“You’re blessed when you get your inside world - your mind and heart - put right.
Then you can see God in the outside world.”
Matthew 5:8 (The Message)

This beatitude is all about not living a double life.
Adrian Rogers puts it this way: “Blessed are those who have integrity, that do not have divided hearts. That do not have double hearts. The word literally means singleness of heart.”

I think for most of us, especially me, we would like to say that we do have singleness of heart for God. We have the quiet times, we serve, we tithe, we try to Sabbath, we forgive and love difficult people, we have better attitudes and can see the changes in our lives. So, why would Jesus make a point to add this to our “Code of Conduct” as His follower?

Think about gold when the dross is removed or wheat when the chaff is removed, that’s when you get a pure product. Jesus is calling us to live unmixed in our devotion and motivation.

In Matthew 23 Jesus condemns the Pharisees because they were more interested in LOOKING pure then actually BEING pure.
Max Lucado tells us “We cannot change the inside by altering the outside.” God longs for us to have true transformation not behavior modification, where we can act like Jesus even though we are still holding onto anger, bitterness, resentment and offense in our hearts. That’s not being unmixed or pure.

There is a promise for us in Ezekiel 36:26:

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.
I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (NLT)

God does not leave us on our own to figure out how to live with a pure heart so we can see Him. Even in the process of sanctification, being changed - cleansed - set apart, God gives us a huge head start, by giving us a new heart. Don’t you just love that about God?! I also love this scripture in Acts 15:9 :

“He treated the outsiders exactly how he treated us,
beginning at the very center of who they were and working from that center outward, cleaning up their lives
as they trusted and believed him.” (The Message)

We need to have a personal awareness of purity in our lives. What is our litmus test to see where we fall on the purity scale? Maybe we need to look at our actions and choices.
John Blanchard says: “Purity of heart is not perfection.” Well, that’s good news.

Proverbs 20:9 asks us,: “Who can say, ‘I have kept my heart pure; I am clean without sin?’”
I know I can’t. The hope I have to live in purity and see God is not in my strength and power.
1. When we turn to Jesus in repentance and faith 1 John 1:7 promises us that the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin.
2. God purifies our hearts each day as we submit to the Holy Spirit and with His help flee from evil and seek what is good.

“…our heart - our inner being - is the root of all our actions.
From our hearts come our motives, our desires, our goals, our emotions.
If our hearts aren’t right, our actions won’t be either.”
Billy Graham

God gives us a cheat code so that we can see Him. So we can experience and know His love, His goodness, His faithfulness.

“Who may climb the mountain of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?
Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,
who do not worship idols and never tell lies.”
Psalm 24:3&4 (NLT)

Henry Backaby says: “In the same way, Jesus-the King of kings-requires that those who serve Him have clean hands and pure hearts. Jesus said those who have pure hearts will see God; they will sit around His table and serve Him. They will hear what He says, know what is on His heart for the day and see where He is working.”

I don’t know about you, but my heart’s desire is to accept the invitation to sit with God, to know Him and join Him in what He is doing around me. I only need to clean my hands and heart. “Holy Spirit, show us how to do that. Speak to us each time we have dirty hands or hearts, so that we can become clean again. Abba, we long to hear You and be with You.”

Let’s make Psalm 51:10-12 a prayer for our lives:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore me to the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. (NLT)

I pray that you have a wonderful day and see God in a such a personal and sweet way today.
Find a way to Sabbath and find rest for your heart and mind.
All My Love ~
xo ~ Jodi

Don’t forget to subscribe below to join our email family! xo