The bible says that "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). What does God see when He peers into your heart? Comparison? Jealousy? Lust? Allow the Lord to purify your heart with His word over this 6-day topical devotional.

2. Day 1
Introduction
Matters of the heart can be tricky. We can try to cover them up, but the abundance of
what we harbor inside will always make an external debut.
Consider the stories of some people we look up to in Scripture. For instance, before the
launch of his ministry, Moses bore the seed of murder in his heart and killed an Egyptian
man. And let's not forget the lust in David's heart that instigated a painstaking scandal.
I'm sure you remember David's son. Wise King Solomon? With all his wisdom, he
couldn't keep his hands off foreign women and their gods.
This is precisely why Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to guard our hearts above all else. “For
everything you do comes from it.” Guardianship over our hearts isn't merely a suggestion
here. "Above all else" indicates that we'd better be intentional about what we allow to
come in.
Just as the physical body benefits from a detox, the same is true with regard to our
souls. The better the state of our hearts, the healthier the condition of our lives. This
heart cleanse targets a few very specific heart issues that we all deal with. And they
aren’t ones that we are likely to admit to on our own. Some of us simply aren’t
comfortable proclaiming that we’re struggling with comparison, jealousy, pride, lust and
guilt. But here’s the beauty of it all: God isn’t intimidated.
Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let
the righteous be shaken.” And Jeremiah 32:27 says, "I am the LORD, the God of all
mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”
In other words, your burdens are no challenge for our sovereign God. He's dealt with
more heart issues than you and I could ever imagine.
To get the most out of this heart cleanse, it’s imperative to come before the Lord
humbly. A humble heart before the Lord is like loosening the gunk from a stained pan
prior to washing it. When all the grease and residue is loosened from the surface,
washing the pan becomes a breeze.

3. In the process of a heart cleanse, our humility works like a stain-loosening agent. A
humble heart is unconstricted, making room for the word of God to wash away what
isn’t of Him.
Over the next few days I invite you to be open, honest and vulnerable with God. My
prayer is that this heart cleanse would guide you to examine your heart beyond what’s
covered in this devotional.
Let’s kick it off with prayer:
Dear Lord,
I come before you humbly and ask you to cleanse my heart. Uncover what is hidden in
me and remove everything that isn’t of you. As you renew me from within, teach me also
to guard my heart from impurities so that I may honor you from the place that matters
to you the most.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

4. Day 2
Comparison Cleanse
If Jesus were standing before you, watching you (miserably) compare yourself to
someone else, what do you think he would say? I think I have a pretty good bible-based
idea. In John 21, while Jesus and Peter were having a heart-to-heart, Peter notices
John following behind, then turns back to Jesus and asks him for a prophetic revelation
concerning the nature of John’s death, just as Jesus had indicated his (Peter’s) death.
Jesus responds to Peter in the same way that I believe he might respond today. While
Jesus knew the answer to Peter’s question, he had a bigger point to get across.
His response in a nutshell: It. Doesn’t. Matter.
“Jesus answered, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You
must follow me.'"
Following Jesus requires us to keep our eyes on him. But at times, we find ourselves
like Peter; more concerned about God’s plan for other people than His plan for us. In
doing so, we may even make decisions that are misaligned with God’s custom plan for
our lives.
What’s more, when we compare ourselves to others, we make them, and not Christ, the
standard for how we should be. We determine that what they have is what we’re
missing, suggesting that God must have gotten it wrong with us.
In all reality, what we’re really missing is how amazingly complete and unique we are. In
fact, you, my friend, are so unique that on a planet of billions of people, no one
mistakenly ended up with an exact copy of your DNA.
There's no one like you.
The late Dr. Seuss figured it out when he said, “Today you are you, that is truer than
true. There is no one alive that is youer than you.”
Comparison distracts us from our unique spiritual gifts and callings. It tears down our
confidence and fools us into thinking that we have nothing to offer. When we're stuck
comparing ourselves, we're less likely to pick up our pens and start writing our books,
composing our songs, or initiating our business ideas. Whatever it may be.

5. When we obsess over how we compare to others, we distort God’s purpose for the
body of Christ. We invite division among us rather than embracing God's vision of unity
wherein each member of the body does his or her job while sharing "the same care for
one another." (1 Corinthians 12: 25)
When we’re loyal to who we are, we do better at serving others. God designed the body
of Christ to function like an ecosystem, where each believer plays his or her unique role
in edifying the body as a whole. In 1 Corinthians 12:18 the Apostle Paul makes it clear
that there's nothing random about our arrangement in the body of Christ. God chose us
to be the way we are, intentionally.
But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
(1 Corinthians 12:18)
If we're comparing ourselves to others in a way that's toxic to our souls, then we're
missing the target of God's vision for our lives.
Let's Detox
The longer we keep up this comparison attitude, the longer we'll be misaligned with
God's vision for us as members functioning in the body of Christ. God never designed
us to compete with one another. He intended for us to complement one another. From
this day forward, let's make it our target to keep Jesus as the ultimate standard to
fashion ourselves after. Let's decide to only make comparisons when it's necessary for
being inspired, not for thinking less of ourselves.
Think about your unique traits. How can you begin embracing and stewarding these
traits even more?
Let's Drain it Out with Prayer
Precious Lord,
I set my eyes on you for direction and find my significance by looking only to you. Wash
my heart of comparison toxicity and uproot every consequent seed of resentment and
jealousy that has festered within.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

6. Day 3
Jealousy Cleanse
Have you ever struggled to be genuinely happy for someone? What I mean is, the
Christian in you wanted to celebrate with them, but on the inside, your heart ached with
envy and jealousy. I’ll be the first to slowly and awkwardly raise my hand. But in the
early part of my journey with Christ, I had this idea that I was immune to jealousy--too
content and focused on Jesus to ever be jealous, as far as I was concerned.
That is, until jealousy came banging at my door. And knocked it down, actually. In one
particular season of my life, I felt so ashamed that it made me feel uncomfortable
around other people.
Looking at Scripture, there were a few men in the bible who, just like me (and maybe
you), needed a heart cleanse from jealousy. These men were disciples of John the
Baptist.
For a while, John had been the only one baptizing people. But when Jesus entered the
scene, the crowd drew towards him and he began baptizing more people than John.
When John’s disciples took note of the shift, they reported the outrage to their leader.
‘“They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other
side of the Jordan--the one you testified about--look, he is baptizing, and everyone is
going to him." (John 3:26)
John’s disciples were so caught up worrying about numbers that their image of Jesus
became warped. Likewise, if we’re not careful to repel the spirit of jealousy, we can
invite resentment into our hearts. We can mishandle and confuse the purpose of vital
relationships, even growing distant from people who were placed in our lives to help us.
Jealousy is a joy-killer that invites a covetous spirit. Rather than counting our blessings,
jealousy influences us to focus on what we don’t have. Thus, we become discontent
and ungrateful.
In 1 Samuel 18, King Saul’s heart was filled with jealousy after David’s victory against
Goliath. It didn’t matter that David had rescued Israel from their biggest Philistine threat.
In Saul’s eyes, David’s win was a loss for him. Saul spent the rest of his life on a
senseless pursuit of David--wasting his life, his gifts, and his ministry.

7. Just like that, jealousy can cloud our judgement. It can cause us to make enemies
(needlessly), all the while dimming our own spiritual light.
It’s no wonder why the Apostle Paul warned the Galatians to keep from a life filled with
jealousy, among other acts of the flesh. “...... I warn you, as I did before, that those who
live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:21).
Can I keep it real? It’s not worth it.
Let’s Detox
Contrary to storing jealousy in our hearts which makes us discontent, 1 Thessalonians
5:18 says that God’s will is for us to be thankful. I’m not sure what invited jealousy into
your heart, but it’s time to show it to the door.
While jealousy produces covetousness, God simply invites us to ask Him for what we
want. James put it this way: “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you
cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do
not ask God. (James 4:2)
Let’s make the decision to trade in jealousy for gratitude, and when it applies, to ask
God for what we desire. I can assure you that peace will follow.
Let’s Drain it Out with Prayer
Dear Lord,
Please filter my heart of jealousy and cleanse me to honor you with a heart filled with
gratitude. Renew my mind with a purpose to love my neighbor from a pure heart.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

8. Day 4
Idolatry Cleanse
The word idolatry often sounds like an ancient term that only applies in reference to the
Children of Israel in bible history. Consequently, when we think of idols, what comes to
mind may be a golden calf or perhaps statues of Baal.
But let’s not rule ourselves out too quickly. May I suggest that we’ve all struggled, or
may be struggling presently, with an occasional case of idolatry? You know? Those
points when we make something else priority over God.
In Matthew 19, the Bible talks about a rich young ruler who earnestly seeks to know
what he must do to inherit the Kingdom of God. Jesus, wanting to expose the true
condition of his heart, tells the young man to give away all his possessions to the poor,
then invites the young man to follow him. But as it turns out, this young wealthy ruler
was no longer so eager.
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
(Matthew 19:22)
When this rich young man walked away sad, it's obvious that he was torn. He wanted to
inherit the kingdom of God, but not if it meant handing over his riches.
In the same way, many of us avoid a deeper commitment to Christ because we're torn
by the idea of letting something go. For the young man in Scripture it was his riches. For
us it could be a career, a distracting habit, or a tie to an ungodly relationship. Or maybe
it’s fear. Maybe fear has been a lot more influential than God’s voice.
Whatever it is, if it’s taking God’s place or dimming down His voice, it’s time to give it the
boot.
Let’s detox:
In the history of mankind, putting God first has been a universal issue. But from the
inscribed words on Moses’ tablet to the writing in this devotional, God has been
redirecting His children to come back to Him. Jonah preached that “Those who cling to
worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.” (What a tough pill to swallow.)

9. Today, let’s get serious. Let’s cherish God’s love for us by turning to Him
wholeheartedly. God asks us to choose Him, knowing that when anything else takes His
place, we’ll always come up empty in the end.
Let’s Drain it out in Prayer:
Precious Lord,
Please examine my heart and help me see what or who I’ve allowed to take your place in
my life. While it may be difficult, give me the strength to walk away from these idols and
live a life totally surrendered to you. Let your love and mercy heal my heart wherever it
may hurt while letting go. Grant me a clearer understanding of your sufficiency and
matchless love as I strive to always put you first.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

10. Day 5
Lust Cleanse
Disclaimer: Although lust is a much broader topic than dealing with sexual temptation, the context of
today’s devotional appears indicative of sexuality. However, in order to leave room for my readers to
connect in their own way, I’ve refrained from using the words “sexual temptation” anywhere in today’s
devotional. Let’s dive in.
“The Lord wants you to read Psalm 51 to wash those lustful thoughts out of your mind.”
Those were the words that left me wide-eyed on a phone call with a devoted godly
woman I know. A little embarrassed, I wasn’t sure how to respond. But what I knew was
that I had been struggling privately with a pattern of lustful thoughts. And while I’m not
sure why God chose to deal with me so openly, I knew it was a wakeup call to work on
my heart. Perhaps this is yours.
I get it. We’re human, and it's normal to have desires. But according to 1 Peter 2:9, we're
not just human. Believers are also "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
God’s special possession" in Christ. So when those desires become lustful, we have to
draw the line.
1 John 2:16 says, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” In the same spirit,
Romans 12:2 urges us not to “conform to the patterns of this world.”
If lust doesn't come from the Father, then lustful indulgence positions us outside of the
will and fashion of God. That’s certainly not our place. As God's children, our aim is to
stay in unity with Him, not to be at odds with Him.
In John 15:4, Jesus says that unless we remain in him, we cannot bear good fruit. If the
fruit we're producing is lust, we need to deepen our roots in Jesus by connecting with
him more intentionally.
One thing's for sure. We can't achieve a deeper connection with God and counteract
lustful desires without placing an emphasis on His word. Psalms 119:9 says "How can a
young man [or, any man] cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word."

11. If all we talk about is how hard it is to resist temptation, then we'll only face the struggle
to resist temptation. But if we focus on the provision that God has already made for us,
we’ll get to enjoy the sweet victory over sin that we have in Christ.
Romans 6:14 affirms that “sin no longer has power over us.” This means that you don’t
have to be overcome by lustful desires. God's provision for sin is a done deal.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to
mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
Do you really believe that there is ALWAYS a way out of lustful temptations? Well God
doesn’t waste words.
Let’s Detox
Lust knows no boundaries. It’s a consuming longing that is never satisfied and a bait of
Satan to withdraw us from God. But neither Satan, the depth of lustful desire, nor its
duration in your life can master God's word. But will you let God's word work for you?
Will you allow God to disrupt the patterns of lust in your life by meditating on and
confessing what He says? Let's start now.
Let's Drain it Out with Confessions
Sin (lust) has no power over me. (Romans 6:14)
For every temptation, I have a way out. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
I am not a slave to sin, but a slave to righteousness. (Romans 6:18)
Indeed, I am the righteousness of God through Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:21)
I walk in total triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14).

12. Day 6
Guilt Cleanse
I want to make this point early. That way, if anything happens in the middle of you
reading today’s devotional, you’ll still remember this: Whether you’ve dealt with
comparison, jealousy, idolatry, lust, or anything else for that matter--God wants to stay in
communion with you no matter what.
One of Satan’s schemes is to use guilt to keep us away from God. In Revelation 12:10,
Satan is named the accuser of the brethren. It’s no surprise that he would want us to
feel helpless and defeated in our guilt--leaving us to believe that God can never get over
what we’ve done.
But the only thing that matters is where God stands on this.
Colossians 1:22 affirms, "But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body
through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
"
Scripture makes it clear that God not only broke us free from the stronghold of sin, but
that He also liberated us from the weight of guilt.
Let's not be mistaken. God hates sin. That’s for sure. He may have justified us, but He
will never justify sin. In fact, Jesus wouldn't have had to die if it were not for sin. But
that’s exactly the point.
It’s over.
Jesus is done dying. So guilt is officially out of a job.
1 John 2:1 says, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not
sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous.”
How comforting is it to know that rather than pointing fingers at us, God is pointing us
to Jesus, our eternal high priest who invites us to approach his throne of grace boldly.

13. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This peace with God isn’t reversed every time we sin. It’s final. Just as final as Jesus'
death and resurrection. But the lie that Satan wants to feed us is that we become less
loved when we mess up. And before we know it, guilt is rooting itself in our hearts.
Pushing us into a dark, isolated place.
When guilt establishes a place inside of us, our hearts become resistant to God’s truth.
But God wants us to be convinced that we are irreversibly righteous, undoubtedly
forgiven, and passionately loved and accepted.
Let’s Detox
If you're dealing with guilt right now, this is your moment to embrace God's freedom. In
fact, it's not about what you've done at all, as it's no match for the grace of Almighty
God. You can turn off the voice of guilt right now by simply choosing to take God at His
word. God is reminding you now that "who the son sets free is free indeed." You are free
indeed.
I’ll risk sounding repetitive to remind you again that God wants to stay in communion
with you no matter what. Like the prodigal son who returns to his father in Luke chapter
18, see yourself drawing near to God. Without mentioning your fault, He’s advancing
towards you with His loving embrace. This is the heart of your God.
Let’s Drain it Out in Prayer
Precious Lord,
Thank you for freeing me from guilt long before I knew it. With a renewed mind, I reject
the accusations of Satan and now open my heart to receive the promise of peace
offered through Christ.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.