Today’s readings.. (1 Samuel 28), (Jeremiah 4), (Matthew 15)

Most people are never conscious of the need for spiritual cleanliness; the Jewish religious leaders had made quite a ritual out of material and physical cleanliness, hands in particularly had to be constantly cleansed.  In today’s chapter in Matthew we read a lesson of Jesus about this which should be familiar to us: the kind of defilement we should be really concerned about!

Jesus said, “… what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person” [15 v.11]  Remember what we read in ch. 12?  “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks … on the day of judgement people will give account for every careless word …” [v.34,36]     What is there in “abundance” in your heart?    If we listen, read or watch many of the things that are said today, so that they become part of thinking and attitudes, we start to developed a defiled heart.

Life today is such a contrast to the experiences of our parents!  There concerns then included getting home from work if air raid warnings sounded; having faith in the overseeing hand of God was fully ‘real’ to them.  A very different diet was available for their hearts in those days.

There are countries today where true believers really need to have genuine faith.  God’s word tells us that the “peace” we presently experience is going to dramatically change – are our hearts strong and focused so they will be able to cope with the time of world-wide trouble and anxiety which must surely come?

Jesus more fully explains his point to his disciples, “ … what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the  heart, and this defiles a person.  For out of the heart come evil thoughts  … sexual immorality …” [v.18,19] and similar things; much of so called ‘entertainment’ today has these things in abundance!

Jesus also made this intriguing point, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up,” [v.13] Does your thinking and doing show that he has planted you? .