EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 01, 2026.
SUBJECT : GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART!
Memory verse: "Then He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your heart. For that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16 vs 15.)
READ: Matthew 23 vs 23 - 27:
23:23: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the other undone.
23:24: Blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!
23:25: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
23:26: Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
23:27: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones, and all uncleanness.
INTIMATION:
God knows our hearts and relates with us in the heart where the spirit in us dwells. Therefore, the content of our hearts not seen by anyone is what matters to God in our relationship with Him and His assessment of our true worth before Him. One may self-righteously approve of himself as right in the eyes of God, and also be approved by men, but God knows what is in one's heart.
One may seek to gain the approval of others by religious performances, but what is important is what is in one's heart. Our acceptance by others in the religious world should not determine how we really are. What is most important is being accepted by God, and we can know that we are accepted by God if we love Him and keep His commandments.
In the passage we read today in the Scriptures, the Pharisees acted piously to get praise from others, but God knew what was in their hearts. Jesus condemned the Pharisees and religious leaders for outwardly appearing upright and holy but inwardly remaining full of corruption and greed. Living our Christianity merely as a show for others is like washing only the outside of a cup while the inside is unclean. When we are clean on the inside, our cleanliness on the outside won't be a sham.
The Pharisees considered their wealth to be a sign of God's approval. Even among Christians today material possessions are often seen as an approval or acceptance by God. However, just as God detested the wealth of the Pharisees because it caused them to abandon true spirituality, so it is for Christians today. Though prosperity may earn people's praise, it must never substitute for devotion and service to God.
The Pharisees lived from the contributions of the people. In doing so they neglected the weightier matters of the law that are justice, mercy, and faith. They were emphasizing an outward form of religion without concentrating on holiness of life in the heart. We observe such things in our fellowship and churches these days, where emphasis are laid on the financial and material contributions of members while neglecting the weightier matters of spirituality and obedience to God's commandments by members.
It's possible to obey the details of the laws and be very active in religious rituals such as going to church, being puntual and present at every fellowship meetings, paying tithes and giving offerings, sowing seeds etc, but still with a heart filled with wrong emotions such as hatred, unforgiveness, malice, lies, envy, covetousness etc. What this meas is that you can be meticulous about the details of ceremonial cleaniness, and lose your perspective on inner purity. Before God such persons have lost the mark and are unacceptable to Him. Although they were ceremonially clean on the outside but had corrupt hearts.
For example, we could be very precise and faithful about giving 10 percent of our money to God but refuse to give one minute of our time in helping others. Tithing is important, but giving a tithe does not exempt us from fulfilling God's other directives. Christians should emphasize spiritual purity that is relevant in eternity with God, and their outward attitude of services to man and God be a reflection of their inner purity.
Prayer: Abba Father, strengthen me heartily to desire to do Your Will at all times, and that I will serve You and others from my heart as a reflection of Your nature and my inner purity, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.
PRAISE THE LORD!
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