“And he called the multitude, and said unto them,

Hear, and understand:”

Matthew 15:10 (KJV)

 

People of faith try to follow and adhere to His Word and follow Him willingly. But, at times…our spirit, being encased by our flesh, can react or overreact to the world, and doctrine that is superficially placed there by men/women.  In other words, scripture can be “twisted” for the sole purpose of what the individual wants to hear, or needs to hear.

A prime example is someone who wants to move to a bigger house. The individual may believe, “that God is calling for the move” and that very well may be true.  However, sometimes it is the mind-set of the individual who merely wants to move, and so flips through the Bible and picks a verse that will accommodate their views.  Kind of like a “smorgasbord” “I’ll take verse 10, chapter 3, that sounds like what I’m doing…” —sound familiar?

Honestly, it doesn’t work. Because, if a move takes place,  that isn’t in the will of God, it will not be smooth sailing. In fact, it’ll be anything but that.

I have a friend who wanted to move to another state. She felt it was “her calling,” and didn’t really take the time to pray about it. She moved because her Pastor, moved to another state, and she followed him.  Well, let me tell you, from the moment she arrived there, after quitting her job—basically pulling up all of her stakes— one disaster after another happened. She was literally trapped in a tornado soon after moving. Two days later, the job she was supposed to have been promised was no longer available.  Her money ran short, food became scarce due to low funds, and the weather was wild and violent.

After, several months of this, she decided to return home. Now watch, and “listen”  how God works, when it’s in His will.  Upon returning home…her old job was still open, and she got it back. Her apartment was still available, where she lived prior to the move.  And, she reconnected with the “love of her life,” soon after returning to her home state!  Now, that was God’s calling for her life. That was God’s intent! Amen!

She learned that God, was her fundamental guide, and purpose for all things in her life. She realized, whe she moved,  she was following “Man,” and not God, when she took off to follow her Preacher.  She learned by trial, and error how important it is to “not only love God with your mouth” but “with your heart, body, mind and soul.”

Jesus, in this Chapter of Matthew, speaks to the multitudes, and calls us to “listen,” and not merely obey with words, but with “our heart.”  To do anything else, would be equivalent to being a “hypocrite” as Jesus tells us.

When a lawyer, and expert of the law, asked Jesus what the most important commandment is, Jesus responded, “To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…The second is to love your neighbor as yourself.”  

When we do the will of God, and love Him fully, and openly, with all our heart, soul, and mind…we are doing two things.

First, we are fulfilling the desire and commandment of our Father.

Second, we are following Him, and essentially pleasing Him, which ultimately ignites our inner light of peace, and we gain so many rewards in the process.  Not that we are “doing things to gain rewards” in a selfish way, but instead, we are “embracing the rewards” of a life well lived.

“Father God, thank You with all of my heart, mind, and soul, for Your love,  and Your will concerning the footprints of my life, and for Your mercy, and grace, which you grant to me daily, all glory and honor belong to You , now and always, in Jesus name, Amen.”

 

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This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

Matthew 15:10-13 (KJV)