Matthew 5:8 What in the world....

"You're blessed when you get your inside world -your mind and heart- put right. Then you can see God in the outside world."
Matthew 5:8

Have you ever noticed how many cords we use on a regular basis. I wireless and cordless world... I find that I have way too many wires and cords ruling my life.

Take my phone for example. My wireless cell phone requires a power cord that I can plug into the wall, a power cord that I can plug into my car lighter, and a computer cord. All of these cords are important and bring life to my phone. With out these cords I would not be able to text, tweet, check my email, update my status... oh ya and make a phone call. And that is just my cell phone.

My digital camera is a different story. For my digital camera I have a battery charger and a cord to plug my camera into my computer.

My laptop computer.. also has lots of cords. I can plug in all sorts of stuff into my wireless computer. I have to plug my computer into an outlet to get power. I have to plug my printer into my computer to print.

Cords equal power.

Cords make the insides work.

With out a battery - my computer, phone, camera, tv remote, toothbrush... all useless.

The batteries are the brains.

That is why this scripture is so important.

We need to make sure we are plugged in-empowered-energized in our hearts and heads. Our insides need to be right in order to appreciate what is happening on the outside.

I had an amazing dinner with a bunch of 9th grade girls last night. We just sat around and caught up. I haven't seen many of these girls consistently since school started. Between school and other activities.. these girls are worn out..stressed out...and completely out of energy. And I know that they are not alone.

When we are worn out, stressed out, and out of energy... our hearts and minds are emptied... just like the life of a battery. When our minds and hearts are empty - we are not able to experience God to the fullest.

God is love and when we are love-empty, we are not able to share God's love.

Scripture tells us:

Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (New International Version)
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

and

Luke 10:27 (New International Version)
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

These two scriptures have two very distinct actions for us to take:
1. inside world focus - bind His words on our hearts and minds, love the Lord with all that we are (heart, soul, strength).
2. Outside world focus - teach His words to others in everything you do, and love everybody.

Outside focus cannot happen without the Inside focus being right.

You can't teach or love if you don't know what your teaching or what this love is all about.

I try so hard to live in the outside world. I want to see God working through others and working around me... but I can't see those things or experience those opportunities without first being right with God.

I can't be completely heart and mind focused because then I will lose out on the opportunity that God has for me to be others focused.

God desires for us to live in the inside world and the outside world. That means that there needs to be a point of transition. A time where we figure out what world we are living in and what it would take for us to transition to where God is calling us to be.

God may be calling for you to take a little mind and heart inventory and make things right. OR God might be calling you to get out of your inside world and check out how He is working in the outside world with others.

Just like our phones, computers, and cameras we are called to be used to our full capacity... but all of us are called to re-charge and make things right.

What good is a fully charged cell phone if its just going to sit there? What good is a camera that has dead battery?

What world are you living in?

Is God calling you to charge up and make things right... or is God kicking you out of your inside world so you can be blessed with the outside world of blessings he has placed before you?