Maintaining a Pure Heart 2 Previously Having discussed

Maintaining a Pure Heart - 2

Previously Having discussed: What a pure heart is Qualities of a pure heart Dangers to the pure heart Today we continue to examine how to maintain a pure heart.

Last Week – Make up your mind Developing the qualities we need and avoiding the dangers of a pure heart begins with a resolve that cannot be shaken. ü

Sanctify the Lord • 1 Peter 3: 15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; ” (NKJV)

Sanctify the Lord • 1 Peter 3: 15, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; ” (NASB 95)

Sanctify the Lord • 1 Peter 3: 15, There is some variants in manuscripts. Regardless of whether you apply this to God or Christ, the result is the SAME – we must sanctify them in our hearts.

Sanctify the Lord • 1 Peter 3: 15, Sanctify - ἁγιάζω, hagiatso – “to feel reverence for or to honor as holy. To hallow, to regard as holy…” (L&N, 88. 27) • To separate from profane things and dedicate to God. (Strongs) • Holy, saint, chaste (1 Pet. 3: 2)

Sanctify the Lord • God is pure – 1 John 3: 3, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. ” • We are in His presence – Heb. 12: 28 -29

Sanctify the Lord • Consider His majesty! Rev. 4: 8, “The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is to come!” cf. Exodus 19: 10 -20

Sanctify the Lord • The idea of sanctifying God (or Christ) is to set up His throne in our hearts. cf. Leviticus 10: 3 • 1 Corinthians 6: 19 -20 • Let Him be “Lord of your life”

Sanctify the Lord • James 4: 8, Draw near to God • Romans 8: 9 -11, does “the Spirit of Christ” dwell in you?

Deal with impurities • Isaiah 66: 1 -2, “Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? . . . ”

Deal with impurities • Isaiah 66: 1 -2, “… For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist, ” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. ”

Deal with impurities • Psalm 24: 3 -4, “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. ”

Deal with impurities • 2 Cor. 7: 1, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. ”

Deal with impurities • Repent! • PUT away your idols! • Genesis 35: 1 -4 • Joshua 24: 14 • 1 Cor. 10: 14, “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. ”

Deal with impurities • We have to deal with our idols! • May be an inanimate statue • But it may be anything that you serve more than God. • Colossians 3: 5 • Wealth, arrogance, entertainment, etc.

Deal with impurities • If ANYTHING is in the way of being pure – DEAL WITH IT! • What are we doing with our time? • 2 Corinthians 6: 14 -17 1 Corinthians 10: 18 -22 • 1 John 5: 21, “Keep yourselves from idols. ”

Deal with impurities • Declare war on the devil! • To the degree we reverence God, we need to despise the devil! • He is responsible for the evil around us (NOT denying personal responsibility)

Deal with impurities • Do you despise him enough to do something about it? • Let us get indignant about his influence in our lives • Ephesians 4: 27 1 Peter 5: 8 James 4: 7, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ”

Our God truly IS holy! HOW holy is He to you?