Party

It is a party when life is changed from the inside out! Most of us attempt to change from the outside in and this is no party. We all have tried to change our behaviors without really changing what we believe on the inside. When we make this attempt at change, we will always find ourselves going back to the same old way of doing things because we really have not changed our beliefs. If we truly believe that we will "always be fat," for example, or that "God could never love me unless..." we will try hard, but find ourselves right back to overeating or doing the behavior that keeps us out of connection with God. It is not until we truly change our beliefs that our behaviors will begin to change. Jesus calls us to this kind of life!

Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. "What is he doing eating and drinking with crooks and 'sinners'?"
Jesus heard about it and spoke up, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting outsiders, not insiders—an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out."
They asked him, "John's disciples are well-known for keeping fasts and saying prayers. Also the Pharisees. But you seem to spend most of your time at parties. Why?"
Jesus said, "When you're celebrating a wedding, you don't skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your belt, but this isn't the time. As long as the bride and groom are with you, you have a good time. When the groom is gone, the fasting can begin. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom Come!
"No one cuts up a fine silk scarf to patch old work clothes; you want fabrics that match. And you don't put wine in old, cracked bottles; you get strong, clean bottles for your fresh vintage wine. And no one who has ever tasted fine aged wine prefers unaged wine." Luke 5:29-39

We all want a new life that we can find fun, joy, and parties. We will never do this if we continue to stick with all of old beliefs about ourselves, God, and others. The kingdom is come and it is in your heart if you call yourself a Christ follower. Match your thoughts to the reality of this. You are someone God loves. You are someone who will make a life of peace. You are someone who looks for the beautiful things and sees love everywhere. Think this way and see if your actions do not follow. See if you love more, listen more, have more fun, find more peace, and people notice. Change the container God is living in and see if what comes out is not God!

Namaste'