“After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. [If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”]
When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”
Good morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are so thankful that you’re here. If God has been using this ministry to impact your life, please write and let us know, we’d love to hear from you. We humbly ask that you would continue to pray for God will open the ears of the hearers as we continue to proclaim the Truth in love in the days ahead, as His Word continues to be maligned in our nation and around the world. Yet, Christ continues to build His Church as people from all over the world, even in the most persecuted regions are responding.
As we look at the wretched state of the world today, it is often difficult to imagine that God is still on His throne. Sin and corruption are running rampant in our society, as every man seeks to do what is right in his own eyes, without fear of the consequences. Accountability has gone by the wayside, as sinners blame everything and everyone for the evil acts they commit. Criminals are martyrs as good law abiding people are vilified, has become pervasive in a world that calls evil good, and good evil.
It’s unsettling that even those within the church, who publicly profess to know Christ, freely and openly engage in sin, as many pastors redefined the meaning of repentance, denying turning from sin required for salvation, cheapening God’s grace in direct conflict with what Scripture teaches. And we wonder why our society is plunging further and further into corruption, darkness and depravity. It doesn’t matter what you outwardly profess if you’re defiled on the inside. When it comes to man’s fallen nature, only God can transform the heart.
Let’s us pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, thank You for Your Word, that speaks to our hearts with such clarity. Thank You for reminding us that the problem is within us, because sin has so thoroughly corrupted the human heart, men are rebellious against You, turning aside from Your Word, pursuing his own destructive desires. Man’s heart is where the true corruption lie. Lord, we pray that You would open the hearts of sinners even today, help them to understand they are in a dangerous position and grant them true repentance, that they may come to Christ, crying out “Lord be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.” Place a heavy burden on Your pastors, that the Gospel would be preached, Christ would be exalted and You would be glorified in and through it all.
We ask and pray this in Christ’s name.
Amen
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