P’s & Q’s A Call to Holy Living

Monitoring Senses Matthew 15:10-20

10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.”

Matthew 15: And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

It’s All in Your Head Holiness begins and ends with how we process our senses and the choices we make. Our minds can be programmed to think on positive and godly things or on wicked things. We get to choose what we think about and how we think.

Hearing and Speaking What we listen to affects our thoughts and our attitudes, our emotions and our souls. What we allow to go from passive hearing to active listening can help or hurt us in our walk of holiness. What we say must line up with our inner life. Find ways to encourage, build up, and better others with your words!

Seeing and Doing We can’t always stop ourselves from seeing ungodly things, but we can minimize our exposure to such damaging material through our choices. Most of what we see is part of the choices we make to watch this or that or view this or that. Our deeds must honor God’s reputation, be done with a grateful attitude, and be done with a strong and hearty work ethic as to the Lord.

My Life What do you dwell on in your thoughts? What gets premier focus and attention in your mind? What do you listen to? Do your words glorify God and build up others? What do you watch and allow your eyes to view? Does your work honor God and show an attitude of thanks? Do you work for the Lord?