April 28, 2019: SOAP #3433:  2Samuel 3; 1Chronicles 12; Matthew 15

Scripture:  Matthew (NIV) 15:11 What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean’, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean’.”…
15 Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean’.”

Observation:   The mouth gives expression to our heart.  By listening to a person’s words, especially in unguarded moments, one can know the speaker’s priorities.

Application:  In our society, what we put into our mouth is big business.  Advertisement for where we eat, what we buy at the grocery store, and what we put in our mouth make up a high percentage of what we see every day.  Even more important than what I have for breakfast, is what is in my heart.

Having Jesus living in my heart as Lord should make a big difference in the words and attitudes that are expressed through my mouth.  People listening to my words should quickly discover Jesus on the inside!

Prayer:  Jesus, you are the Lord of my life.  May you be easily seen in my words. Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!