K.I.S.S.

i'm not talking about the band. this is a term used by randy, on more occasions than i can recall. if you hang around him much, you will get his version, "keep it simple stupid"
this is my version: (the acronym is the same)

as christians, we tend to complicate things. we have rules that we have to follow if we are to fit in. we worry so much about what we should do, and how we should act, but by doing that, we so quickly turn 90 degrees away from the life that God has called us to. i recently found out that my favorite verse was also my friends favorite. it, coupled with the first commandment, is what helps us to keep it simple...

Romans 5:3-5 "we rejoice in our sufferings because suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, charter produces hope and hope does not disappoint us , because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

the first commandment: love your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor like yourself...

if you truly understand these two concepts, if you love your God, and you neighbor as yourself, you will not commit the rest of the sins... theft, adultery, slander...
if you understand that by suffering you will become the person that God has created for you to be, then you will understand the heart of God.

will we ever be like Christ? i sure as heck won't. i can try. i can pray for the heart of Christ, but i will never BE Christ. will i love my God? with my whole heart. will i love my neighbor? i have to admit, it is easier to love the ones who love me. but will i try to love those that oppose me? only when i have the character that comes after the struggle. i struggle with coveting what is not mine. yep, that's one of the commandments. but i pray that God gives me the strength to LOVE. that's the whole focus of this sermon right. love my neighbor, do not want what is theirs, but be happy with what God gave me. LOVE my neighbor... LOVE MY NEIGHBOR. i struggle with that, but i will persevere, i will gain the character and hope that is poured out into my heart by the Holy Spirit that is in me...