Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 19, 20, 21; Luke 11:28-,54.
Memory Verse: “And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.” Luke 11:39 (KJV)
A lot of people pay attention to their appearance and this indeed is key. The way you dress is the way you will be addressed. You need to appear clean at all times as that is the first basis for people’s judgment of you. However it will be wrong to judge people based on appearance alone. This was the error committed by Samuel when he went to the house of Jesse to anoint the next ruler of Israel. He looked at Eliab, the eldest son of Jesse and he said, surely this is the anointed of God. But God thought otherwise in 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV), “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
So the heart is very critical in all we do. But it’s difficult to discern because a number of people hide what is in their heart and do otherwise to give the wrong impression. But it does not matter what you think and no matter what you do to hide the contents of your heart, God sees it all.
When the Pharisees were busy giving wrong impressions of themselves to the people and they believed them, God saw their inner selves. Thus He said in Luke 11:39 (KJV), “And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness” How is your heart? God can see it all. The bible says from within the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness etc which defile the man!
God will judge us based on our heart and it is therefore important that we cleanse our heart and align it with God. How do you do this? By feeding it with what you want it to reflect; Study the word of God regularly, worship God often and pray in tongues regularly. This is a way of fellowshiping with the Holy Ghost who can then guide you in all thy ways. Above all, be intentional about obeying the word of God. When you do this, where you miss anything or fall short of God’s glory, the Holy Spirit will remind you and help you to quickly adjust your actions to align to God.
Prayer: Father, give me the grace to maintain a heart that aligns with you at all times in Jesus name.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero