STARTS FROM WITHIN
According to a writer, in a moment of frustration, I got mad at someone that I love. And as I turned to walk away from them, I called them a name. I didn’t use profanity; but I might as well have done so, because it was a name that cut that person down and treated them with contempt. I immediately turned back to them and asked forgiveness; and forgiveness was just as quickly granted to me. I made sure we were okay; and we both moved on. But later on, that day, I reflected on that incident and did some searching of my heart before God. It had really shocked me that such a thing could come out of my mouth. I had to make an honest confession before God that the spirit of ‘murder’ was abiding deep in my heart; and that it popped out suddenly and struck someone I love.
No wonder Jesu said “That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from
within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Any significant transformation in character and lifestyle must begin from within the heart. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees of His days for being so religious and sanctimonious without the corresponding inner life. Despite the profession of faith, they had no change within “…for ye make clean the outside of the cup, and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. They appear beautiful outside “…but are within full of dead men’s bones, and all uncleanness. God is calling on modern time Pharisees to seek God for true righteousness that transforms from inside out.