3 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
Genesis 37:12-39:23
Matthew 12:22-42
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Matthew 12:33-37 (CSB): “Either make the tree good and its fruit will be good, or make the tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
If you are serious about pursuing holiness (and you should be if you are a Christian!), then you realize that it’s not always easy. We think we are making great strides, and then we are back on our knees, offering up a heartfelt prayer of repentance again.
I’m not sure about you, but my mouth typically gets me into trouble more than anything else. I’ve had plenty of instances where I was enjoying talking with Jesus in prayer as I drove, only to cut my prayer short because someone cut me off, and I called them an “idiot” from the privacy of my car as I hit my brakes.
I would like to think in moments like that that what comes out of my mouth is not really me. I want to think that I’m much closer to Jesus than my words indicate.
One of my former pastors used to talk about what he called “the theology of the tube of toothpaste.” He said that we are just like a tube of toothpaste in that what’s inside comes out when we are squeezed.
And that’s what Jesus is saying in the verses I have chosen for today. When we hear what comes out of our mouths and consider how we say those things, we realize that we are farther from holiness than we suspected.
So, what can be done?
Half of a problem is solved when you can identify what’s wrong. So, even though you may despise the periodic things that come from your mouth, you can also see those words as an opportunity to assess the true condition of your heart. If you say angry things, then your heart is struggling with anger. If you say hurtful things, or condescending things, or any number of other possibilities, you can make some logical conclusions about the unhealthy condition of your heart.
With that knowledge, spend much time in prayer, asking the Lord to help you cultivate a much healthier, godly heart. Then get to work discovering how to respond and what steps to take to fix your heart.
So, the next time you say something that isn’t Christlike, offer an apology to whoever heard what you said. Then, get to work identifying the heart problem and working to fix it.
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that even though the sinful heart problems I have might seem difficult to identify, I can listen to what comes from my mouth to get a diagnosis. Help me, Lord, as I pay much more attention to what I say so that I can rest in Your provision and do my part to eradicate sin and make good in my pursuit of holiness.
Going Deeper
In today’s Bible reading, we noticed in Matthew 12:31-32 that there was a sin that would not be forgiven on earth or in eternity. If you want to go deeper, check out this article by Got Questions: “What is the unpardonable sin / unforgivable sin?”
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com).
Matt’s Musings 