November 27, 2024

What Truly Matters

April 23, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight.  That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
Matthew 5:9 MSG

This verse immediately made me think of the peace I experience internally. To have the ability to spread the Prince of Peace’s peace sounds awesome! But first we need to make sure we are showing what peace looks like in the Church.

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.
And always be thankful.
Colossians 3:15

Formal clothes…jeans.  Tie…no tie.  Saturday…Sunday.  Three hour service…one hour service.  Bible study…no bible study.  Some things which we allow to come between us as a Church are… trivial.  God called us to be One Body.  One.  Yes, we all have different functions, but we are still one Church.

So then, let us aim for harmony in the Church and try to build each other up. Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat! Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.

Romans 14:19-20

I’ve been told before, by non-believers, that they don’t believe in God because of the inconsistencies in churches. This, along with “not living right enough,” and religion (vs. relationship) are common reasons I’ve heard.

To me this is saying that we as the Church need be mindful of how we represent our God. It irks me when Christians teach/preach the Bible and it’s incorrect. If someone came to me with a list of things I couldn’t do, I’d be turned off by it, too. Tell me about a Maker who cares about the hurts and heartache of this world AND wants to have a relationship with me and you’ve got a better chance!

Yes, sadly there are going to be those people/organizations that claim to do things in the name of the Lord that are off-balance, but our representation of the One, True, Living, Loving God can outshine anything. God’s character is so fantastic and we have got to portray it right!

As long as the true Gospel, from the Bible is being preached (nothing more, nothing less), we the Church, should be able to link together and represent a united and whole God to the world.  One God.  One Christ.  One Church.

*  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  *

Lord, help us not let our differences hinder people from seeing You.  Instead let the Church’s light shine bright on the path leading to You because You care more about people than traditions and appearances.  Thank You that we do not have to shine Your light on our own, but have brothers and sisters to help us! Help us to be kind to one another and stay focused on who truly matters—You!  Amen.

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A PeaceMaker is Meek

April 22, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

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.

 *  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  *

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

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Under The Shadow

April 22, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

He who dwelleth in the secret place
Of the Most High shall abide
Under the shadow
Under the shadow of the Almighty
Though a thousand fall before me
From the evil that’s around me
They shall not
They shall not come nigh my dwelling

And I will say of the Lord He is my Refuge and my Fortress
My God in Him will I trust
And I will not be afraid of the snare of the fowler
My God in Him will I trust

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

~  Written by Nicole C. Mullen and Bahini Johnson/ Sung by Nicole C. Mullen  ~

*  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  *

This song is from my favorite promise of God’s protection in the Word.  And my favorite version of it is from The Message Bible.

You who sit down in the High God’s presence,
spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow,
Say this: “GOD, You’re my Refuge.
I trust in You and I’m safe!”
That’s right—He rescues you from hidden traps,
shields you from deadly hazards.
His huge outstretched arms protect you—
under them you’re perfectly safe;
His arms fend off all harm.
Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night,
not flying arrows in the day,
Not disease that prowls through the darkness,
not disaster that erupts at high noon.
Even though others succumb all around,
drop like flies right and left,
no harm will even graze you.
You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,
watch the wicked turn into corpses.
Yes, because GOD’s your Refuge,
the High God your very own home,
Evil can’t get close to you,
harm can’t get through the door.
He ordered His angels
to guard you wherever you go.
If you stumble, they’ll catch you;
their job is to keep you from falling.
You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes,
and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
Psalm 91 MSG

When my youngest son was in the process of healing from a sleep-induced seizure disorder this is the psalm we would pray every night before he went to sleep. Immediately we both could feel God’s peace and we knew He was safe in the arms of his heavenly Father.

What an awesome promise to hold on to! When we are intentionally seeking God and abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, we are protected and we have nothing to fear. It reminds me of the image of a mother hen with all of her chicks safe and protected under her wing. We are safe in the shadow of our Father.

God wants us to be abiding under the shadow of the Almighty not just in the shade. He wants a day-to-day relationship with us not just a Sunday morning visit. God wants to be a part of our everyday lives.

Jesus said:
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them,
will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 NLT

This is so very true! I know there have been MANY times in my life where I have tried to do things in my own strength and all I did was ending up depleting myself and rendering myself ineffective for the Kingdom.

*  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  *

Heavenly Father, I pray for each woman reading this that we would be intentional about seeking first the kingdom of God and not let the distractions of life get in the way of our day-to-day relationship with You.  That we would put You in your rightful place—first in ALL things. and I thank You for the promise of protection under the shadow of the Almighty. In Jesus name, AMEN!!!

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Active Not Passive

April 20, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous—
with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation,
regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace,
for they shall be called the sons of God!
Matthew 5:9 AMP

Peace is so much more than a passive state.  It is not just the absence of fighting or the maintaining of the status quo.  Peace requires viewing the situation in light of the Gospel and actively setting out to promote and make peace.

According to Hebrews 12:14 we are to:
Work at living in peace with everyone,
and work at living a holy life,
for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

In Classical Greek, a peacemaker was one who strove to bring about peace: an ambassador that pursued peace, putting faith to work doing good for all.  That is what we are called to be.  However, there is one stipulation:

“Before one can be a peacemaker, one must be entirely delivered from self, from self-interest, and self-concern.  The peacemaker does not look at things in terms of how they may affect self.”

– Chuck Smith

A peacemaker seeks the glory of God above all else, placing the well-being of others above his own.  It is the “less of me, more of Him” mentality in action.

God took the initiative to make peace with us by sending His Son to die in our place.  Jesus is the One True Peacemaker.  Shouldn’t our mission be to share the Gospel of peace with others?  The inward peace only God can give?  When we choose to actively pursue peace, God rewards us with the very same peace.

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind
[both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You,
because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.
Isaiah 26:3

And we will be known as His children.

The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit,
[assuring us] that we are children of God.
Romans 8:16

Peace is the evidence that we are His.  We reflect our Father’s characteristics in acknowledgment of our adoption into His family.  The family resemblance can be seen in us.

*  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  *

Father God, thank You for the many blessing You bestow upon us.  We are honored to be called a child of God.  Help us deny our own interests to promote Your peace so that others may benefit.  Guide our steps as we yearn to become more like You.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen, so be it!

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I Can Only Imagine

April 19, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’   Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

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:

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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Pure Like Children Again

April 18, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’   Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

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.

*  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  *

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.

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A Single-Minded Loyalty

April 17, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’   Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

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.

*  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  *

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.

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Joy

April 16, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’   Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

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.

*  ~  ♥  ~   ✞   ~  ♥  ~  *

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!

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Create In Me a Pure Heart

April 15, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’   Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

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.

*  ~  ♥  ~   ✞   ~  ♥  ~  *

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.

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Inward and Outward

April 14, 2014 by

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We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’   Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

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?

*  ~  ♥  ~   ✞   ~  ♥  ~  *

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!

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