Focus Verses: Matthew 15:18-20 “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man unclean.”
We are faced every day with choices in life. Sometime we make good choices and sometime we make bad choices. Our choices come out of our heart. If you have a clean heart, you will likely make good choices according to God’s Word. Our focus verses give us a list of things that make up a dirty heart. When I say "heart", I don’t mean the organ in your chest that pumps blood. I’m talking about the inside part of you that drives your words and deeds. Here on earth we will struggle with making right decisions until we see Jesus face-to-face in heaven. However making good decisions is possible with an intimate relationship with Christ. Psalm 25:21 says, “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Intimacy with God leads to integrity which allows God to create a clean heart in me.
Some people think they can have a divided heart both good and bad. But this can’t happen. If you have an avocado that is rotten and bad, and you put it into a basket of good ones, will it then become good? No! 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for bad company corrupts good character.” We are to live a life of self-control and be alert because we have an enemy, the devil. 1 Peter 5:8-9 describes him this way. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” It’s not always easy to make right choices in this day and time but it is possible with God. The Bible says we are to clothe ourselves with humility. 1 Peter 5:5-6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” Keeping a clean heart is a battle we all face. “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22. As Christ followers, maintaining a relationship with God can help maintain a clean heart... and that is something we must do.
May our prayer be, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10
Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
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