“HEAR AND UNDERSTAND!”

Matthew 15:10-20                                (ESV)

“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 DEFINES 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."

16 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."”

JESUS CHRIST spent the better part of HIS three year ministry speaking in PARABLES to HIS disciples and others.  What HE shared with them was precisely what they needed, but sometimes they weren’t HEARING what was said!  It wasn’t that people were unable to physically hear HIS words, but they needed to “HEAR AND UNDERSTAND” HIS WORDS! 

A lot of times in my life, I operate in such a fast paced environment that I physically hear words delivered to me on GOD’s behalf, but I do not Spiritually “HEAR AND UNDERSTAND” what has been said to me.  It seems that I cannot come to grips with the possibility of ALMIGHTY GOD speaking to me, a lowly salesman with no college degree or “formal learning”!  But GOD speaks to those HE CHOOSES (James 2:5), not the “elite” who think highly of themselves.  

Far too often the actions that have come from me have been “...EVIL THOUGHTS, MURDER, ADULTERY, SEXUAL IMMORALITY, THEFT, FALSE WITNESS, SLANDER....”.  No, I have never killed anyone, but more than I care to admit I have held people in contempt, and sometimes for a very long time!  Thankfully GOD continues to put me through HIS refining FIRES that purify me to become more like HIM.  

What is PROCEEDING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH?  Is it LIFE, or “...EVIL THOUGHTS, MURDER, ADULTERY, SEXUAL IMMORALITY, THEFT, FALSE WITNESS, SLANDER....”?  Don’t do as I have done before and let these words be sifted like wheat (Luke 22:31) by the enemy.  SLOW DOWN and “HEAR AND UNDERSTAND” what our CREATOR is trying get into our thick skulls!  Yes, HE could cause us all to hear, but HE has chosen to have us CHOOSE to listen for HIM, to “HEAR AND UNDERSTAND” what HE is saying!!!