BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART...IS THAT YOU?

Purity is one of those words that falls easily from our lips; however, if you were to ask "the person on the street" to describe something that is pure and undefiled in this world, they would probably be permanently stumped and just stand there stammering.

First of all, purity is not an innate quality of mankind...FAR FROM IT! We are sinners and there is no one righteous or pure...NO ONE! In fact, King David's cry of the heart was bold, but quite simple; "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me." Psalm 51:10  He knew, as we all do, that we are tainted with misplaced motives and petty agendas...the simple truth; OUR CORRUPTION RUNS DEEP!

Jesus knew the impossibility for us to have a pure heart; so He offered His purity to fill us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit....just as He took on our sins and became sin for us, we can take on His purity and be pure of heart...but it will always be a struggle!

Even with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are constantly bombarded by the Prince of the air to forsake our pure heart and give in to the "dark side" of our humanity.  It is this constant battle to remain pure that often creates the sadness that is seen in the lives of many believers when they fail...but there is a fail-safe plan if we will but trust in Him and remain "steadfast" in our single-minded pursuit to live our lives in the likeness of Christ.

Paul calls it the "renewing of our minds",  but it is really more than that..it is through the surrender of every thought, action and reaction that will help us grow in purity. It is that "steadfast" surrender of our will to a holy and pure God that will help us deflect and deter the arrows of the Deceiver as we solidly and irrevocably invest our lives in the pursuit of God. When we do this: any doubts, misplaced motives or stumbling blocks that rise up, begging us to choose self over sacrifice, will be defeated and the resounding choice, more and more, will be to choose purity over personal pride and preeminence.

Clearly, God knows the frailty of our character and that our human heart is a very fickle thing... for it far too often gives into the voices, screaming in our psyche or the compulsions of our flesh. But, because He loves us, He redeems us and completely saves those who come to Him as a "sinner saved by grace."

We are, at our very BEST, a work in progress; yet to be conformed to our Savior and therefore, incomplete...oh, but God is at work as He calls us out to be holy and pure in heart...to be a steadfast, passionate, faithful seeker and lover of the Savior...but it is a hard and relentless work that only God can accomplish through a surrendered heart, soul and will.

So, are you craving to be more like Jesus...PURE IN HEART...then, God is with you and at work within you... and He has promised that you will see Him in all His Glory; both in this world and in the eternal new world to come.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God...and ALL WILL BE WELL!!!

Pure and steadfast in honoring Him...A WORK IN PROGRESS!

WPQ