Salvation is about the heart…

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17–20)

Jesus clarified what the prophets before Him kept saying to God’s people. It was not about outwardly keeping the rules — those would pass away — but it was about obedience from the heart. His first example explains:

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire." (Matthew 5:21–22)

Once when I was explaining sin and salvation to a small group in a junior church program, a four-year-old girl rolled her beautiful brown eyes and said, “But I’ve never murdered anyone.” 

The excuses of the Pharisees begins young! Being a child of God is not just about what I do not do, but about my heart. When Jesus spoke to these religious people of His day, He explained:

"But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (Matthew 15:18–20)

A man-made ritual of hand-washing was supposed to indicate spiritual purity, but the purity God calls for is not about rituals. Anyone can wash this way and claim they are pure, yet the Bible word used is about moral cleanliness without any cover up of real desires. Many leaders tell their congregations not to participate in communion (a ritual of remembering the sacrifice of Christ), if they are not believers or if they have unconfessed sin in their lives. God wants purity even in rituals! 

We sing, “So give us clean hands and give us pure hearts, let us not lift our souls to another,” because if we know Jesus, we know our heart and hands are inseparable. No excuses. No pretense.

Lord, the words of this song and Your words need to be more evident in my life. It is easy to cover sinful thoughts — or is it? Eventually they pollute my living. Clear my head and my heart. May I honor You with every part of who I am — for I belong to You.

 

God's Priority

You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. (Amos 3:2)

While I moan over the sin in the world, God is far more concerned about my sin, and the sin of others who are in a relationship with Him. As I read what Amos says to His people, I realize that He wants godliness in us that He can use us to do His will, to make a difference in this fallen world.

How He worked in the lives of those who disobeyed Him then is not very different from the way He works in the lives of His people today.

Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall surround the land and bring down your defenses from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered.” Thus says the Lord: “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed. (Amos 3:11–12)

In poetic form, God speaks through Amos to say my defenses and strongholds must come down. What are they? Things of my own strength. Isaiah defines sin as running my own life (Isaiah 53:6), turning to my own way. My own way may not seem sinful yet it cannot do the will of God without His input and His Spirit. How does He deal with it? By failures and trials.

I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name! (Amos 4:11–13)

Eventually, if I don’t listen and repent, my way begins to slide downhill from being a matter of inner motives to sinful actions. In Amos’ day it showed up that way and could do the same in me:

They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth. Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate. Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time. Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. . . . Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light, as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? . . . . Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:10–24)

God does not want ritual or the form of worship that is surface only. He wants me and all His people to love and obey Him from the heart, regardless of the cost. If I rely on my wits rather than His Spirit, or think my way will work just fine, I am in darkness and will wind up in trouble until I learn to say and do “not my will but thine be done.”

Jesus, Your instruction to Your people is still the same. Your priority is my holiness and the godliness of all those that You live in because of the marvel of Your salvation and redemption. If I live as You desire, then I am useful as a beacon to those who do not know You or anything about the grace that is freely available to them. This is true Christianity.

 
 

Cannot hide sin…

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.’ Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: You eat flesh with the blood and lift up your eyes to your idols and shed blood; shall you then possess the land? You rely on the sword, you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife; shall you then possess the land? Say this to them, Thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and whoever is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence. And I will make the land a desolation and a waste, and her proud might shall come to an end, and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that none will pass through. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations that they have committed. “As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses say to one another, each to his brother, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. When this comes—and come it will!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:23–33)

Our church is preaching a series on OT minor prophets. Last Sunday was Nahum and the pastor repeatedly stated that listening to the words of these prophets often make us uncomfortable. He showed also that the horrid sins they condemned were physical actions, yet Jesus later spoke of those same sins as being attitudes of the heart. In other words, if we just think adultery, or idolatry, or revenge, we are as guilty as those who act out their thoughts.
 I interact with one person who often frustrates me and I feel annoyed or even angry, but try not to express it. That sermon convicts me. So does this passage. However, my efforts require confession, not pretense. Hiding behind ‘being nice’ does not fool God.

Not only that, when unconfessed sin stirs me and I don’t deal with it, I cannot be filled with the Spirit — and therefore miss out on His input:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22–24)

I may not need to confess my anger to that other person as this person would not see it as my problem but apologize for it, but it is my sin, not hers. Making her feel guilty is not fair.

Lord Jesus, help me keep short accounts with You that my relationships with others are kept clear and without that selfish old nature always trying to have my way. Your will is always perfect and best for me and those around me.

Speak Truth

Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?” Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God. Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’ Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end. And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the Lord. Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it, the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord God. (Ezekiel 13:7–16)

This prophet has a way with words. The Holy Spirit reveals the picture Ezekiel paints concerning false teachers. First they say all is well when it isn’t. This tells me to face the reality of a very messy world but not sugarcoat it as if nothing bad is happening or will happen.

Also, if people build a wall to protect themselves and feel safe in whatever is threatening them, or build a wall to repair what has been destroyed, the false prophets will applaud their human efforts. This may not be a wrong action, but if done without the Lord’s direction or in the power of His Spirit, the storm that hits them will reveal that neither the wall or the whitewash will do what was intended.

In our day, to whitewash anything is about disguising it. If I make a mistake and invent an excuse to protect my ego or reputation, I am whitewashing it. Instead of being honest with others and with God, such pride promotes a false teaching. It is never right to lie by whitewashing truth.

Jesus, more and more I realize the power of truth. If spoken, people listen. Your Spirit often is also speaking, backing up what I say with His own way to telling people to listen. Keep me from whitewashing anything, even embellishing anything to make me look better than I am, or to make anything look more glorious than it really is. 

 
 

Changed lives…

I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. For he said, “Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.” And he became their Savior. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them. Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit, who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name, who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble. Like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name. (Isaiah 63:7–14)

As a new Christian many years ago, my mentor had me do a Bible study on sin. I don’t remember the details of that lengthy study, but realize the wisdom of this assignment. Instead of responding to conviction of sin with honest confession, it made me realize how often I made excuses for it. 

That happens, sometimes with deliberate deception in order to cover it, and sometimes with a sincere belief that whatever was done was okay. These days, I think of a non-Christian who takes great effort to do and say the right things. Another person is a Christian but takes the glory for all his skills to the point of bragging about them. As these things happen, I feel sadness. Both are stressed with their actions and attitude and yet cannot see (or admit) that they are doing the wrong thing by being insincere. 

My role? Pray. One is oblivious to her hypocrisy. The other is hearing rebuke but his pride holds tight to his own power to do good.

Jesus, it has taken me years to see how I’ve done both. My pride in myself has blocked my relationship with You. Once I could see and honestly deal wit it, what a difference. As I’ve told these two, being weak and unable is actually better than thinking I can do it all without You. In feeling and admitting, I rely on You and then discover more love and power than I’d never know otherwise. Your ways and Your will are always a joyful surprise. I’d love to see You in action in the lives of these two people. Right now, both seem oblivious, yet You are God who can reveal truth and change hearts. May they hear You and be transformed.

What do I see in the mirror?

 The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.” When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.’ ” Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. (Exodus 33:1–6)

This leads to some NT verses that are very controversial. Therefore, instead of getting into a topic that theologians cannot agree on, I’m taking a big picture look at this and how to apply it.

An ornament is something worn to make myself look good. It is usually small and useless, like earrings or rings, yet some ornaments are large and showy. Either way, they are about drawing attention to me. I’ve worn a cross-shaped necklace to remind me of Jesus, but most people think of it as mere jewelry. At times, so do I.

In this OT passage, the ornaments are literal, as they are in the following NT passages, but when I read them, I think of little or big things I might do to make myself look good, to put the focus on me. It isn’t usual visual like an ornament.

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. (1 Timothy 2:8–11)

That s-word can be a distraction as many think it suggests ‘doormat’ but in my mind it means being yielded to God, trusting Him with whatever He wants me to learn or do. As I visit with my female friends, many of us agree that we are far more easily led astray by news, gossip, and all sorts of false information Eve was the gullible one in Eden. She didn’t listen to God.

Behind that tendency to listen to false appeals can be a desire to look good, to wear an ornament that makes us more attractive, or so we think.

Not only that, I’ve learned after years of trying ornaments that being yielded to God has a practical purpose. He connects it to how women can affect a hubby that is not yielded to God:

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. (1 Peter 3:1–6)

A large part of beauty is not about externals and certainly not about ornaments. I know more than one woman whose home and personal appearance is like photos in an expensive magazine, but they are mean-spirited and unpleasant. God’s priority is to drop the externals and focus on being like Jesus.

Lord, this gives me lots to think about. I dress so my colors work nicely together, but does my mouth or my thoughts match Your heart? What do I wear to impress others yet beneath it wear a stubborn, have-my-own-way attitude? Am I real and the same outside as inside, or is the impression I give others only costume jewelry? You would not let Your people wear ornaments because it was evidence of a serious problem of being stiff-necked — meaning stubborn, obstinate and pig-headed. I do not want to ever see that image in the mirror. Enable me to always behave so that Your image is reflected back to them, not just the outer one but also from the heart. 
 

Matching words and life with thoughts

In chatting with one of our sons, I shared the difficulty of selecting who to vote for in a coming civic election. If only I could know the heart of each candidate. 

This morning I’m thinking how important it is to know my own heart, to pay attention to what is important to me, and to make sure what I do and say comes from a pure heart. 

Jesus said much about the heart. Of His own, He described it: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) Of mine He says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) 

Speaking to many, a warning to those who reject Him He says:

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:34–37)

When I think about anything, it is apt to show up in words. I know that everyone is not like that. Some say what they think is ‘proper’ or will be accepted or of interest to others, but it may not match what is on the inside. I’ve done this too. Who has not been asked how they look and been told, “Just fine” when the speaker is thinking otherwise?

Jesus says that in the final judgment, people will be judged by their words, yet He also says words come from the heart. That does not exonerate those who speak one thing and think another. Judgment isn’t about ‘correct’ speech but about integrity. If words do not match the heart, that is just as dangerous as those who curse and swear all the time. Jesus also said: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." (Matthew 15:8)

He knows and I know too that “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person…” (Matthew 15:19–20) He gets specific with: “I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

On the positive side, the Word of God says to those wanting to be a person of integrity, there is peace of mind when our hearts focus on good things:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8–9)
The bottom line is even more desirable than that peace because Jesus also said: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

PRAY: In that last line, I’m thinking this is not only about a future vision of You when I cross over to my eternal home. (See 1 John 3:1-3) It seems to hold out a reality that the purer my heart and mind, the more You are in the realm of my inner vision. I cannot see You in a literal sense, yet the sense of Your presence is stronger and more vivid when my heart is not cluttered up with the things of this life, and certainly not with sinful and ‘stinkin’ thinking. Fill me with thoughts of You and give me words that honor You!
 

Wanting to share Christ?

 

The more I observe life and the activities of those who are Christian AND filled with the Holy Spirit, the more I’m convinced that the person who said “Share the gospel and sometimes use words” was on to something.

Consider this conversation between a Christian golfer and the person he was paired up with. That man said, “What’s your name?” introducing himself, the Christian said, “Phil Callaway,” and the man then asked, “Do you make the clubs?”

The Christian replied, “No, I pay people to do that” then quickly told him the truth. Then, when the conversation got past golf and the weather, it didn’t take long for the other man to  discover that Callaway was a Christian.

Then the other man said, “I’ve had awful experiences with Christians.” And Callaway responded with, “Really? Me, too.” He shared that this response opened the door for a lengthy discussion that had a positive and hopeful conclusion.

My husband tells of several golfers he’d never met or even talked to about his faith, but by the third or fourth hole, they apologized for taking the Lord’s name in vain.

The NT says: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” (Colossians 4:5) While this may include our words, it says “walk” not “talk” leaving me to think that if my life does not match the way God wants me to live, I’m wasting my time with words about trusting Jesus for forgiveness and a new life.

Not talking does not mean non-verbal stuff like the couple once spotted who wore jean jackets covered with “Jesus” buttons, literally covered. These two stood out, but not the way they thought. Callaway mentions pinning verses to our shirts or dropping Gospels of John on the fairway instead of taking every opportunity to live out our faith. 

Most of my examples are small. I once saw a small child in the foyer of a movie theatre holding a full cup of popcorn. Someone bumped her and her popcorn landed on the floor before she had taken one bite. She was crying. I didn’t know the child, but bought her a new popcorn. That was years ago, but Callaway’s story reminds me of it. I’m to let the Lord’s ‘first thought’ become action. It was not to rebuke the one who bumped her and then walk away with a “turn or burn’ scowl, but to show kindness to the upset child.

More recently, I took my purchases to a real person rather than use the noisy automatic checkout machines. I told her that I’d rather listen to her than a machine. She almost burst into tears and said, “That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me all week.”

Some might say that the child nor the clerk knew that such actions come from the love of God, but they forget that the Holy Spirit has the ability to convey to others where kindness or any other obedient behavior comes from. My friends at this week’s birthday party did not need to spell it out or even need to say “God bless you” to make visible the extraordinary difference Christ has made in their lives. One of them, a non-Christian, told me how much she is blessed to hang out with those women. She is being drawn to the wonder of God’s goodness by the openness and integrity of their lives.

PRAY: The word that comes to mind is integrity. Jesus, my life and my words need to match. No mask. No pretense. No attitude of ‘holier than thou’ or efforts to look like a Christian (whatever that means), but just being who I am… warts and all, and letting You use me as You will. When I sing ‘just as I am’ that is what the words convey from my side of things, and You are amazing in how You use integrity to convey Your love and Your truths to others.
 

Thankful for Jesus

A few weeks ago someone said “All the problems of the world would disappear if all people were simply thankful.” When I repeat this, most who listen stop and stare. One person said, “Instead of greedy.”

I see this in my own life. If I am grumpy about something, that quote makes me realize my bad attitude. I didn’t get what I wanted instead of being thankful for what I already have. An even deeper root is that I’m not trusting God as my supply. He knows my needs far better than I do.

Piper writes about integrity and about standing by our word, even if it hurts. This too is related to trusting God to supply all needs. Piper points to an OT story from 2 Chronicles 25:5–9.  It is about a king in Judah threatened by a pagan nation so he formed an army of his own men, then hired fighters from the Northern Kingdom of Israel. God was not happy and used a prophet to tell this leader, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel.… God will bring you down before the enemy”

It is not hard to imagine his reaction. He made a large commitment of cash to Israeli troops. Should he stand by it when he tells them they are not needed? Money down the tube. While being greedy is not the same as being financially wise, this king was likely not too thankful that God stopped him from using hired soldiers.

God’s answer was a challenge to this man’s faith: “The LORD has much more to give to you than this.” As Piper writes, God told the king to trust Him and keep his word. Stand by your commitment knowing that God would take care of him. Integrity is always rewarded.

When I promise something, I’m to follow through and like God, keep my promises, even if it costs me dearly. My prayer should never be, “Oh dear, I’ve blown it and now I will suffer if I don’t back out.” Instead, it should be: “Lord, I goofed. However, I will do whatever I promised and trust You to cover my losses.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. (Psalm 37:5)

This is about living by faith, particularly when getting in hot water because I made decisions that were not made in faith. It happens. I married an unsaved man. That was 54 years ago and we are still married and he is a strong man of faith. My life is filled with more examples of rashly deciding to do something without seeking God's will, and suffered for it, but God used all of it for good.

On the other hand, without faith it becomes easy to break promises. If a rash decision involves loss of money, or reputation, or anything else, that old sinful nature will strive to protect itself instead of trusting God to repair the damages or use them for good.

Thankfulness is a great antidote for all of it. When I think of all God has done, it is much easier to focus on holiness, faithfulness, fulfilling my own commitments, and trusting Him to be there for me, regardless of my goof-ups. Again, He tells me to commit my way to the Him in faith, and He will act to work things for His glory and my good. “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity” (Proverbs 2:7)

PRAY: Jesus, I speak of You as the solid rock on which I stand. You are that and more for which I am so thankful. You take care of me, even when I forget You. You never let me down, even when I seek my own will instead of Your will. You are amazing and You are not only my Rock, but also my anchor and my eternal Hope. Thank You.


 

Two kinds of comfort…

 

Consider this chain of events: The world is in a mess > It makes me feel awful > I want to be comfortable > I shut out what is going on > My world is a happier place. OR this one: The world is a mess > My heart is burdened > I realize I cannot fix it > I call out to God in prayer > He assures me that His will is done > I am at peace even though the mess does not go away.

God often comforts by removing the cause of my distress, or by giving me the ability to trust Him in the distress, but no real comfort comes if I try to get rid of it (which is beyond my power anyway) or ignore it, which can produce ulcers if nothing else.

How does God provide deeper water? It is not mysterious. In the power of the Holy Spirit, He reminds me of truth concerning Himself, a passage of Scripture, a verse from a hymn, a word from a Christian friend, a sermon, even the beauty of creation. In other words, He tells me about Himself and diverts my focus to His incredible goodness. Thinking truth about God comforts me.

Most marvelous is that God is honest, not two-faced. He is not like we humans can be with our mouth saying one thing and our mind thinking the opposite. This can show up even in my prayers so when distressed, I need to pray with integrity, not saying what sounds good but having my words match what I really think, like the psalmist who knew — God knows the heart:

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit! (Psalm 17:1)
And not deserving the rebuke God gave to those whose words did not match their deeds:
Have you not just now called to me, ‘My father, you are the friend of my youth— will he be angry forever, will he be indignant to the end?’ Behold, you have spoken, but you have done all the evil that you could.” (Jeremiah 3:4–5)

God is not fooled by pretense. Jacob duped his father into thinking he was Esau. Those tribes apostatized from the true religion went to seek the Lord and sacrifice yet God’s prophet said of them:

With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields. (Hosea 5:6–7)

As if God did not know their hearts. To do such things and continue to outwardly claim faith and obedience is saying my comfort is more important so if I flatter God with my words and outer actions, I’m okay. This is deceit and an unworthy concept of God. How can I satisfy the guilt of inward sins by external service, or by a loud voice with a false heart? God is far more interested in honesty and truth than any sacrifice with pretense or for outward appearance.

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)
(God)  stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, (Proverbs 2:7)

That said, God does not want me to say “I am fine” to impress others (or Him) when I am hurting or setting inside. This is not integrity. Yet if I am hurting but also experiencing that ‘deeper water’ that James 1:2-4 offers, then I can honestly say “I am fine” because God has given me the joy of the Holy Spirit in my trials. It all boils down to who or what I am listening to — truth from God or the ideas of the world, my flesh, or the devil.

PRAY: Jesus, I remember reading how the way a person handles stress will predict their health (When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress by Gabor Maté) and one of those ways is faking on the outside what is going on in the inside. Your Word speaks of this also. How vital to be honest about my inner life, whether it is rocky and uncomfortable, or rocky with enough deep water from You to glide over the rocks with joy. Your truths are blessing me and today I am still joyful — my body is tired and sore, but that joy makes such a difference!

Integrity is vital

At times I’ve tried to speak kindly to people that I don’t feel kindly toward. If another person always talks and never listens, I might act as if I care about all their stories but really don’t. If another person lies to me, I might be polite, but inside I’m not trusting them. If another person goes through the motions of paying attention but is not really listening, I often stop talking just to see what they will do.

I know that Jesus did not have this dual thing going on. He never sinned in pretense — to care when He didn’t because He always cared. He also knows what is in every heart and does not trust Himself to those who fake it. He deals in truth. As the NT says:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

Reading this shows the connection of inner character and outer behavior. If they do not match, then it is called hypocrisy or lack of integrity. Connecting that to ‘pretending to be nice’ means that I am not true to myself or to my inner feelings. The solution has two aspects.

One is to be true to how I really feel. Sometimes that is hurtful, but it can also be helpful — only if negative feelings are true about the other person and they are spoken in love like Jesus speaks. His words that expose my sinfulness are loving because He knows the destruction power of sin. He does not want me to go merrily about my bad attitudes so He speaks to me about them.

However, there are times when speaking to another person about their sin is not appropriate and it is better to talk to God about it and let Him deal with them. This means listening to the Holy Spirit to make sure I’m not being silent for the wrong reasons, such as fear of losing a friend.

When John wrote, “I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father” (2 John 4) he was likely referring to gospel truth and the ‘children’ mentioned had faith in Christ, confessed their sins, and were growing more like Jesus. What stands out to me is that he rejoiced in this. If my attitude of “walking in truth” makes people joyful, that is a good thing. Some will not respond this way though because the truth is: unbelievers will hate those who have faith even to persecuting Christians in various ways.

All of this applies to how I think of Jesus. I can say that I know Him and trust Him, but what do I really think? Several verses tell me that His name says much about Him besides that He is truth. He is also Immanuel (which means, God with us (Matthew 1:23) and Light, and the only Way to the Father. Do my thoughts and actions match? Can I hide anything in my head or heart from Him? Not only that, if I say He is “Master” or “Lord” but am not obeying what He commands, do I really think that my Christian words can hide my thoughts from Him? My actions will eventually reveal them because if I really think He is my Lord, I will do what He says. And one of the things He says is:

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)

This phrase “the abundance of the heart” is not about the fleeting things that fly in to tempt me, but about what my mind dwells on. If it is not on Christ and on doing the will of God, it is apt to be my will and my way — which translates to selfishness and sinful disobedience. Trying to look good on the outside does not cut it if my heart is unkind or even nasty. This is just one way I can call Jesus Lord but not do as He says.

PRAY: Jesus, more and more I’m seeing how thoughts connect to actions and how they need to match. This is not just about negative junk that needs to be confessed, but about truth concerning You that needs to be shared. I need wisdom and discernment from You to match how I think with how I behave and how I respond to others.


 

No Filters

 

One character trait that I value is transparency. My parents didn’t hide behind pretense so when I began to encounter it as I grew to adulthood, I didn’t know what to do with it. From the NT bits about Nathanael, one of Jesus’ disciples, I know that God blesses those whose hearts are transparent.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” (John 1:47)

Because this man was open of heart, God was open to him. Jesus said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)

Transparency pleases God because being His child involves the state of our hearts, not the names we call ourselves, the building we worship in, or even our creeds and statements of faith. Just as Jesus knew the heart of Nathanael, He know my heart.

In the OT, He used the wilderness wanderings to reveal hearts:

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. (Deuteronomy 8:2)

He also says many times that He reveal truth to our hearts, such as His goodness and the sinfulness of our own lives . . .

And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. (Joshua 23:14)

 . . . whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers. (1 Kings 8:38–40)

Yet at times, my sin blocks discernment. When that happens, I need to pray as the psalmist did: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23–24) And this invites the saving power of God: “I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.” (Jeremiah 24:7)

I needed a new heart because what Jesus said is true: “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15) Sin is so deceitful that without God, we will call evil good and good evil. Blind to the selfishness of our hearts, we run our own lives and ignore God.

This is why transparency blesses me in others. It indicates they have begun to see the truth about themselves and further, are willing to acknowledge it. No pretense. No filters. No excuses. Their hearts are enlightened, and while this is only part of that spiritual journey to the Cross, it indicates readiness to see what is true.

Even then, even as a Christian, my heart is not the final say. As said before, sin is deceptive. Not only that, Satan is a deceiver who knows that a sensitive heart can be subject to suggestion so he accuses God’s people of evil doing, either bringing up sin that has been confessed and forgiven, or making vague accusations to give the feeling of ‘being in the wrong’ when nothing is wrong. False guilt ruins transparency because it makes me feel wrong but without clarity about what I did wrong, so how can I be open about what is going on in my heart when I don’t know what it is? This is why reading God’s Word is vital:

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:19–20)

PRAY: Thank You Jesus for the power of the Holy Spirit to reveal my heart issues to me even when Satan has me in a fog. Thank You for teaching me to not fear ‘what will people think’ that can keep me from being a transparent person. Keep my heart right. Then the right words and actions will follow — because from the heart all things flow, and because I do not want to ever be a hypocrite who pretends things that are not true. Most of all, thank You for Your great heart that loves me and guides me through this maze called life.

KNOW: and memorize Romans 12:1–2 as a defense against hypocrisy and to keep my heart filled with the right stuff!