Good morning.

In Gospel of Mark 7, Jesus confronts something deep, not outward religion, but the condition of the heart.

“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” (Mark 7:6)

Message:
God is not impressed by appearance -He looks at the heart.

The Pharisees were focused on traditions, rituals, and outward cleanliness. But Jesus exposed the truth: you can look “right” on the outside and still be far from God on the inside.

Teaching:
Jesus shifts the focus from external behavior to internal transformation.

“Nothing outside a person can defile them… rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” (Mark 7:15)

Sin doesn’t start in actions — it starts in the heart.
Words, attitudes, and choices reveal what is already inside us.

This means:

* A clean image doesn’t equal a clean heart

* Religious routine doesn’t equal relationship

* God desires sincerity over performance

Devotion:
Take a moment today and ask:
“Lord, what’s in my heart?”

Not what people see, but what God sees.
That’s where real change begins.

The beauty of this chapter is that Jesus doesn’t just expose, He restores. When we surrender our hearts, He makes us clean from the inside out.

Prayer:
Lord, purify my heart. Remove anything in me that doesn’t honor You. Help me not to just say the right things, but to live from a heart that is truly close to You. Transform me from the inside out. Amen.

Final Thought:
God isn’t after perfect behavior, He’s after a surrendered heart.
When your heart is right, your life will follow.