Their Hearts Are Far From Me
Matthew 15:8
(Photo by Aurel Tyson on Unsplash. Berean Standard Bible)
Matthew 15:8 ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.
In this verse, Jesus is challenging the religious leaders of His day. They were focused on outward religious traditions and appearances, but their hearts were not truly devoted to God.
This warning can also apply to someone who attends church or speaks about God outwardly, yet whose heart is distant from Him. God does not desire empty religion or outward actions without genuine love, faith, and devotion.
As Christians, we still struggle spiritually. Believers battle sin, distractions, and the weakness of the flesh. However, there is a difference between struggling with sin and having a heart that is hardened or far from God. Genuine believers are called to continually draw near to Him in repentance, faith, and obedience.
Take a moment to ask God to search your heart and reveal anything that is drawing you away from Him. Then ask Him to draw your heart closer to Him. Spend time in prayer, Scripture, worship, and fellowship with Him. ~ Jeff M Newman
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Observe Jesus’ Commands
Be a loving, compassionate, merciful neighbor.
Luke 10:25-37 One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side. 33 But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’ 36 Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 “The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
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