matthew 5:8

A PeaceMaker is Meek

April 22, 2014 by Ann Mwafulirwa

The “peacemaker” in this Beatitude, quite literally is, “one who makes peace.” It seems fairly obvious what this means: one whose life is characterized by creating harmony and not stirring up contention and strife. However, we know that if the Christian is faithful in his or her proclamation of the gospel, and living out that gospel message, peace and harmony will not always follow in his or her wake.

It isn’t those who seek to bring about the Kingdom of God by war and rebellion that are the sons of God. Rather, it is those who try to be peaceable, who balance an attitude of uncompromising loyalty to God with a desire to live at peace within the situation God has placed them. This attitude is clear if you read the New Testament. Nowhere are Christians ever called to take up arms against their persecutors. Christians are never told to advance the Kingdom of God no matter what physical damage they might do along the way. On the contrary, Christians are told to pray for their persecutors, live at peace in the world, and submit to the God-established authorities!

So, how can we be peacemakers? By exhibiting the love of God to all our brothers in Adam–those who are non-Christians, and perhaps even living lifestyles we find Biblically objectionable. Our goal should never be to upset people, or get people angry; the gospel should be the “rock of offense,” not us! That’s not to say we ignore sin and rebellion against God; but our attitude should be to see the non-Christian come to Christ and have peace with God, not to relish in their condemnation.

And within the church, we should be a community of peace, where we love even those with whom we disagree, learning how to discuss our disagreement–yes, to argue–but with love and respect. We need to recognize our common bond in Christ and in the gospel, and let that be what brings us together in peace.

As we have studied previously, the Beatitudes build upon one another. Therefore, a man who seeks to be a peacemaker humbly seeks God’s grace for his salvation, mourns the destructive power of sin in his life and the lives of others, casts aside his selfish desires in meekness, pursues righteousness passionately, shows mercy to others in light of the infinite mercy God has given him, and seeks a purity of heart that overshadows his entire life. He cannot fathom attaining a level of true peace without living out the first five Beatitudes. They provide support to his peacemaking and enable him to seek and promote peace at the expense of himself because he has been made holy and righteous through humble repentance unto God and living out the Gospel through his own life. Specifically, a man who is a peacemaker is one who is meek, for he has only one concern—which is the glory of God amongst men.

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Dear heavenly Father, make us to be peacemakers at all times to everyone in Jesus’ name. Amen!!!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: ann mwafulirwa, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Matthew 5, matthew 5:8, peacemakers, Seeking Him devotional, sons of God

I Can Only Imagine

April 19, 2014 by coleen hayden

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
Psalms 24:3-4

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
Hebrews 12:14

As Tonya shared with us earlier this week:

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, coleen hayden, daily devotions, Hebrews 12:14, I can only imagine, Jesus speaking, matthew 5:8, MercyMe, psalms 24:3-4, pure in heart, pure in heart will see God, Seeking Him devotional, Tonya Ellison

Pure Like Children Again

April 18, 2014 by laurapattillo

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8

Purity is “the condition or quality of being free from anything that debases, contaminates, pollutes,” etc. That is why childhood is called the “age of innocence.” Nothing has come into children’s hearts to make them impure. They do not know the evils of this world unless it has touched them in some way. They have no worries unless they just happen to have seen or felt evil at a young age. I see this looking at my two young children every day—especially yesterday.

I got a free day off from work yesterday due to a threat on campus. I was two minutes away from daycare when I got the call that the university was closed. I turned around, and my daughter and I went home. I spent the morning with her (even thought I slept for about 30 minutes of it). (Hey…I was not about to let an opportunity for a nap slip by when I was sleepy.) Later that afternoon, she took a nap while I was cleaning her room and her brother’s room. I checked in on her, and I watched her sleep. I wondered where the time had gone and where my ‘age of innocence’ had gone. Due to the innocence she has, she is not contaminated yet, except by sin. She is too young to realize what the true meaning of Easter is…though she can now tell you that Jesus died on the Cross.

When we do not know God, we are impure. When we reach the age where we can understand who Jesus is and what He did for us, we have become contaminated by the world. We are being taught its ideals through peers and the outside world. Yet, we reach a level of purity again when we decide to accept God’s gift of eternal life. When we accept Jesus, we feel His Presence in our hearts, and we see His daily works in our lives. We become blessed to be pure through the Blood of Jesus Christ again, and we can see Him every day by looking for His signs through nature and the blessings that He gives us when we need them.

God loves us. We are His creation. We are His children, and He is our Father. We see God every day when we observe what He does and spend time with Him. Our hearts and spirit become less polluted by the world and cleaner by the spirit working inside of our hearts. We become more like children of God and less like children of the world.

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Dear God, thank You for cleaning our hearts and making us pure in the spirit. The pollution of this world is great, but Your love for us is greater and infinite. You are our Father, and we are Your children. You clean our spirits and make us whole. In Jesus name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, children are pure, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, God's children, Jesus speaking, laura pattillo, matthew 5:8, pure in heart, Seeking Him devotional

A Single-Minded Loyalty

April 17, 2014 by Tonya Ellison

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8

I think I’ve mentioned this before but, just in case I haven’t, I want to reiterate that I love my Study Bible. I’ve always liked studying, and love to learn, but when it comes to the Bible, I seem to grasp ideas better when they are outlined for me, when I can see the meaning of words, and when other Scriptures are listed as additional references.

When I was studying this week’s Beatitude, a sentence stood out to me— “single-minded loyalty to God.” Typically when one sees the term “pure” the words “innocent, unsullied, good, and perfect” may come to mind. So to be honest, when these words were not used in the description of this particular Beatitude, I was surprised. This verse was a reminder that God doesn’t ask for or require perfection to ensure that we will one day bask in His glory, and He doesn’t ask that we have an impeccable life record. No, He asks that we focus on Him…that we live each day for Him…that we display a single-minded loyalty to Him.

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
Psalms 24:3-4

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
Hebrews 12:14

These three verses help to define what a pure heart should look like: single-minded, loyal, peaceful. These are all traits that are attainable, and they are traits we can display. God never gives us impossible tasks. He never asks more of us than He knows we can give. And He KNOWS we can give Him a pure heart. One day we will see His face. One day the act of possessing a pure heart will have rewards beyond measure.

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Let’s Pray: Lord, create in us a pure heart. Lord, to see Your face, that is our goal, to bask in Your holiness, to be in Your presence. I pray that each and every one of us focus on having single-minded loyalty to You in all we do, in all we say, and in every action we take. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Hebrews 12:14, Jesus speaking, matthew 5:8, psalms 24:3-4, pure hearts, pursue peace, Seeking Him devotional, Tonya Ellison

Joy

April 16, 2014 by Tina Marin

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

One summer our family travelled by Greyhound bus from Walnut, MS to Fresno, CA to spend a few days with my mom’s newly-found family. It was a three day (and night) trip there and back…while spending three or four days in California.

It was such an adventure. Mom who was allergic to anything that bites had a reaction to red ants; my brother, Terry, got so blistered from the sun that he had ‘bubbles’ on his back…and Dad and I didn’t have anything go wrong.

There was this one thing that has stuck with me though—Aunt Ramona recanted a dream. She says she was dreaming and in it she was weeping for joy because she was about to touch the feet of Jesus. Her husband, being concerned, woke her up because she was crying out in her sleep. She says she fussed at him because she was that close.

I can only imagine what that dream must have felt like—the joy, the excitement, the pure worship that was in her heart! What a precious gift she received. I want to have dreams like that so, one day, when I stand before my Savior, I can say, ‘I practiced this in my dreams.’ Although this still would not prepare me for the awesome experience of being among all that is Holy and Pure.

The Pure

The Greek word for “pure” is katharos (used 27 times in the New Testament). Fundamentally, it signifies that which is clean, or free from contaminating substance (cf. Danker et al., Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 489). Or as William Barclay contended “that with a spiritual import, ‘pure’ may describe the heart that is free of unadulterated “motives” (Commentary on Matthew, I.101). (https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/610-who-are-the-pure-in-heart)

I feel that this “being pure” should be the goal of every Christian. To clear our minds of what others may feel or perceive except from the Holy Spirit. When we listen to the ungodly and go to them for advice we are most usually led astray because they speak from a world view. But when we seek Godly counsel from those who dwell daily in God’s presence we should be able to quickly discern what is evil and different from what counsel we would have gotten from our worldly friends.

As we seek to have pure hearts, it would follow that our thoughts would have to follow as well. What does it look like to have pure thoughts? To me it would mean guarding what I read, what I watch, and what I participate in. I guess you would call me a God Nerd. Not a Bible Thumper, but a God Nerd. Now that does not mean that I do not have my weaknesses. I still do, but I do my best to not participate or indulge in them.

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Father, as we learn to trust You and know Your Word more, I say ‘Thank You’ for your love, acceptance, and encouragement that is present each day. Help me give away what you have given to me. I want to learn to serve you more and to serve your people with joy in my heart! In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitude, daily devotions, Jesus speaking, matthew 5:8, Pure, pure in heart, Seeking Him devotional, Tina Marin

Create In Me a Pure Heart

April 15, 2014 by Ahmee Bronaugh

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
Matthew 5:8

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 MSG

Create in me a clean (pure) heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

I remember when I found this gem of a verse. For months afterward, I prayed Psalms 51:10-12 over myself. As a result I witnessed godly change in myself and my life. Was I perfect during this time? Ha! Far from it, but daily I turned my eyes to God and asked Him to create a pure heart in me. I don’t think I’ve ever been closer to God in my life.

A pure heart is a focused, undivided, unburdened heart. There is no way for you to dwell in the Presence of God daily, hourly, minute-by-minute and hold on to lust, hate, bitterness, unforgiveness, guilt, condemnation, or any sin forever. God’s Presence is Holy and if you seek Him, He will shed His Light on your life and show you what He does not find pleasing…and then you will experience conviction. Not condemnation, but conviction.

I know that I’m not the only one who can say that they have tried to run from conviction before—which eventually is running from God. AlthoughI did manage to run from God for twenty-two years, He eventually caught me. Needless to say, running from God can be difficult.

I struggled with figuring out what to write this devotional about until the Lord reminded me of Psalm 51:10 and my own personal experience with the verse. And then He asked me why I had stopped pursing a pure heart wholeheartedly. (To which I, of course, had no answer.)

Knowing where I’ve come from and where I am now, I thank the Lord for all He has done for me and how He has transformed me to be more like Him. But He’s not done and I should never stop seeking to have a pure heart. Plus, if pure-heartedness is what helps me see God this side of heaven, I most definitely want to strive after it.

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Lord, a pure heart—this is what I ask. You alone can transform my heart. Show me that which is unpleasing to You, and give me a steadfast spirit to sustain me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: ahmee bronaugh, Beatitudes, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, matthew 5:8, Psalm 51:10, pure heart, Seeking Him devotional

Inward and Outward

April 14, 2014 by cynda cottrill

Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous—
possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor
and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace,
regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!
Matthew 5:8 AMP

Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines the heart as the “…centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. The words, “heart” and “soul”, are often used interchangeably. The heart is the “home of the personal life”. The heart is also the “seat of the conscience” , all definitions we would agree with. Then, what is it to be pure in heart?

Most people would agree that to be pure in heart is to be cleansed, spotless. But Chuck Smith presents the idea that one who is pure in heart mourns because of their sin and because their heart is divided. A pure heart is one that is undivided; fleshly desires do not compete with Godly desires in the pure heart. A pure heart embraces God and finds joy in Him. None of which can be accomplished on our own. A pure heart comes from God. It is an attitude we desire.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10.

It is heart knowledge, not head knowledge…
and must be experienced inwardly before we can share it outwardly.

Proverbs 21:2
People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.

Proverbs 4:23
Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Matthew 12:34
For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 15:18
But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart,

Luke 6:45
…for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks.

Being pure in heart is WHO we are, shown in WHAT we do

The blessing of being pure in heart is the ability to see God. Many people believe this speaks to the future when we will actually, physically, see God face-to-face. What a joy that will be! But we can also see God now.

The promise of seeing God in the present is twofold as well. We are able to see God inwardly by experiencing greater intimacy and communion with Him. God will make Himself known to us through His Word and we will become more aware of Him and His companionship. We will see His hand over us, in our lives. And as we see Him more clearly inwardly, we will begin to recognize Him more outwardly. We will see God in the ordinary and recognize His favor on a daily basis.

When You give it to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand and they are filled with good things.
Psalm 104:28

Purity of heart leads to the inward desire to “see” God. “Seeing” God enables us to recognize the outward daily blessings and favor of God upon us. Are you gathering up the good things God has for you?

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Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the blessing of being able to see You in our lives. Increase our desire to be pure in heart so we can experience greater intimacy with You. We recognize that being pure in heart is not something we can achieve on our own but comes through our faith by knowing You. We lift up praise to You for the favor You rain down upon us each and every day. In Your precious Son’s name. Amen, so be it!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, cynda cottrill, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, luke 5:45, Matthew 12:34, matthew 5:8, proverbs 21:12, Proverbs 4:23, psalm 104:28, Psalm 51:10, pure in heart, Seeking Him devotional

Face to Face

April 13, 2014 by Ann Mwafulirwa

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8

At first, this Beatitude appears to be referring to those who are morally clean—those who don’t defile themselves with impure thoughts, or anger, or other internal sins that wreak havoc on one’s life, and which can make a Christian ineffective. This is certainly an aspect of “pure” or “clean.” And if we understand the phrase “see God” in the sense of being in God’s Presence and being able to commune with Him, then certainly, the less sin there is in our lives, the more we are aware of the abiding Presence of God. It is more often the case that God seems most distant from us when, in fact, we are distant from Him as a result of an impure and hard heart.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,” David cried out in Psalm 51, “And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” This thought of having a “steadfast” spirit, one that is devoted to God, may also be in mind here. David wrote this psalm on the heels of his sin with Bathsheba, which was indeed one of the most dramatic and deep moral failures of a man of God in Scripture. Not only does David want a clean heart, but he wants steadfastness…the ability to focus on God…to lean on Him at all times, and not be distracted by the temptations of the world.

The Greek translation of Psalm 24 (please check it) uses the same phrase, “pure in heart.” Here I think we get further insight into the meaning of this term. Notice that the one with clean hands and a pure heart avoids falsehood and deceit. There is a sense, then, that being pure in heart is more than just avoiding sin. Rather, it is being devoted to God, and having a life that is His, and that is recognizable as being His. It is about serving only one Master, not two, and drawing near to God. The words of James echo this thought:

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:7-8 NASB

What does Jesus mean, then, when He says that the pure in heart “shall see God.” Wasn’t Moses told that no one could see God and live (Exodus 33:20)? First, I think there is a present reality to seeing God here, in the sense that those who are pure in heart draw near to God, as James says, and in turn God draws near to them. But I think there is also a future reality, looking forward to the time when ALL those who have endured this fallen world, who come out the other side beaten and bruised but, by the grace of God, have pure hearts, solely dedicated to God’s word and will, shall indeed stand before His throne and, in a sinless state (on account of the work of Christ), and see Him face to face.

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Dear Father, we thank You for the opportunity to see You face-to-face through the Holy Spirit. Create in us a clean heart, O Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: ann mwafulirwa, Beatitudes, daily devotions, exodus 33:20, james 4:7-8, Jesus speaking, matthew 5:8, psalm 24, psalm 51, pure in heart, Seeking Him devotional

“I AM” Chapter 7 – Day 5: I AM…with Christ in Eternity!

August 23, 2013 by coleen hayden

I would like to invite you to listen to this video before reading today’s blog. Close your eyes, if you will; allow the Holy Spirit to surround you and speak to your heart. (You will definitely want to turn up the volume!)

I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk by His side…I can only imagine what my eyes will see when His Face is before me…I can only imagine! How about you?!? Does your heart not yearn for our Lord’s return? Do you not have your heart set on life eternally spent in the Presence of the Great I AM? Can you hardly wait?!?

King Solomon, a man graced by God with more wisdom than any other man, wrote the following.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11

God did this! He put a strong desire to dwell forever with the Great I AM in the human heart! We understand this, don’t we? I can only imagine….

In our final lesson today, Teresa shared with us that we have REASON, we have HOPE, and we have PROMISE to cling to. (Please insert your name in the blanks.)

REASON: (_______) needed a Savior—John 3:16 and 17
HOPE: (_______) is awaiting the Lord’s return—Philippians 3:20
PROMISE: (_______) will have a new, perfect body—Philippians 3:21

Please personalize this, my friends! When we recognize and believe that the Great I AM has made a way from the beginning for (______) to be saved and redeemed and bought back with a precious and costly price—the blood of Jesus—then, I can only imagine….

And check this out! Here is another promise…we shall see Him; how AWESOME is this?

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
1 Corinthians 13:12

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8

Hope remains for God’s children (us! you and me!) We have these beautiful promises from our Faithful God—we SHALL SEE Jesus face-to-face. I can only imagine….

From this glorious verse we are assured of THREE things:
—we know that He will appear;
—we know that we shall be like Him;
—we know we shall see Him.

To KNOW and be assured of these things gives such comfort and joy to our hearts, doesn’t it? This is TRUTH to speak to ourselves every day! To remind ourselves that I AM God’s child, I AM going to be like Him (like HIM!!! amazing!), I AM going to see the Lord. The truth contained in the Scriptures is our standard, upon which we can stake our very lives because God has spoken it. I can only imagine….

Jesus’ followers have always believed that He will come again. He promised the apostles: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” John 14:3.

Paul related the same promise: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness…” Titus 2:11-14.

The Church today believe this, too. We wait for His return! When Jesus was finishing giving Revelation to John, at the very end He says,

————————

Friends, this concludes our study of ‘I AM, Discovering the Character of God through the Revelation of the Scripture.’ Has this study been EVEN MORE than you had hoped? It certainly has for us! We pray that Teresa’s book, the accompanying blogs written over the past 7 weeks, and our group study has been a great blessing in your life. God has certainly knit our hearts together as we have studied the truth of His Word together. God bless you! <3

And, Teresa, we just would like to communicate our love for you and our thanks! At the opening of your book, you invited your readers to dig in and ‘find ourselves’ in the pages of God’s Word. Oh! My! How amazingly that has happened! We remain so very thankful for your obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit as He taught you…and you taught us! We are so thankful to God for all that He has worked in your heart, Teresa. May He continue to make Himself known as He leads you along this path He has placed you on! We pray for you and your loved ones asking the Great I AM to continue to bless you, keep you and make His face to shine upon you…in Jesus’ name. Amen.

_____________________

Ladies, may I pray for you?

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

Lord, I thank You for each and every one of Your daughters who I have been privileged to journey with through this “I AM” study. We have shared this journey—the growth, the challenges, the struggles, the peace, the joy—and grown closer together. Thank You for that, Lord! I pray for each of these dear hearts that You would continue to draw them close to Yourself. I ask, Lord, that as You have worked in each of their hearts, they would continue to seek You and find You through the Scriptures. Thank You, Lord, for their hearts, their lives, and their loved ones. In Jesus our Lord’s name.

Amen.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: 1 corinthians 13:12, 1 john 3:2, coleen hayden, ecclesiastes 3:11, eternity, final day, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, hope in jesus, I AM study, I can only imagine, Jesus, John 14:3, john 3:16-17, matthew 5:8, mercy me, online bible study, Philippians 3:20-21, return of Christ, Revelation 22:20, teresa bolme, the great I AM, titus 2:11-14

Life’s Healing Choices – Chapter 4 Review

February 1, 2013 by Laurie Ellis

Realize I am not God
Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, that He has the power to help me recover
Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control
OPENLY EXAMINE AND CONFESS MY FAULTS TO MYSELF, TO GOD, AND TO SOMEONE I TRUST
V
E
R
Y

Wow, ladies, after this week I am so glad for that verse – “Happy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” The thought that as my heart continues to be refined and purified, I will see God. As I look around I see Him daily, in the clouds, the flowers, my sons, my work, songs, and in each post and response from all of you amazing women. God is so good, isn’t He?

The first part of the week we talked about what guilt can do to us: destroy our confidence, damage our relationships, and keep us stuck in the past. But through all the guilt, shame, and regrets we may have from our past sins, as we cry out (like David) for God to create that clean and pure heart within us, He is always faithful to forgive and cast our sins as far as the east is from the west. We begin to chip away at the junk that the past has built up within that 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)

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)

Tuesday, Leslie made this challenge: Are you ready to take this step and transform your life? Are you ready to Make time to begin your inventory? Are you ready to Open your heart and mind to allow the feelings that have blocked your healing and recovery then Rely on God’s grace to complete that healing He has for you? Are you ready to Analyze your past, step out of your denial of the past and step into the truth of the present? Finally, are you ready to List the events of your past? Please, please, please make sure you list both the good and the bad choices of your past. We caution you to not just list the bad; there are good choices you have made that you need to list and praise God for those choices, too.

If we freely admit that we have sinned, we find God utterly reliable and straightforward. He forgives our sin and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil. (1 John 1:9)

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

Wednesday, Kim shared how “more, much more than this” she did it her way, as many of us have and may still be trying. However, there is a time to realize we cannot move forward until we let go of our past by confessing our past to someone else and to our Heavenly Father. We need to have an accountability partner, someone you can trust and who understands what you are saying is valuable, as a treasure to be handled with care. Someone who will not sit with their jaw dropped as you speak or gasp when you bear your heart. And finally someone who knows the Lord, who will be your friend, as well as accountability and prayer partner.

I sought the Lord and He answered me, and He delivered me from my fears. (Psalm 54:4)

Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the Heavenly prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us. (Philippians 3:13, 14)

Amy closed us out with praying for God’s help through this. We need to armor up and tap into His power in order to “examine our ways and test them.” When you begin to write your inventory remember five areas: the person whom you resent or fear; the specific actions that was related to that person; what cause – action effected your life both in past and present; the damage done to your basic needs (social, security or sexual); then honestly determine what part you are responsible for. Ask God to show you your part. We want to make a strong point in those areas of abuse – when you come to the area of what part did you have responsibility for –write NONE or NOT GUILTY – begin feeling freedom from the shame and guilt you have been carrying around with you. Finally, share those areas you wrote with someone you trust, that accountability partner or trusted friend. This road is not to be traveled alone.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. (Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10)

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…. (Revelation 12:11)

He is able to do abundantly beyond anything that we can think or ask. (Ephesians 3:20)

Ladies, as you are writing your inventory, this is an amazing journey to healing and freedom. Our Heavenly Father wants to give you anything you can ask for and more. This is not to be taken lightly as you have carried around these hurts, habits, or hang-ups for some time now. It may not go away overnight; however know that He has already overcome the world (John 16:33).

I want to circle back around to “create in me a clean heart.” Read on in Psalm 51, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. T

hen I will teach transgressors your ways,

so that sinners will turn back to you

” (verses 12, 13). Your journey of confessing your faults, taking time with the Lord, writing your inventory, and sharing with your accountability partner will restore your joy. And it could be such an encouragement for someone God may place in your path that needs to hear your story (His story) at just the right place and just the right time! You will forget the past and look forward to the finish line He has prepared for you. As Leslie challenged us on Tuesday: Are you ready to take this step and transform your life?

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Let’s Pray:

Oh, Father, we come and sit at Your feet with humbled hearts. You know we have made both good and bad choices. Your word says be strong and courageous that You will never leave us nor forsake us. Father, that is what we are asking, that You give us the strength and courage to follow through this step in chipping away at our past hurts or habits and sharing with a trusted person – one You have placed in our path. Thank You for each woman You have placed in this study; bless them Father. Take away any guilt or shame they have or are feeling and replace that with the joy and peace that only You can give. We thank You for taking us on this journey and showing us Your incomparable grace. We love You Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Your Assignment:

Pray first then begin writing and sharing your inventory. Take quiet time with the Lord this weekend. As you begin writing, go to our Facebook group and share with us a scripture God has shown you this week through this step.

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If you are interested in joining us for the online Bible study, click HERE.

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

If you would like to send a private message to Laurie in regards to this blog,

please email her at Laurie@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

Filed Under: Victorious Healing Tagged With: 1 John 1:9, 14, Ecclesaistes 4:9-10, Ephesians 3:20, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Isaiah 1:18, Isaiah 61:4, John 16:33, John Baker, Laurie Ellis, Life's Healing Choices, matthew 5:8, Online Bible Studies, Philippians 3:13, Psalm 32:5, Psalm 54:4, Revelation 12:11, Women's Online Bible Study

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