A Covenant Moment ~ Keeping a Pure Heart

The Path to a Pure Heart

... God's Word leads the Way

May 25, 2010

Greetings!

The word pure isn't used much in conversation today. It seems it is out of style. As the world moves further away from Jesus as Lord and accepts diversity and change purity is becoming obsolete. Fortunately, the Bible has the final interpretation of what is "pure" and a different opinion of purity.

I have been thinking about purity as I grow older and watch my children mature into adults. I desire a "pure" heart for myself and my children yet know that I cannot control their heart and even my own. The Bible tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that "the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" God is clear about the condition of the heart untamed by His grace ... it is impure and unmaintainable.

Purity of heart has been a desire of followers of Jesus since He came to earth. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus, Jesus describes the rewards of a pure heart, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8). So, on one hand we have a heart that is deceitful and beyond cure. On the other hand, we have Jesus stating that those pure in heart will see God. What gives?

A pure heart is both a question of motive and application. That is, what is the motive behind your action, speech or thought and what is the application of God's Word and will in your life. Basically, are you living for and with God or is He someone you call upon in a time of need as my friend Tom states, "a vending machine God?"

The path to purity is described clearly in God's Word. Although we will never be pure on this side of Heaven, we can have a pure heart before God as we strive to live in His will and ways.

The Path to Purity of Heart

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

~ Psalm 119:9-11 ~

Purity ... But How?

Purity seems such a lofty concept in this sin-stained world. Yet, God's Word declares it is to be our aim. Psalm 119 is a response to the human condition and our need for answers and guidance to purity and pleasing God. As it turns out, God has provided His Word to be a "lamp to our feet and a light to our path" (Psalm 119:105).

We can strive to keep our life pure by reading and applying God's Word to our life. To be pure, we must live according to His Word and not according to our mind, flesh or condition (Matthew 4:4). To be pure, we must stay clean and unmarked by the stain of the world (James 1:27). To be pure we must repent when we do fall victim to temptation and seek God's grace, mercy and forgiveness (1 John 1:9). To be pure we must grow to be like Jesus in action, thought and speech (Ephesians 4:22-24).

The path to purity is through the massive expanse and ever-growing beauty of God's infallible Word. To be found pure in heart we must read God's Word and apply it to our lives. Read His Word. Live His Word. Enjoy His Word. Don't read to simple read but read to be transformed (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

I am on a path to purity and it is created by God's Word. I am far from pure but I am at peace. The peace does not come from arriving at my destination but from my guide on the trip to the destination ... Jesus Christ and His Word. My task is to follow the light and lamp as set by God's Word and to trust in Him as He leads me to purity in Heart.

For King and Kingdom,

Randy Martin

661-326-8304