Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a video of Godly images and thoughts while Phillips, Craig, and Dean sing Let My Words Be Few, where we try to pour Godly images into our hearts/minds so that what we say will reflect God.
Highlight Passage Matthew 15: 18-19 [NKJV] …
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
… Jesus taught that what comes out of the mouth is a reflection of the heart.
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Highlight Context - Matthew 15: 7-21 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… So many things are being taught in the name of Christ these days which are nearly garbage; and Jesus taught about this in His day as well,
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Reference Passage #1 - Proverbs 23: 7 [NKJV] …
7 As a man thinks in his heart, so is he …
… Hence we must think Godly thoughts.
Reference Passage #2 - Philippians 4: 8 [NKJV] …
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
… If we choose to put Godly thoughts into our mind, … Godly words and choices will result … it is the GI-GO process with “GOD in -> GOD out” being the result.
Reference Passage #3 - James 3: 16-18 [NKJV] …
16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
… We sow righteousness from our minds and mouths if we participate in righteousness.
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Julie Ackerman Link, to illustrate here OBD teaching, used a personal incident where she came across a favorite beach one day strewn with garbage, to which she spoke harshly to her husband of those who would pollute such a pristine beach with their trash. Then she realized that so often she was also guilty of trashing others, as she was doing on that beach that day, with her harsh, judgmental attitude and words.
And as I read the author’s teaching, I realized that all us us can be guilty of the old cybernetic principle … ”Garbage In —> Garbage Out” … which usually refers to how we program computers. If we get garbage from a computer program, it is because the software has been programmed in a messy, inaccurate way. And that is a biblical truth about humanity as well. Solomon taught this in Proverbs 23: 7 (in the NKJV), which states clearly, … “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (or she).”
in other words, … what we pour into our mind is reflected in who we become, i.e., … what we say, and the choices we make. And Jesus was reflecting that truth when he spoke out - as He so often did - about the religious leaders of His time; because they had polluted what they represented and taught by their own self-righteous but self-centered actions and teaching. In today’s highlight passage from Matthew 15, linked/copied above, Jesus was teaching the GI - GO principle that what we put into our minds (and if it is garbage) is reflected in who we are and what we say/do (which could be garbage); and you can see that in the photo illustration attached.
And both the Apostle Paul and Jesus’ brother, James, taught that principle. Paul exhorted Christians (see Phil. 4: 8) to be careful to think only Godly thoughts; because he know that if we did that, Godly words and actions would result. And that is the GI --> GO principle at its best. … “God IN … will become … God OUT” … GI —> GO. But as James warned (see James 3 above), if we take in unGodly thoughts (i.e., Garbage), we can expect unGodly words and actions to result (i.e., Garbage).
So, what does this say about how we must make our thought choices today?
Remember … G.I. —> G.O.
My Prayer Today: Oh, my Lord, … I’m here today to take Your word into my mind that I might reflect Your truth in all that I think, say, and do. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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