PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 15:12-20
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” (Matthew 15:12)
When Jesus speaks to our hearts, He knows we may not like what we hear.
He’s not interested in our religion, He wants to deal with real issues within.
“Murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” (15:19)
These are the kinds of things He is concerned about, and wants us to be concerned too.
He does not want us to feel condemned, but He does want us to feel convicted.
How many people go to church, and are very religious, and yet still live immoral lives?
We murder with our words, we break our marriage vows with our eyes.
We participate in pornography, we cheat on our tax forms.
We twist the truth to make ourselves look better, or to make others look bad.
This is the kind of stuff that Jesus wants to address, not orders of worship or traditions.
He wants to set us free, and not burden us with religious duties.
How much church time is spent on secondary, unimportant stuff, while we neglect God’s stuff.
I wonder what we would hear from Jesus if He bluntly named our sins and issues.
I wonder, would I be offended, or convicted?
PRAYER
Lord, I may not like it, but I need to hear it. Convict me with bluntness, and may I accept Your honesty with the love and grace it definitely comes with.
I may be ‘offended’ or saddened by someone’s remark or criticism. It is good to reflect on why I am when I am. Is it my pride – my own sense of worth – or is there truth – am I a hypocrite – living to ‘show’? I need to be genuine and living the truth – in all humility and honesty – my words and actions reflecting the basis of truth that your HS works within me. Lord Jesus continue to shape my heart to know yours -to truly be a person after your heart.
Lord Jesus, may the thoughts I think and the words I speak come from a heart of love and be pleasing to You.