“Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart…” ~ Matthew 15:18a
This is one of the New Testament verses which the last verse of Psalm 19 “split” to expose new and hidden depths for me. Yesterday’s “clear stone” (Psalm 19:14) is placed forever in my collection of diamond-hard stones that “cut right through.”
We cannot
speak or
pray creatively unless the very
thoughts of our hearts are clear with the clarity of Christ Himself. We may write and speak and pray aloud and do good works. We may even lead someone to Christ now and then, but
all the words of our mouths cannot be acceptable to God
until all the dark corners of our thoughts are thrown open to His cleansing Presence.
One verse cleaves another… and I know yesterday’s “clear stone” is a true
clear stone because Jesus Himself declared “… for those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth
from the heart …” And He added that it is they which defile a man. “Let … the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight…” More, much more than what we
do, it is what we think that defiles us. This in turn lights up another New Testament verse: “… Come out … and be ye separate …” I cannot live a separated life
unless my every thought is in accord with what I see inside the Heart that broke on Calvary! Only then am I living a life separated from all that is against God.
God is Love. And if I cling to my right even to think unkind thoughts, I
am separated from God on that point. Jesus Christ declares that all sin begins in the thought life! “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man …”
“Search me, O God … and see if there be any wicked way in me…”
We cannot speak or pray creatively unless the very thoughts of our hearts are clear with the clarity of Christ Himself. We may write and speak and pray aloud and do good works. We may even lead someone to Christ now and then, but all the words of our mouths cannot be acceptable to God until all the dark corners of our thoughts are thrown open to His cleansing Presence.
One verse cleaves another… and I know yesterday’s “clear stone” is a true clear stone because Jesus Himself declared “… for those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart …” And He added that it is they which defile a man. “Let … the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight…” More, much more than what we do, it is what we think that defiles us. This in turn lights up another New Testament verse: “… Come out … and be ye separate …” I cannot live a separated life unless my every thought is in accord with what I see inside the Heart that broke on Calvary! Only then am I living a life separated from all that is against God.
God is Love. And if I cling to my right even to think unkind thoughts, I am separated from God on that point. Jesus Christ declares that all sin begins in the thought life! “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man …”
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