September 6, 2026
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5 (NLT)
Several years ago, I was asked to teach a Medical Terminology course at a local community college to a group of students who were learning to communicate through sign language. Medical terminology can feel like learning another language because many medical words are built with prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Once you understand the parts of the word, you can often begin to understand the condition being described. For example:
– algia means pain ~ Neuralgia, pain along or involving a nerve.
– ectomy means surgical removal ~ Appendectomy, surgical removal of the appendix.
– itis means inflammation ~ Arthritis, inflammation of a joint/joints.
– ology means the study of ~ Cardiology, study of the heart and cardiovascular system.
– oma refers to a tumor or mass ~ Lipoma, a usually benign mass composed of fatty tissue.
– osis refers to an abnormal condition ~ Cyanosis, the skin/mucous membranes due to reduced oxygenation.
– pathy refers to disease or suffering ~ Neuropathy, disease or dysfunction of one or more nerves.
As a nurse, I learned that terminology matters because before you can properly address a condition, you need to understand what you are dealing with! And that got me thinking about another condition, one that doesn’t appear in medical terminology textbooks. It is SIN! If sin appeared in a medical dictionary, perhaps its prognosis would read:
Condition: SIN
Population affected: All humanity ~ Romans 3:23
Mode of transmission: Through Adam ~ Romans 5:12
Primary site affected: The heart ~ Mark 7:21–23
Progression if untreated: Death ~ Romans 6:23
Treatment: Redemption through Jesus Christ ~ Ephesians 1:7
Prognosis in Christ: Eternal life ~ Romans 6:23
You see, SIN is more than bad behavior. It is the condition of the heart that produces symptoms in our lives. Here are some possible symptoms: anger, bitterness, jealousy, pride, unforgiveness, selfishness, lying, and dishonesty. What I have observed is that sometimes we spend years treating the symptoms while refusing to confront the underlying condition.
Last week’s devotional asked us to look in the mirror, examine ourselves, and stop diagnosing everybody else long enough to allow God’s Word to examine us. Matthew 7:3-5 says, “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” (NLT) Jesus is saying for us to deal with the plank in our own eye before concentrating on the speck in someone else’s.
Can you imagine going to see your physician because you have symptoms of an illness but spending the entire appointment describing everybody else’s symptoms?
“Doctor, let me tell you what’s wrong with my husband.”
“Let me tell you what’s wrong with my children.”
“Let me tell you what’s wrong with my coworker.”
“And while I’m here, doctor, let me tell you what’s wrong with the church!”
And the physician says: “But you’re the patient.”
Self-confrontation brings us back to the examination table. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalms 139:23-24 (NLT)
The interesting thing about contamination is that it spreads beyond its original location. Hebrews 12:15 reminds us to “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” (NLT) The interesting thing about an untreated heart issue doesn’t necessarily remain isolated. You see, bitterness affects relationships. Anger affects communication. Pride affects teachability, and unforgiveness affects fellowship. Hidden sin affects intimacy with God. You see,
“What we refuse to confront within us eventually affects what flows from us.”
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
HEART
CHECK: What Is the Examination Revealing? Ask yourself:
- What has God been showing me about ME that I have been reluctant to confront?
- Am I focusing more on someone else’s “speck” than my own “log”?
- Is there anger, bitterness, pride, unforgiveness, jealousy, dishonesty, or other sin(s) that I have allowed to remain in my heart?
- Has something I refused to confront within me begun to affect my relationships, attitudes, words, or walk with God?
- What is the Master Physician asking me to LET GO? “Search me, O God, and know my heart…” Psalm 139:23
HEART 
CHALLENGE: Stop Chasing Symptoms ~ Stop ONLY Treating the Symptoms
♥ This week, stop diagnosing everyone else and allow God to examine you. Ask Him to reveal one attitude, behavior, motive, or heart condition that needs attention.
♥ When He reveals it, don’t excuse it, rename it, justify it, or blame someone else for it.
♥ Confess it, find the Scripture that addresses it, and take one specific step of obedience.
REMEMBER:
♥ You cannot surrender what you refuse to confront.
♥ Search ME. Examine ME. Correct ME. Change ME.
♥ And when God shows you what needs to go ~ LET IT GO!
GOD’S STANDING ORDERS ~ The Master Physician’s Prescription For Life. 
God’s Word is the prescription;
our obedience is the 
administration.
We must take a 
daily dose, never skip doses, and apply it consistently!
Standing Orders For The Heart: The Master Physician’s Prescription for Self-Confrontation
Order #1: Submit to examination ~ Psalm 139:23–24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (NLT)
Order #2: Acknowledge the diagnosis: 1 John 1:8. “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” (NLT)
Order #3: Confess the condition ~ 1 John 1:9. “ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (NLT)
Order #4: Remove what contaminates ~ Colossians 3:5-9. “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.” (NLT)
Order #5: Replace it with what is healthy ~ Colossians 3:12-14. “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”(NLT)
Order #6: Follow the prescription daily ~ Psalm 119:11. “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Order #7: Return for regular Heart Checks ~ 2 Corinthians 13:5. “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.” (NLT)
SIN left untreated has a terminal outcome: DEATH.
~ Romans 6:23 gives you the exact biblical language: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (NLT)
SIN!
The diagnosis is universal.
The prognosis without Christ is death.
But praise God, the diagnosis is not without a cure.
REMEMBER:
Some things cannot be managed.
Some things cannot be justified.
Some things cannot be renamed.
Some things cannot be blamed on somebody else.
Some things must be confronted, confessed, and removed!
You cannot heal what you refuse to confront, and you cannot confront what you keep calling somebody else’s problem.
LET’S PRAY: 
Father God, thank You for Your authoritative, inerrant, and inspired Word that shows us what is in our hearts and guides us in confronting ourselves. Search us, examine us, and reveal anything within us that does not please You. Give us the humility to confront it, the courage to confess it, and the obedience to release it. Create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. Help us stop focusing on what needs to change in others and surrender what You desire to change in us. Thank You for the cleansing, forgiveness, and transforming power found in Jesus Christ, in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
REFERENCES: Logos Bible Study, WORDsearch, Life Application Series, Various Commentaries, and Study Bibles.