Happy are the pure in heart. For they shall see God.  Matthew 5:8

 What a promise we are given – we shall see God!!  Not might or possibly, but we SHALL see God!!!  So how do we become pure in heart?  First what is   the definition of pure? Webster’s dictionary says it is ‘unmixed with any other matter.’  John Baker says ‘a pure heart is one that is free and clean of impurities.’ So how do we get to a pure heart?  How do we get our heart, unmixed with anything but God?  After all we all do have regrets, guilt, anger and any combination of many hurts, habits or hang-ups.  How do we recover from these and become pure in heart? How do we let go of our excuses, blame, guilt and shame?  We go to His word and read His promises:

“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
Isaiah 1:18

Although we have regrets, guilt, anger, shame, He promises that if we are willing and obedient (v. 19) we will be as white as snow.  His love for us is so strong.  His grace so amazing! We will be pure in heart.

 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Psalm 32:5

When we acknowledge we have this guilt, anger and blame, He immediately forgives.  Not later, not tomorrow, but immediately – as far as the east is from the west. He forgives.  Then His word says   – ‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.’ Psalm 32:8

But before we can really clean our hearts, we have to look at what or why we need to clean up.  Don your cleaning rags ladies – it’s time to Clean House!!

 Chapter 4 discusses the three areas in which guilt can cause harm to our lives.

1. Guilt destroys our confidence. Guilt causes us to worry about what others think, look over our shoulder to see who is really watching and wondering when our big secret will come out.  When I was living in the gay lifestyle, I was constantly looking around, wondering who would drive by and ‘out me.’  I lived in a small community where everyone knew everyone.  You know the kind where your neighbor could tell you what you bought at the store.  So, as you can imagine, unless I was behind closed doors, I was always on the lookout. My guilt was wearing me out!! When I walked out of  that lifestyle and ran to His arms, He welcomed me. It reminds me of the story in Luke 15: 10-32 of the prodigal son who went away from his father to find a ‘better life.’ After he had squandered all that he had, he went back to his father, realizing he had made mistakes.  He took his guilt and told his father to make him as one of the servants for he was not worthy.  What did his father do when he saw him?  He ran to him and prepared a party for his son who was lost: but now was found.  If we lay down the guilt and fear of our lives, and turn back to Him, He will meet us, clothe us in His best robe of righteousness and fill us with His grace – unmixed with any other matter.
2. Guilt damages our relationships. Feeling guilty over our choices in life can cause us to over or under react to those around us. The guilt can cause us to overcompensate for others, runaway from building relationships and hide from those around us. Again, my guilt was so strong on how I dragged my children through the choice of lifestyle I made.  I overcompensated with material possessions; showered them with presents, food,   activities, all the while withholding the love they needed and deserved as   children. My guilt was destroying every relationship I had in my life.  How could this be made pure?  ‘And   they shall rebuild the old ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations   and repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.’ Isaiah   61:4  If we will confess and move away from our guilt and fear, He will restore and rebuild our relationships – unmixed with any other matter.
3. Guilt keeps us stuck in the past. Wow, this is a hard one isn’t it?  How do we get past the memories, reflections or regrets of our past?  As John Baker said, ‘it’s like driving a car and always looking in the rearview   mirror.’  I loved this visual! Can you imagine the chaos on the roadways if everyone was always focused behind them?  God may use our past to allow us to encourage others or to give testimony to His glory, grace and   healing.  But we are not to dwell in the past. Joyce Meyer often says, “Let God turn your mess into a message.”  God will take the ‘old you’ and make you new. “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed   away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 If we leave   our guilt and fears in the past, He will make us new – unmixed with any other matter.

In Psalm 51:10, David cried out to God:

 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 Here he had committed adultery and had Bathsheba’s husband killed in battle. David murdered, lied, and betrayed his nation and almost each time we read about David he is doing something wrong.  He cried out to the Lord to create in him a clean heart.  Fast forward to Acts 13:22 when God had placed David as king and said ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ So, how do we become pure in heart like David? We repent, learn from our mistakes, become humble, teachable and turn our hearts completely toward God.  We become unmixed with any other matter.

We pray that our hands reach out as His would, our eyes see as His, our feet walk where He would walk and our hearts break as His would.  The things in our past are not as powerful as our Almighty God.  This step may seem pretty scary but which is scarier: continuing to live drag our past with us or feeling the freedom He has to offer?

The rest of this week Leslie, Kim and Amy will discuss how we can move forward and drop those bags of the past. I am going to leave you with an awesome song written from Psalm 51.  Enjoy and make it your prayer today.

 Let’s Pray: