Sunday, November 10, 2013
PURER IN HEART (17)
Creating and Maintaining a Pure Heart - 1
Make up your mind!
In this study, we have noted the extensive use of the
expression “pure heart” in its various forms throughout scripture.
We have also devoted considerable time to the qualities of a pure
heart including – 1) It is undivided, resolved and prioritized, 2) It
has integrity (virtue); 3) It is honest; 4) It exercises self-control;
5) It is patient and humble; 6) It is content; 7) It is kind and
dignified in its dealings with others; 8) It manifests confidence and 9)
It loves as we read in the Bible.
These are qualities that we can examine in our lives and if they
are present, you will likely find a pure heart.
IF they are not present, developing the qualities that are
lacking is where you will begin growing a pure heart in your life.
In addition to this we have also noted that there are many
dangers around us. These are
the things of this world that will compete for your loyalty to God. SOME
of them we have discussed including: 1) Sensual lust; 2)Pride; 3)
Covetousness; 4) Ignorance and unbelief; 5) Busyness and clutter; 6)
Bitterness and other unhealthy attitudes such as hate, envy, etc.; and
7) The tongue which James warns us is a spiritual indicator.
As with developing godly qualities, we need to avoid these
attitudes and the circumstances that promote them if we are to have a
pure heart. In
examining these we have noted several actions (including developing the
godly qualities) that will help us deal with the specific dangers.
In the portion of our study that we begin today we want to
notice some things we can do to maintain purity of heart in our lives.
For many, the things we will address is nothing new.
They simply serve as reminders of how to get saved (purify our
hearts) and stay saved (maintain that pure heart).
I humbly submit these thoughts for myself and all who hear these
words.
a.
Turning to God is the
first step in the purification process by removing your sins.
i.
Acts 15:9.
The expression, “purifying their hearts by faith” is a reference
to Cornelius and his household obeying the gospel.
ii.
We can manifest all the
good qualities discussed above and avoid the ungodly dangers with
perfection, but if we have not obeyed the gospel, we will NOT see God.
So that is where it has to begin.
iii.
The blood of Jesus
cleanses us of all sin (Acts 22:16, Rev. 1:5, Heb. 9:14, etc.)
iv.
BUT, let it be noted
that before God can purify your heart, YOU have to take the necessary
steps to come in contact with that blood – Acts 2:38, 3:19 – “Repent
therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that
times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
b.
If we sin as a child of
God, again we need to take care of it.
i.
1 John 1:6-9 – in this
text we find that to take care of our sins, we need to confess them in
prayer which is what vs. 9 is about.
However, before we can do that we need to “walking in the light”.
That does mean living a perfect life, but it DOES mean that we
are taking care of our sins.
ii.
In other words, we need
to repent – which means to change one’s mind and go to God in prayer
(Acts 8:22). More on
repentance in another lesson.
a.
If you seek a pure heart
this is where it is going to begin.
If you are to develop the qualities we have studied this year and
if you are to avoid the dangers and pitfalls to the pure heart, it will
begin with a resolve that cannot be shaken.
Not a superficial, emotional response – but a deeply, rooted
decision that will affect the direction of the rest of your life.
b.
Is this not what Jesus
called for when He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matt. 16:24)
c.
Josh 24:14-15 - Choose
who you will serve – In his farewell address to Israel, Joshua issues a
challenge to them. They have
already begun showing signs of wavering by failing to fully obey the
Lord’s instructions to drive out the inhabitants completely from the
land. He then said, “Now
therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and
put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the
River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to
serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether
the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the
River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for
me and my house, we will serve the Lord.””
d.
1 Kings 18:21 - On
another occasion, Elijah was serving God as a prophet during the reign
of King Ahab in Israel who has the distinction of being the most wicked
king of their history to that point.
He had married Jezebel who completely turned him away from God
and to the idols of Baal from Sidon.
Elijah was a thorn in Ahab’s side because he exposed his
wickedness. 1 Kings 18
records an occasion when he challenges Ahab (and Jezebel) to a contest
on Mt. Carmel. An offering was to be made to the Baal’s and to Jehovah
God. Whoever’s offering was
answered by fire was God. The prophets of Baal, for most of the day,
tried everything to get their so-called gods to respond but nothing
happened. Then Elijah
drenched his altar with water 3 times and called out to the LORD.
Fire came from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, lapped up the
water and the altar itself.
There was no question that YHWH is Almighty God.
At the conclusion of the offerings for the day, the prophets of
Baal were seized by Israel and executed (we read there were 450 prophets
of Baal and another 400 prophets of Asherah).
As he began this challenge, Elijah said the following to Israel,
“How long will you falter
between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if
Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.” (1 Kings
18:21) Elijah was saying,
MAKE UP YOUR MIND!
e.
God does not like
wavering –
i.
Eph. 4:14 – we are to be
ground so, “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro
and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men,
in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,”
ii.
Jas. 1:6 tells that when
we pray, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who
doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”
iii.
Rev. 3:15-16, to the
church at Laodicea the Lord said “I know your works, that you are
neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then,
because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out
of My mouth.”
f.
God demands your total
commitment.
i.
Returning to the account
of Joshua challenging the people to choose Whom they would serve, we
note that Israel says, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the
Lord to serve other gods…” (vs. 16)
But Joshua responds by saying, “You cannot serve the Lord,
for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your
transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve
foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after
He has done you good.”” (Joshua 24:19–20).
NOTE: Why did Joshua say this?
Could it be he knew they were a fickle people?
Their “decision” was based upon emotions and not from the heart.
Friends, when we make up our minds it is NOT to be a passing
decision! It is a
commitment!
ii.
Jesus, in dealing with
potential followers dismissed their excuses.
He called for complete loyalty.
Luke 14:26-27 – Jesus said that he who does not forsake all other things
cannot be His disciple.
iii.
Luke 9:57-62.
He challenged them to forsake all and follow Him.
In other words, MAKE UP YOUR MIND!
On another occasion He said, “He who is not with Me is against Me,
and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” (Luke 11:23)
iv.
Matt. 6:24, in the
sermon on the Mount Jesus said you CANNOT serve God and mammon.
v.
2 Cor. 6:14-18 says, “Do
not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship
has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with
darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a
believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God
with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they
shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be
separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will
receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and
daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.””
g.
Friends, when it comes
to our hearts, we have to fully make up our minds to follow Him.
There are all sorts of people in this world who come face to face
with some decision that is going to affect the rest of their lives.
They have a few options.
1) They can procrastinate and try to put it off (see last week’s
lesson), 2) They can try to “take the fork” or hold on to both paths –
but they will never be any good at either path, 3) They can go down one
path but without real commitment OR 4) They can CHOOSE to go down one
path with a determination that they have made a decision and they are
going to do everything they can to make it work.
It is THIS final choice that we speak of.
h.
Living your life trying
to serve 2 masters is NO WAY TO LIVE.
It is NOT a way of peace, but of misery!
i.
Serving God is a choice!
Never forget it!
So that is where we begin this portion of our study.
It is that defining moment in your life where you decide if you
are going to be His disciple or not. You
cannot straddle the fence – because Satan owns the middle ground.
But it is NOT an easy choice as
it comes with a price. BUT,
if you are willing to pay that price, in the end, when it really counts,
you will not regret it. And
that is why we are here. In
coming lessons we are going to talk about this CHOICE that we have made
and how to enhance your chance for success.