A Pure Heart - Men's Breakfast

This morning I have the pleasure of going to a men's breakfast at church. The greater joy is I will be speaking to a group of men and have the opportunity to share God's Word. I always love the men's breakfasts. Here our my notes.

Psalms 51:10 NASB Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalms 51:10 NLT Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Psalms 51:10 GNB Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me.

Hebrew word for heart in this verse speaks of feelings, the will, the intellect. Mainly the inner man – the mind - the will - the emotions.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 NASB 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To the GREEKS the heart was made up of three things. Logos – Words that you spoken. Pathos – Emotions you expressed. Ethos – Character that you displayed.

Jesus spoke of the heart,

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

Matthew 5:28 NASB but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Mat 6:20,21 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; v21 for where your treasure [the thing you place your highest value on] is, there your heart [thoughts – feelings – emotions] will be also.

Matthew 15:18-19 NASB "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.

Luke 6:45 NKJV A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45 NLT . . . . What you say flows from what is in your heart.

So you may ask, what will a pure heart look like? Let me give you a few suggestion from the Word of God. What will a pure heart look like?

1. A pure heart is one that chases after God.

Psa 63:1-3 NASB . . . O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. (2) Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. (3) Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.

2. A pure heart is one that doesn’t run with lust after physical pleasure.

1Jo 2:15-17 NASB Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. (17) The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

This verse speaks of - A heart that takes no pride in the flesh - A heart that never boasts about what it has or what it has done. (Pro 27:2 NASB Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.) - A heart that knows no greed when it looks upon wordly treasues

3. A pure heart is one that OBEDIENTLY refuses what God rightly and wisely fences away as sin.

1Sa 15:22 NASB Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

SITUATIONAL ETHICS - Whatever fits the moment must be correct. Foolish thinking. It is what God's word says that we should follow not what we think.

4. A pure heart doesn't insist on its own way.

Eph 4:32 NLT Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Pro 3:27 NASB Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

5. A pure heart argues for love and fairness and righteousness.

Mat 5:6 NASB "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

6. A pure heart walks humbly, not trying to appear more important than it is.

Luk 14:8 NASB "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, Jam 4:6 NASB But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."

Here are six things that we all need to reflect on. REMEMBER: Who you are, is really a heart issue and not what is happening to you issue. Proverbs 4:23 GW Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it.