A Pure Heart

Whiter and brighter than fresh fallen snow,
Change me Lord Jesus, tell me it's so.

Make in me a pureness of heart,
to become another of Your works of art.

For all that's dark which lies deep within,
where in my power would I even begin.

Lord cut out that which you so desire,
All that cannot pass through the fire.

Change my heart Lord, tell me it's so...
Whiter and brighter than fresh fallen snow.

By: Preston Pittman

As we continue to look into the condition of our heart... or a heart for God, we must consider that, "God loves a pure heart." But, what is a pure heart and how is it achieved? This is the focus of our study today.

I think the words of the Psalmist are a good place to start. Here are a couple that actually use the term "pure heart", but Psalms is filled with similar such "heart-felt" pleas to The Lord to change the heart.

"Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me" Psalm 51:9-11.

"Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully" Psalm 24:3-4.

"Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart" Psalm 73:1.

So, we see there must be such a thing as a pure heart and you can feel the writer's yearning for The Lord to create it in him. The purification of the heart during the time of these writings, was a far more complicated ordeal than it is today, for those in Christ. Those of us who have studied prophecy know that the some of the predictions in Daniel were "near future", which already happened once (during the time of Antiochus IV) (he forced many Jews to denounce their faith or be ruthlessly killed)

"Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them" Daniel 11:33-34.

And, they are also "end time" prophecies also.

Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. Daniel 11:35

There is part of our lesson focus revealed right there... that, "being refined... or purified". But my reason for looking here in Daniel is to show you, "how early in God's Word He promises the WHO and WHEN for real purification, before they were actually possible".

The difference in the purification process (along with other revelations of Christ) was made a "mystery" for many years after these writings...

He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked" Daniel 12:9-10.

The mystery that was sealed was the work and teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ and we are now in that purification period mentioned in Daniel. Jesus took the work of purification away from priests, ritual, and man and He promises a mighty work in those who "trust in and rely upon" Jesus Christ.

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

Everything in our lives rotate around the glory of God, whether we know it or not. This is much like our lives which rotate and live around the light and influence of the sun. We might not pay any attention to the sun, but it greatly influences our lives. However, we are not content to let the marvel and glory of God to pass us by without abiding in it. We want to make those steps forward to see God. This pathway is called purity.

Purity of heart is an examination of our lives at the heart level. Righteousness describes our activities; fear of God touches our attitudes and behaviors, but purity speaks about the way we utilize our heart. In a sense, it is the most strategic of all examinations. For the loyalties of the heart betray the weaknesses of ones life. The evil one knows those weaknesses. He sees our hesitations. He doesn't tempt us right away. Often he lets us become leaders and have greater influence on others and then tempts us.

Many do not understand that with God's grace we can become pure in heart. He operates at that heart level and can help us eliminate errors, poor habits, sins that produce character flaws in our lives. It is a sad truth that so many of us have not pursued a pure heart.

"But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" I Samuel 16:7.

In our own ability, we have an impossible job ahead of us toward purity... for who can know the heart. From our early years, we have but foolishness in our hearts. Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child." More than this is the fact that only God really knows our hearts.

"Then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart You know; for You, You only, know men's hearts" 2 Chronicles 6:30.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]" Jeremiah 17:9.

However, by the Spirit's work, we should as His children be able to affirm our heart's cleanness to some measure. John says,

"And, beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us [if they do not make us feel guilty and condemn us], we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God" 1 John 3:21.

Many are desperate for God to initiate and maintain a heart for Him.

And I will give them a heart to know (recognize, understand, and be acquainted with) Me, that I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart. Jeremiah 24:7

In the "parable of the sower," those with a good "heart" were like seed planted in good soil:

But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:15

Paul expounded on the virtues of a "pure heart" that has been purged of carnal behavior:

So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences] will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work. 2 Timothy 2:21-22

Paul gives us a very important Word from The Lord, when he says,

"I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]." Romans 12:1-2

One thing to keep in mind, is that, when you read books, or watch images, involve yourself in, or listen to, and dwell on things that are not pleasing to God... which would include anything contrary to or contradict The Word of God... Those memories and images stay inside your mind. The only way to get them out of your thought-life is by renewing your mind, as Paul would say... but a study of how the mind works, reveals that what Paul is talking about is to take The Word of God - daily... And fill your mind with new thoughts to replace those you are use to. In reality, you will replace lies and deceptions with The Truth. This is the regeneration process, becoming consecrated... It's the way toward a pure heart.

A "pure heart" is made by obeying the Truth so as to not squander the Lord's Sacrifice:

"But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot. It is true that He was chosen and foreordained (destined and foreknown for it) before the foundation of the world, but He was brought out to public view (made manifest) in these last days (at the end of the times) for the sake of you. Through Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God. Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart. You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God" 1 Peter 1:19-23.

A "pure heart" is a matter of setting the right priorities in this temporary physical life, and storing up treasures in the eternal life:

"Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal. But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal; For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" Matthew 6:19-21.

Notice how the key to this word concerning treasure, found in the next few verses, also supports what we studied last time about measuring how much we love God against every thought... every action.

22. "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your entire body will be full of light. 23. But if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the very light in you [your conscience] is darkened, how dense is that darkness!"

What am I looking at? Is that what I really treasure? What does it say about my love for God. Or, "how" do I look at anything I see, too? What does it say about whom I serve? Let's keep reading...

24. "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in). 25. Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing?"

A pure heart! God alone knows... He alone can make it pure... It is a life of surrendering our hearts to Him... resisting those things that displease Him... measuring everything by our Love for Him.

I love you.