“Out of the heart proceed . . .” Matthew 15:18-20
I quoted Oswald Chambers in the Sermon this weekend so I thought I would share the reading from “My Utmost for His Highest” for today, July 26.
“Out of the heart proceed . . .” Matthew 15:18-20
We begin by trusting our ignorance and calling it innocence, by trusting our innocence and calling it purity; and when we hear these rugged statements of Our Lord’s, we shrink and say—But I never felt any of those awful things in my heart. We resent what Jesus Christ reveals. Either Jesus Christ is the supreme Authority on the human heart, or He is not worth paying any attention to. Am I prepared to trust His penetration, or do I prefer to trust my innocent ignorance? If I make conscious innocence the test, I am likely to come to a place where I find with a shuddering awakening that what Jesus Christ said is true, and I shall be appalled at the possibility of evil and wrong in me. As long as I remain under the refuge of innocence I am living in a fool’s paradise. If I have never been a blackguard, the reason is a mixture of cowardice and the protection of civilized life; but when I am undressed before God, I find that Jesus Christ is right in His diagnosis.
The only thing that safeguards is the Redemption of Jesus Christ. If I will hand myself over to Him, I need never experience the terrible possibilities that are in my heart. Purity is too deep down for me to get to naturally: but when the Holy Spirit comes in, He brings into the centre of my personal life the very Spirit that was manifested in the life of Jesus Christ, viz., Holy Spirit, which is unsullied purity.
Larry is the senior pastor at 
I’ve always loved going through “My Utmost,” Oswald Chambers has a great way of piercing you in the heart with his penetrating words, but in such a way that you respond to it, instead of blocking it with pride or self-righteousness. I now keep that book handy in the door of my car for those times where I’m stuck in there with nothing to do.
On a side note, Michael and I haven’t yet stopped missing CCC or your sermons, and its been almost 10 months since we moved to Georgia! We are thankful for how God is working in the lives of the fellowship there. It has been a challenge for us to find a new church up here since we were ‘spoiled’ by your depth of teaching. Just thought you should know we were thinking of you guys!
Also, I picked up ‘His needs, Her needs’ at the library, is that the same book you recommended during pre-marital counseling? I like the way Harley bluntly states things in a way that I understand better than other similar books I’ve read.