How Is Your Heart? Matthew 15:1-20
Roses, chocolates, gifts, and special meals are traditions that say “I Love you,” especially on Feb 14, Valentine's Day. Like many of our celebrated and commercialized traditions, Valentine's day has its roots in pagan traditions that were later adopted by the Catholic church as a Christian tradition named after Saint Valentine. The red heart is the most recognized symbol of this tradition celebrating love and romance.
When it comes to the heart and man’s traditions, Jesus had a lot to say. In the book of Matthew, the religious leaders, Pharisees, and teachers of the religious law asked Jesus, “Why do your disciples break the traditions of the elders, and not wash their hands before eating?” Jesus, as His usual custom, answered them with a question. He asks them why they allow their traditions to supersede God’s commands and gives them an example. Under God’s law, they were to honor their mother and father including taking care of them and their expenses as they age. They had a loophole in their man-made traditions that allowed a person to declare that their resources/money was devoted to God and not use it for their parent's welfare. Later they could cancel that declaration and avoid their responsibility.
Jesus goes on to say, “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
Jesus always came against man-made traditions that superseded God’s intentions for man. In Jesus’s day, the religious leaders cared more about their traditions being kept than the welfare of their people. God is more concerned with the condition of our hearts and not what we do out of tradition. Going to church may be a tradition for you, but how is your heart? The Bible tells us to guard our hearts and minds, hold onto God’s Word in our hearts and live, and to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not depend on our own understanding.
God knows the intentions of our hearts. The Bible says that a good heart produces good and an evil heart produces evil. When we receive Jesus into our hearts we become a new creation. God forgives us of our sins, cleanses our hearts, and puts His Spirit in us so that we can start a growing relationship with Him. When it comes to love, no man-made tradition can compare to God’s greatest love gift, His Son, Jesus Christ. If you have never accepted Jesus, today is a great day to do so. (John 3:16, Prov. 3:5, Matthew 12:35; John 1:12)
Our New Book, The Book of Proverbs is Finally Here!
I know I mentioned this book a couple of months back but we had some slight delays and issues getting this launched I can finally say today that it is here and ready!
I’m so excited to be releasing this new project to make the experience of reading the bible even more enjoyable!
We all struggle to read the bible in some shape or form so I wanted to create something that gives you a way to enjoy the bible while you read it.
This will be the first in a series of books that we will be launching in 2022 and we wanted to start with Proverbs because Wisdom is so important in our walk with God and as we grow as Christians.
If you would like to pick one up for yourself or as a gift for someone in your life you can check it out on Amazon Here:
Personal Development Tip of the week:
Let’s talk about time management. When you hear that word I know how you might feel. Overwhelm, stress, anxiety, whatever may be the case in order for you to continue to pursue God’s purpose in your life at a higher level you must learn to effectively manage your time.
There are many tips and or hacks online promising you the secret to time management but I'm going to tell you right now there is no secret. The key is to find a couple of strategies that you find that can support you each day. Remember complexity is the enemy of execution so you don’t want to make this too complex by having 100 strategies.
Sometimes it only takes 1 or 2 strategies that can make all the differences and I’m going to give you just one today that has greatly helped me in my time management for my life.
This strategy I would say is more of insight or perspective than a strategy but I do think it will help.
How I think about time management is NOT “How can I manage my time?” but more SO “How can I manage my energy?” Let me ask you if you had 20% more energy each day do you think you could get more done? Of course!
So this week ask yourself, what can I do to manage my energy more effectively? Here are some things that can help you in having high energy throughout your day…
Good quality sleep each night
Exercise
Intermittent fasting
Quality nutrition
Hydration
Etc
I think you get the picture and the big takeaway I hope you can grab here if it serves you is that when you directly focus on improving the quality of the energy you have each day it indirectly affects your time management.
Lastly, remember this. More Energy = More effective time management.
Question for you? What’s one thing you can do this week that if done would greatly improve the quality of energy you have each day?
Prayer for the week:
Father God, I thank you in advance for this new week ahead. Bless me to overcome my fears and step up in faith in everything I do. You have great things in store for me this week and I trust you when I sometimes don’t trust myself. You are for me today and everyday in Jesus name Amen.
God Bless
Dayne
PS. If you would like to support us consider checking out www.litwithprayer.com and picking up our devotional prayer journal to our new pieces of Christian-based Jewelry.
Do you know Jesus?
If you have never asked Jesus to be the leader of your life and forgive you of all your sins, this is the right time to act. Pray this simple prayer and believe it in your heart: “Dear God, Your Word says that You loved me so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross for me. I want to be saved and have all my sins forgiven, past, present, and future. Forgive me now as I receive Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. You promised me salvation and an abundant life. I believe and receive Your free gift. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me grow stronger in You each day, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.” (John 3:16)
How Is Your Heart?