Sunday, May 5, 2013 am
PURER IN HEART (5)
Qualities of a Pure Heart (1)
These are attributes that will present if our heart is pure.
If these qualities are absent, they are things we need to
develop. In this portion of
our study we also want to notice some things that contaminate the heart.
The next few weeks we are going to examine some of these
attributes in great detail.
a.
We actually discussed
this a little as we defined purity.
We noted that pure can mean either without contamination or
undiluted. Both apply to the
Christian’s heart. And
it is a key quality of a pure heart.
b.
It is important that we
understand the commitment involved in becoming a Christian means that
God will be first in our lives.
That is something that one needs to be comprehend BEFORE obeying
the gospel.
c.
Matt. 22:37 describes
the greatest commandment, “You
shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.”
That is the FIRST commandment!
It is the foundation of the undivided heart.
d.
This undivided attitude
is seen in the focus one has in his purpose.
“One thing!”
Paul told the Philippians, “Brethren,
I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those
things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the
prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
(Phil. 3:13-14) It means that
one not easily distracted or deterred from his purpose.
e.
Paul in 1 Corinthians
9:24-27 described our life as a race (a marathon rather than a sprint).
He noted that we are to run to win.
He then gave the illustration of an athlete who competes for the
prize. He is “temperate
in all things.”
That means his attention is undivided toward preparing so that he might
win the race. Paul concludes
by saying, “But I
discipline my body and bring it
into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself
should become disqualified.”
The discipline he spoke of demonstrated an undivided purpose.
f.
The DIVIDED heart will
lead to heartache and misery.
Because you will eventually be faced with having to choose one
thing over the other. The
divided heart leads to a less than committed life – you will not fight
the good fight with your all.
You will not run the race to win.
Your performance will be lack-luster and lukewarm.
It also leads to confusion as one doesn’t know where they truly
stand, which means you become frustrated.
i.
James 1:8 in speaking of one who
doubts in his prayers says that he is “double
minded, unstable in all his ways”.
ii.
In the parable of the
Sower, we find the thorny soil as unfit because it is divided between
serving God and the cares, riches and pleasures of this world (Luke
8:14) and as a result they bring no fruit to maturity.
iii.
Jesus taught that no one
can serve 2 masters. (Matt. 6:24)
His point was that serving God and Satan are diametrically
opposed to one another. Yet
how many want to try? That
is why James warned that friendship with the world is enmity with God
(Jas. 4:4)
1 John 2:15-17 tells us not to love the world or the things in the
world.
iv.
James 4:8 he says, “Draw
near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you
sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
g.
Psalm 86:11 says, “Teach
me Your way, O LORD; I will
walk in Your truth; Unite my
heart to fear Your name.”
Psalm 119:2, “Blessed are those
who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the
whole heart.”
“Give me understanding, and I
shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my
whole heart.” (Psalm
119:34). NOTE: 6 times the
119th psalm speaks of the “whole heart.”
h.
Is your heart undivided?
Is your undivided heart directed toward God?
a.
An undivided heart does
not mean that you cannot do more than one thing in your life.
It simply means that you have your priorities straight.
b.
We live in the world:
We have families, a job,
community responsibilities, responsibilities toward our brethren, etc.
At times we need to rest or to
get away for a while.
All these things are PART of our lives.
They are good and perhaps even necessary.
BUT, managing everything requires PRIORITY!
c.
What is priority?
The word actually means “the right to precede others in order,
rank, privilege, etc. precedence.”[1]
d.
The word “priority” is
not used in the Bible, but it is clearly taught in scripture as to our
relationship with God.
i.
Matt. 6:33 - Seek first
the kingdom of God.
ii.
Matt. 13:44-46 – the
kingdom of heaven is compared to a hidden treasure and a pearl of great
price.
iii.
Matt. 10:34-37 where
Jesus spoke of not bringing peace, but a sword.
He made reference to family relationships and the need to love
Him more than others.
iv.
Luke 9:59-62 finds Jesus
answering the excuses of others whose priorities were not straight.
v.
Luke 10:38-42 – when
Jesus is visiting the home of Mary and Martha.
We find Martha is distracted with the task of serving the Lord
and preparing a meal. Mary
was listening to the teachings of Jesus.
Martha asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her.
His response is worthy of note: “Martha,
Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
But one thing is
needed, and Mary has chosen that
good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
vi.
Luke 14:33, “So
likewise, whoever of you does not forsake
all that he has cannot be My
disciple.”
vii.
Priorities means serving
God will ALWAYS be chosen over the things of this world.
e.
The prioritized heart
will ensure that in all he does, God is at the forefront:
i.
It makes preparation. Consider Ezra who “had
prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to
teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.”
(Ezra 7:10)
ii.
It will tend to matters of the kingdom with haste and efficiency.
Just like the future apostles whom Jesus invited to follow Him.
They left their nets, their money tables and other tasks to
follow Him. (cf. Matt.
4:18-20, 9:9, etc.)
iii.
It involves balance. As we have noted, our lives
consist of many relationships and tasks that must be accomplished.
BUT, the pure heart WEIGHS priorities in carrying these things
out. Colossians 3:17 say, “And
whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
iv.
It may mean you can’t do everything you want to do, even if it is good.
One of the challenges of business in life is deciding what you
cannot do. The truth is you
CANNOT do everything. That
is why priorities are so important.
With wisdom you must weed through what is MOST important.
Cf. Gal. 6:10 – an example, your brethren come before the world!
f.
The pure heart will seek
God first, and prioritize the rest of one’s life based upon that.
a.
What is resolve?
The word means to come to a definite decision about something.
We sometimes use the term, “make up your mind.”
The word is only used 4 times in the NKJV, 2x in the NT.
Luke 16:4, “I have resolved what to do” (the unjust steward speaking), and Rom.
14:13, “let us not judge one
another anymore but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or
a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”
The usage of the words gives us
an understanding of what is meant.
b.
As with the word
“priority”, while the word is not used often in scripture, the idea of
resolve is found continually.
It is also found throughout scripture in words like
determination, endurance, diligence, committed, zeal, pressing on,
purpose, etc.
It is also found in little words like cannot, will not , must, ought to,
deny, etc.
c.
Consider the following
passages:
i.
1 Pet. 2:21-23 – the
example of Jesus for us is one of resolve.
He committed Himself to God willingly suffering on the cross.
ii.
Matt. 16:24, “IF
anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow
me.”
iii.
Acts 4:19-20 finds Peter
and John arrested for preaching Christ in the temple.
They are sternly warned to stop.
They answered, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to
God, you judge. For
we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
In other words, you are NOT going to stop us from preaching
Jesus!
iv.
Phil. 3:12-14 – Paul
pressed toward the goal of the upward call of God.
v.
Acts 21:12-13, toward
the conclusion of Paul’s 3rd preaching journey, he is warned
of what will happen in Jerusalem.
His friends pleaded with him to not go.
Paul answers, “What do you
mean by weeping and breaking my heart?
For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem
for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
That is an example of true resolve!
vi.
2 Timothy 2:15 – “Be
diligent to present yourself approved to God…”
vii.
Daniel was resolved to
serve God, even in a foreign land. Daniel 1:8 says that he purposed in
his heart that would not defile himself.
viii.
When Shadrach, Meshach
and Abed-Nego refuse to bow to the king’s golden idol and are threatened
with the fiery furnace they say, “We have no need to answer you in this matter.
If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O
king. But if not, let it be
known to you, O King, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we
worship the gold image which you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18
ix.
The children of Israel
under the direction of Nehemiah resolved to rebuild the walls and
nothing stopped them from accomplishing the work in very quick time (53
days). Neh. 4:6 says, “the
people had a mind to work.”
x.
Eccl. 9:10, “Whatever
your hands find to do, do it with all your might…”
xi.
Eph. 5:15-16 – walk
circumspectly, redeeming the time.
xii.
Rom. 12:11, “not lagging
in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
xiii.
Heb. 4:11, “Let
us be diligent to enter that rest…”
xiv.
Heb. 12:1-2, “Let
us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and
let us run with endurance the
race that is set before us…”
d.
A pure heart is resolved
(i.e. makes up its mind) that it is going to be pure.
i.
Why? Because
of its undivided purpose and because of its priorities.
ii.
Friends, this DOESN’T
happen until deep down we make up our minds to change or not change,
whatever the case might be!
iii.
Resolve is NOT
superficial! It will be seen
in continued faithfulness.
Heb. 2:1 – the more earnest heed lest we drift away.
iv.
When obstacles appear,
we will work through them and not be deterred by them.
v.
Resolve will also affect
what one does NOT do. It
will avoid that which endangers its purity (details in another lesson).
e.
Is your religion a
preference or a commitment?
i.
It is not uncommon today
to be asked, “What is your religious preference?”
As if, your religion is a choice like how you want your steak or
what color shirt you want to wear.
ii.
Yet, is that not how
many treat religion? As
merely a preference? Will you choose to believe in Jesus?
If so, what “flavor” of conduct do you want to choose?
They treat it as if it doesn’t matter what you believe.
“Attend the church of your choice!” they say.
iii.
Our
religion is NOT a mere preference, it must be a commitment!
The road to eternal destruction is wide and well-traveled (Matt.
7:13-14). But the path that
leads to eternal life is “straight and narrow” (or difficult).
It must be based upon the TRUTH of God’s word, NOT what we want
it to be. And it requires a
heart that is resolved to do
that which is right (Matt. 28:19-20).
f.
The pure heart will make
up its mind to serve God at all costs.