What's That Coming Out of You?

Good Morning, My Ekklesia Family

"It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart." — Mark 7:15 (NLT)

Jesus turns our attention inward. We often worry about what’s happening around us — what people think, how we look, what we consume — but He reminds us that the real issue is what flows out of our hearts. Sin isn’t just an outside influence that sneaks in; it’s something born deep within us. Anger, pride, jealousy, bitterness — they don’t arrive from the outside. They rise up from within, and if left unchecked, they spill out in our words and actions.

Just like the worm that doesn’t crawl into the apple but hatches from within, sin begins in the hidden places of the heart. But the good news is this: if sin works its way out, so can the Spirit. What Christ plants in us — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — can also come forth and bear fruit for the world to see.

Life-Changing Applications

1. Examine Your Heart Daily – Ask yourself, What is flowing out of me? If your words are sharp or your spirit is bitter, that’s a sign God is calling you to surrender those hidden places.

2. Choose Transformation, Not Just Behavior Management – Don’t just polish the outside; let Christ renew the inside. Invite the Holy Spirit to change your motives, not just your manners.

3. Plant Seeds of the Spirit – Spend time in prayer, worship, and the Word. What you plant inside will eventually show up outside. Sow faith, and you’ll reap peace. Sow forgiveness, and you’ll reap freedom.

Prayer of Surrender and Encouragement

Heavenly Father, I surrender the hidden places of my heart to You. Take away what defiles me and plant what pleases You. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a loyal spirit within me. Encourage me when I feel weak, strengthen me when I am weary, and remind me that Your Spirit living in me is greater than the sin working against me. Let my words, my thoughts, and my actions reflect Christ in me, the hope of glory. Amen.

Invitation to Christian Discipleship

If today you realize that what’s been coming out of your life doesn’t reflect Christ, you don’t have to stay that way. Jesus offers you a new heart and a new beginning. The Bible says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT).

Ekklesia Christian Life Ministries invites you to surrender your heart to Jesus today. Walk with us as a called-out family of believers, reflecting the image of Christ Jesus together.

LoveUmorethanUknow,

Pastor Stephän Kirby