Heart Care

by Wayne Cordeiro on November 27, 2024

Good morning! It is Wednesday, November 27, 2024. Solomon wisely instructed: “Watch over your heart with all diligence!” It’s our inner conversations that matter most. Heart care is something we often overlook, only to find ourselves in a dark place. Read on...

Today's Reading:

Psalms 125; Matthew 26,27

Scripture

“Pilate asked them, ‘Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.” (Matthew 27:17-18)

Observation

ENVY! How it clouds our judgment and decisions—turning sour into sweet, wrong into right, and the detestable into the acceptable! The religious leaders handed Jesus over to be crucified, not because of any wrongdoing, but because of their envy. Even secular people recognize the destructive power of envy.

Envy belongs to the same camp as jealousy, covetousness, and resentment. It is as invisible to the beholder as lust, greed, or pride. Like a fungus, envy subtly grows in dark places, which is why we must constantly expose our hearts to the cleansing light of God’s truth.

Application

When I reflect on the religious leaders’ motives, I am warned of envy’s contagious nature. You can be a religious leader, but if your heart is unmaintained, you risk becoming a Pharisee. You can be an elder, but if your heart remains unexposed to the light of God’s Word, undetected envy can quietly influence your every action.

Maintaining your heart requires a daily regimen of care:

Consistent Repentance. The first step is realization; the second is refusing to tolerate envy any longer. God cannot change what I choose to tolerate.
Exposure to God’s Word. Daily devotions are non-negotiable for maintaining the heart. Like Mary in Luke 10, we must “choose the good part!”
Openness to Correction. The toughest test for a servant is how they respond to correction. Regardless of whether the critique is entirely valid, our response reveals much about the state of our hearts.

Prayer

I need to keep my heart exposed to the light of God’s Word and consistently adjust my perspectives accordingly. Heart care ensures that my inner conversations are always pleasing to Him.

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About the Author

Wayne Cordeiro

Dr. Wayne Cordeiro is the founding pastor of the New Hope International Ministry beginning in 1984 in Hilo, Hawaii. In 1995, he relocated to Honolulu and pioneered New Hope Oahu. Within 10 years, NHO was listed among the ten most innovative churches in America. Outreach Magazine listed them as one of the “top five churches to learn from.” New Hope has seen over 110,000 first time decisions since its inception and has planted 153 churches on the West Coast and in Okinawa, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar and Australia.

Wayne is an author of over 14 books and speaks globally on ministry and leadership. He also designed the Life Journal and the SOAP method for daily devotions used by thousands of churches. He is also the general editor of the LifeConnect Study Bible. In 2017, he passed the leadership baton in Hawaii and relocated to Eugene, Oregon to be president of New Hope Christian College (formerly Eugene Bible College, his alma mater). New Hope Christian College highlights the development of both the message and the messenger. (For more information, go to Newhope.edu).

In 2020, he pioneered New Hope West which partners with New Hope Christian College. It has become a “lab church” for ministry and leadership development. Wayne’s life themes are emphasizing the Word of God, a daily devotion to Jesus, evangelism, church planting, leadership development, communication and redeeming the arts and technology for Christ.

Wayne and his wife, Anna have been married for over 49 years. They have three married children (Amy Hisaoka, Aaron Cordeiro, and Abigail Rivest) and nine grandchildren. His hobbies include music, reading, golf, pickleball, and riding his horse.