone else around you!

Make it a great day!
F