Keep Your Heart Clean

Saturday, July 30th, 2011

Today's Passage: Matthew chapter 7
Memory Verse:

God is about the business of making sure His people know what He loves, and what He just won't tolerate. And one thing God hates is when His people judge one another. One definition for the verb "judge" is "to pass judgement on another", as if we were ourselves completely perfect ourselves. I think the main thing that hurts the Father's heart is OUR hearts on the matter. We know that we, too, struggle with certain issues. So we try to make ourselves look and feel good by focusing on the areas where others struggle.

The Word is very clear that, if our intention is only to look down our noses at the people we should be in the battle with, God doesn't want us doing it at all. Pastor Chris always tells us after a praise team rehearsal: "Be in prayer for the people you minister with, and the people you minister to. They need you." That statement always convicts me because it reminds me of how little time I spend actually praying for the people who are trying to live for God, but find themselves struggling to get out of the enemy's grasp.

On the other hand, there is a certain standard God is holding all of us to. Especially when we're in a ministry where He's using His servants, our pastors, to teach us His Word, God expects us to bear fruit showing what's been sown into us. So although we are not to judge others with the heart to put them down for their shortcomings, the Word says in Zechariah 3:7 that we CAN judge God's house when we honor Him by walking in His ways with a clean heart. That said, as believers we are to pull others out of the fire when we see them playing with sin.

Today, ask the Lord to give you the burden of praying and lifting up others who are struggling with sin. Pray that the Lord will destroy yokes and make them too slippery to stay in the enemy's trap. When our hearts are in the right place, we can be assured that He'll allow us to judge nations.

Prayer: Father, thank You for showing us that You care about the brokenness of Your children. You are calling us to be more concerned with our place with You than with that of others. Draw us all closer to Yourself, and we will give You praise. We live to bring You glory, in Jesus' Name. Amen!