Matthew 23: 25-26; 28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. 28 So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

I loaded up my dishwasher today while cleaning the kitchen. A little while later I went back through the kitchen and noticed one more knife in the sink, so I popped it in the dishwasher. But wait! I realized I had already ran the dishwasher, and had just put a dirty knife in with all of the clean ones. Not very helpful.

The Pharisees were very careful to perform the ceremonial washing of their dishes, but as Jesus pointed out, they were not as careful to maintain the same standards on the inside. When we let unrepentant sin remain in our hearts, it’s like putting dirty dishes in with the clean. It won’t get the dirty dishes clean, but it will get the clean dishes dirty.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 NASB

-Kevi

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1 Samuel 16:7 NASB “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

I went for a ride with Papa (that’s my husband’s grandpa) in his old farm truck last week. I asked him how old the truck was, and he said it was a 1991 model! I was impressed and he said he would keep it as long as it was still running.  He said you could spend a lot of money on a new truck, but why bother? After all, the cows don’t care!

I’d sure like to think we’re smarter than those cows, but when it comes to being distracted by appearances, the cows may have an advantage. When Samuel was sent by God to look for Israel’s new king among Jesse’s sons, he noticed the oldest son first. But it was the youngest son, the lowly shepherd David, that God intended to make king. Why? He saw that he was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).

Lord, help me to stop worrying about looking like I “have it all together” and focus on what you see when you look at me.

-Kevi

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Luke 12: 25-26; 29-31 NASB “And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?!” “And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”

Last week my husband and I were rushing around trying to get ready to head out of town for a few days. We were packing things (trying not to forget things) and although we didn’t have a deadline, the goal was to drive during nap time, so the longer it took to get things ready, the crankier our son was getting! When we finally got everything in the car, my husband looked out the window to see a giant truck parked in front of our driveway, blocking us in. They were grinding up the asphalt to prepare for new pavement, and they stopped in front of our house to use the fire hydrant and switch trailers. So after all of our planning and rushing, and we had to sit tight for 15 minutes before we could actually leave.  

We plan and scheme and rush and strive, and most of the time it doesn’t change our circumstances: it doesn’t add a 25^th hour to the day. But there is something we can do to replace the stress with peace and the worry with calm: we can seek God first! God may not change our circumstances either, but He can help us to handle them.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NASB

-Kevi

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Psalm 119:10-11 NASB With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.

When my husband is driving and I am in the car with him and we are chatting, there is always a risk of him going into “auto-pilot” mode. That’s what we call it when he misses his exit, or turns the wrong way because he’s headed towards work, instead of where we are really headed. His “auto-pilot” defaults to the route he drives most often.

Before we come to Christ, our sinful nature is second nature and we can slip into “auto-pilot” mode heading down the road to sin and destruction. For those of us that have accepted Christ as our Savior, we have the Holy Spirit to say “You’re making a wrong turn! That’s not where we are headed.” The more we listen to the Holy Spirit and the more we learn God’s Word, then the easier it becomes to choose the right path.

If you are struggling with sin, remember, every time we choose God’s commandments over our sinful desires we are retraining our “auto-pilot” to head down the right path.

-Kevi

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Acts 9:10-17a NLT Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”  “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” So Ananias went and found Saul.

When going to a new place, I always check a map before I go. I have a hard time relying on other people’s directions, or following someone else’s car. Not because I can’t follow directions, but because I don’t trust them! This probably goes back to the first time I got truly lost as a teenager. The guy I was “following” sped off on the highway and I had a car full of chatty teenage girls with no clue where we were headed. After getting very lost, we had to use a payphone at a gas station (no cell phones yet!) to get proper directions. I still feel anxious thinking about it!

Well, Ananias received some directions from the Lord, but he didn’t trust the directions either. He had two problems with the directions: Saul was an enemy of the believers, so why would the Lord want to help him? And, Saul could arrest him on the spot, just for being a believer! But God had information that Ananias did not have: after being healed, Saul would become Paul, the greatest missionary I know of, and the man responsible for bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles (of which I am one). Fortunately for all of us, Ananias chose to follow the Lord’s directions.

-Kevi

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Psalm 1: 1-3 NASB How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The modern day conveniences of a global economy mean that for the most part, we have access to the fruits we enjoy all year long. While they may not be in season here, they may be in season elsewhere around the globe.

While we don’t always have to wait for the right season to eat our favorite fruits, we often have to wait to see the results of our spiritual fruits. It can be frustrating at times when we feel we are doing all the right things and not seeing results. But: Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. (Galatians 6:9 NASB)

-Kevi

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Psalm 1: 1-3 NASB How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD,  And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

I’ve always loved willow trees. When I was a student at OU, one of my favorite places to go on campus was just next to the library, where there are several weeping willows. You can sit on the benches there and just be surrounded by the branches! A long time ago I mentioned to a friend that I would love to have a willow tree one day when I had my own home. He told me I’d better plan to have a pond too, because willows need lots of water! Without a good water source, a weeping willow might not make it.

Some trees need more water than others, but the tree that the psalmist is describing here is flourishing, because it has a constant source of water. The Word of God is our water source! If we are consistently reading God’s Word and meditating on it, then our lives will show evidence of that. We will bear fruit (like the fruits of the spirit) and we won’t wither away when faced with trials. We will be firmly planted like a tree!

-Kevi

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Ruth 1:16 NASB But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.

When Ruth decided to follow her mother-in-law Naomi back to Judah, she was basically saying she wanted to be like Naomi! She wanted to live where she lived, she wanted to be a part of the Jewish culture, and she wanted to worship the same God. Well she definitely accomplished that! Not only was she redeemed and taken out of poverty by marrying Boaz, she became part of the lineage of King David; part of the lineage of Christ! Following Naomi was the right decision: it led her to God.

I was just telling a friend that my son is “my little shadow” now that he is walking. He always follows me around, especially if he thinks I’m leaving! But I wonder if I’m ready for the responsibility that having a “little shadow” brings. If he continues to follow me as he gets older, where will I lead him? Will I lead him to God like Naomi led Ruth?

-Kevi

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Proverbs 14:12 NASB There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

I don’t know a lot about dogs, Mocha is the first dog I’ve ever had, so sometimes her behavior mystifies me. Like how she consistently travels the same paths in the backyard, so much so that you can see the ruts in the grass: from the patio to the shed from the shed to the gate, from the patio to the back fence, etc. When she runs back to the patio she goes to her path, even if it is far out of the way! I don’t know if it is just habit, or if the stamped down grass is more comfortable on her paws, but she is always in a rut!

It really shouldn’t surprise me; she is not the only one of God’s creatures to travel in ruts! I do it all the time. Sometimes it is the rut of the same sins over and over again. Sometimes the rut is my complacency. Sometimes the rut is my fear of change. Maybe for you it is something else entirely.

Satan wants me to believe I can’t break free of the rut; that I’ll never veer off the beaten path; that things won’t ever really change. But Jesus says we can be free of sin: “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36 NASB). Jesus told his disciples they would have a completely different path if they chose to follow him: “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17 NASB).

My ruts may be comfortable, and they may “seem right” to me, but they won’t get me where I really want to be. The only way to accomplish that is to continually give my thoughts over to God and allow Him to transform me, to make me more like Christ!

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 NASB

-Kevi 

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II Corinthians 5:14-15 NASB   For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;  and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

I was in the backyard and thought my dog might appreciate some attention so I found her tennis ball and threw it…and she just sat there. Thinking she just wanted to relax in the grass, I sat down on the back porch. Then out of nowhere she shot across the back yard and leapt into the air (the highest I’ve ever seen her jump), all because she saw a squirrel running along the back fence. She didn’t mind expending energy; she just needed the right motivation.

If we are living for Christ, and not ourselves, we should have all the motivation we need to work diligently for His Kingdom. Have you lost your motivation? Well remember that “He died for all.” And his motivation was simple: “For God so loved the world...”

-Kevi 

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