A Heart for Christ 保守己心
Dexu Xia
Out of the heart come evil thoughts . . . these are what defile a person. Matthew 15:19−20
As long as you keep your mouth closed, I told myself, you won’t be doing anything wrong. I’d been outwardly holding back my anger toward a colleague after misinterpreting things she’d said. Since we had to see each other every day, I decided to limit communication to only what was necessary (and retaliate with my silent treatment). How could a quiet demeanor be wrong?
Jesus said that sin begins in the heart (Matthew 15:18−20). My silence may have fooled people into thinking all was well, but it wasn’t fooling God. He knew I was hiding a heart filled with anger. I was like the Pharisees who honored God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him (v. 8). Even though my outward appearance didn’t show my true feelings, the bitterness was festering inside me. The joy and closeness I’d always felt with my heavenly Father were gone. Nurturing and hiding sin does that.
By God’s grace, I told my colleague how I was feeling and apologized. She graciously forgave me and, eventually, we became good friends. “Out of the heart come evil thoughts” (v. 19), Jesus says. The state of our heart matters because evil residing there can overflow into our lives. Both our exterior and interior matter.
By: Karen Huang
Jesus said that the sin in our heart defiles us. What “evil thoughts” might be defiling your heart? How can you pray regarding this matter?
Loving God, please forgive me for the sins I’ve been nurturing in my heart. I want my heart to be pleasing in Your sight. Please help me to change.
因为从心里发出来的，有恶念⋯⋯，这都是污秽人的。—马太福音15章19-20节
我告诉自己：只要保持沉默，就不会犯错。在我误解了一位同事所说的话之后，我表面上看来无事，其实心中一直压抑着怒气。因为我们每天都会见到对方，所以我决定用沉默反击，跟她只进行必要的沟通。说到底，保持安静的态度怎么可能会出错呢？
耶稣说，罪是由心而发（马太福音15章18-20节）。我的沉默也许能粉饰太平，但却瞒不过上帝。祂知道我的内心深藏愤怒。我就像法利赛人一样，用嘴唇尊敬上帝，但内心却远离祂（8节）。即使我表面上没有显露出我真实的情绪，但苦毒却在我心中发酵。我以往亲近天父的甜美感受和喜乐已经荡然无存，这正是隐藏罪恶、任其滋生所导致的后果。
后来我靠着上帝的恩典，告诉这位同事我内心的真实感受，并向她道歉。她很宽容地原谅了我，而且最终我们还成了好朋友。
耶稣说：“从心里发出来的，有恶念”（19节）。由此可见，我们内心的状态至关重要，因你我心中所存的恶念会对我们的生活造成不良的影响。当谨记，我们的外在和内在都非常重要。作者： 黃嘉仁
耶稣说，心里的恶念会使人污秽。
有哪些“恶念”可能玷污了你的心呢？
你要如何为此事祷告？
慈爱的上帝，请赦免我，因我在心中滋养罪恶。
请帮助我有所改变，好让我的心思在祢眼中，蒙祢喜悦。
Jesus Dwells Within
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts. Ephesians 3:17 nlt
As a blizzard bore down on my state in the western United States, my widowed mother agreed to stay with my family to “ride out” the storm. After the blizzard, however, she never returned to her house. She moved in, dwelling with us for the rest of her life. Her presence changed our household in many positive ways. She was available daily to provide wisdom, advice to family members, and share ancestral stories. She and my husband became the best of friends, sharing a similar sense of humor and love of sports. No longer a visitor, she was a permanent and vital resident—forever changing our hearts even after God called her home.
The experience recalls John’s description of Jesus—that He “dwelt among us” (John 1:14 kjv). It’s a compelling description because in the original Greek the word dwelt means “to pitch a tent.” Another translation says, He “made his home among us” (nlt).
By faith, we also receive Jesus as the One who dwells in our hearts. As Paul wrote, “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” (Ephesians 3:16–17 nlt).
Not a casual visitor, Jesus is an empowering permanent resident of all who follow Him. May we open wide the doors of our hearts and welcome Him.
By: Patricia Raybon
What does it mean for you to open your heart to Christ? How can you make Him more welcome?
As You live in my heart, loving Jesus, make me more like You.