We can only be defiled by the things that come from within II

ByPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
I thank God for you and I trust that this day will bring you great blessings as you meditate upon the word God has given us for this day.Yesterday we established that our reaction on other people’s actions and outside pressures indicate the true content of our hearts. We also saw that those things that defile us come out of our hearts. 
«And He said, „What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man» (Mark, 7: 20-23).
 The vices cited in this passage of Scripture are the cause of all the relationship problems among people. Imagine a person whose heart is full of these vices and some others, but thinks that he is alright and that he is growing in the Lord. Yes, he is alright until God starts uprooting all these rotten things through the relationships with other people. If we do not allow God to take off our mask and change us, then the relationships with people will fall apart in spite of our claims to believe God.But God does not desire for our relationships to be ruined. He wants to transform us into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. God uses people’s imperfection to open our eyes to the uncleanness that is in us. If we humble ourselves before God when we see the expressions of these vices in our lives, then He helps us to get rid of them. He wants to change us through relationships. He wants us to see what we are truly like on the inside and how much there is still that needs to change.It says in the Bible that human heart is deceitful and corrupt: 
«The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of is doings» (Jeremiah, 17: 9-10).
 Only the Lord knows the true condition of our hearts, and He wants to help us look into our hearts using the relationships we are involved in. Our views, actions and lack of actions, our words – all of these things cause particular reaction which determines the level of our spiritual maturity.The way we treat other people is the obvious indicator of our spiritual maturity. We start treating people differently as God transforms our character. We start treating them better than before; it includes our children, spouse, friends, brothers and sisters. We start to treat all of them like Jesus would. And we do it not because they have changes, but because we have. When we change, people around us change us well.So, what happens to us outwardly cannot defile us. We are defiled by the things that proceed from our hearts: our wrong reactions to the actions, words and behaviour of the people around us.Allow God to help you — to perfect you and change you into the image of Jesus Christ! I wish you God’s abundant blessings!Pastor Rufus Ajiboye

Support us so we can do more

We’ll get right to the point: we’re asking you to help us support our Church online minisry. We’re a nonprofit that relies on support from people like you. If everyone reading this gives €12 monthly, Spirit and Truth city Church can continue to thrive for years.

Similar Posts

  • Your gift will make room for you!

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    «A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men» (Proverbs, 18: 16).Your gift will make room for you and will broaden your boarders, if you won’t hide it. So many times believers ask: «Where is my place in the Body of Christ? What is my calling?»Do what you know. This simple principle gives an answer to many questions. Find the thing that you know how to do; find what you can do to promote the Kingdom of God, to help the church to grow and to extend your influence in the society.

  • Accountability allows us to submerge in Christ

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    Accountability makes us strong and unites us to the other believers; it also kills the “I am a lone island” thinking. This type of thinking has caused many problems that the Body of Christ still suffers from.God does not want you to be an island that is separated and independent of the other brothers and sisters in Christ. We are not only responsible to being accountable ourselves; we also need to call others to accountability and help them with it.

  • Who you are in Christ and who you can become in Him

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    God wants you to believe today that in Christ Jesus you have been given a NEW NAME. You have identified with your old names, your past and failures long enough.God has given you new name in Christ, so stop wearing the old name tag given to you by people, by the enemy of your soul or by your circumstances. Believe in the wonderful possibilities available to you now in God because of your new identity in Christ. Begin to identify yourself with your God given name! Only thus will you be able to realize your potential in God.

  • Through prayer we invite God to take part in our lives

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    God does not come into our lives without being asked. Praying means to invite God to come and help us. It is a realization of the fact that I am weak and there is One Who is stronger than me, Who loves me and cares for me. Prayer is an invitation to the One Who is stronger than me and my circumstances.Do you remember Jairus? We read about him in Mark (5:22-23). He had sent his people to Jesus to invite Him to his house, because his daughter was on the verge of death.

  • The level of our faith depends on our ability to hear from God

    AutorsMācītājs Rufus Adžiboije Reading Time: 6 minutes
    When we hear the Lord’s voice it strengthens us and takes disorder and confusion out of our lives. When we hear the Lord’s voice it awakens in us the spirit of faith and raises us up into God’s dimension.Let’s look at some verses of Scripture that tell us about the benefits of hearing God’s voice and being led by the Spirit.

  • The seed contains tremendous potential II

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 5 minutes
    I want you to notice that it is required of us to accept the Word if we want it to bear fruit. People with stony hearts also accept the Word, but there is a difference between them and those whose heart is identified as being good ground. People with stone hearts receive the Word on the emotional level, on the surface; besides, they are not consistent, and as a result the Word cannot take root in their hearts.«…and they have no root in themselves…» (Мark 4:17)