What really defiles. (Matthew 15:1-20)

Tradition in so many places, especially in church, have caused a lot of issues. Not just in places of the world but in the church as well. Did then with Isaiah, did in JESUS'S time, does now, and it is really easy to ignore the damage it is actively doing it your heart in the middle of it.
It's easy to say, "Well they aren't from my tribe." "They don't go to my church." "They don't believe what I believe." "They are wrong..." and eventually, "They are evil. It's them!" And very very quickly, alarmingly so really, we go from a disagreement where hurt speaks louder than love to IDs to make sure everyone is "The right kind of person" be it golden stars, pink triangles or proof of vaccination. [I know it's touchy, I hurt for the hearts lost in the battle, I will not give an inch, if you are okay getting rid of "them" you are missing the point of grace... you are the them!!!!] We are literally all the "them" when it comes to being at odds with GOD. All have fallen short of the glory of GOD, remember? So if HE sets it right by grace, by HIS bloody, lying down HIS life rather than bringing the destruction that is so richly deserved. So how's that for a perspective shift?! JESUS, who has every right -As The SON of GOD- to wipe us out, go full Noah on us... and instead, HIS moment of being crowned as Glorious KING, as VICTOR as Savior of The WORLD and LORD, is when HE'S being murdered, in our place, dying, on a Roman torture device, in front of friends and family, giving them hope. In front of enemies, asking for mercy upon them because they have no clue. And in front of the enemy, being wounded, and crushing the enemy's head in the process, cutting off the power of death, of hell, of the grave. Moving us from the dry bones of the death in sh'ol to a place of new life, from Glory to Glory and never going back to what we once were.

What is on the heart to do? To avoid offence and have any miss what is truth here over emotion: If GOD tells you to put on a mask, do it. If HE tells you to get the shot, do it! If GOD tells you not to put on a mask, don't. If GOD-Almighty tells you not to get the shot, don't do it. Don't try and force or legislate morality; dig into the facts and information, and more importantly than that, dig into what GOD wants you to do. Cause well I mean.... it's what GOD said to do. If a preacher, a pastor, a leader, or anyone else says to follow and obey what they say blindly... run!!!!!! Run fast! Run hard! And run like hell is after you because it is! Not even GOD says to follow on blind faith. (Literally it's not only not in the bible, it's kind of a no-no to not have your heart in what you are doing. Just going through the motions... literally not okay. "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from GOD." Fun bit of news in tactless form, "GOD doesn't need humans to speak for HIM, HE just would like us to shut up so we can hear what HE is actually saying long enough to be learned something." So if what I have said offends you, if it makes you say ouch, then dig into HIM and ask HIM why. If it's got you saying Amen, then perhaps you already know and are seeing what I have been blessed to get learned to me, it's not about washed hands, it's about unclean hearts and unclean lips needing that purifying coal. [It too, from Isaiah, an example of CHRIST dying in our place;] {how beautiful is that, huh?!} And I promise you, it just keeps getting cooler as you dig into The LORD and into Relationship with HIM. Invite HIM in as your savior, invite HIM in as your KING, The ONE who died in our place, and welcome in HIS HOLY SPIRIT to truly walk in relationship with HIM, because it's good it know in your heart that HE IS, it's better to walk with HIM, as The COMPANION who sees us through it; The SPIRIT of The LIVING-And-ALMIGHTY-GOD! ^.^