Wednesday, July 30, 2014

July 31, 2014

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


If you are older than 18 you have likely been involved in a conversation something like this:

"Johnny, I really like you. You are a great guy, but I don't want to see you anymore. I think we ought to see other people."

Sound familiar?

At some point she may have added, "It's not you, Johnny, it's me."

That was real comforting! Johnny already knew it was her because he's not the one who wanted to stop seeing her!

What does that have to do with the sixth Beatitude?

A whole bunch, actually.

In a very real sense, Jesus is saying, "Blessed is the one whose heart is purely committed to God and who desires to continue seeing Him."

Being in a half-hearted relationship with God will only make you miserable and make Him sick to His stomach:

"So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."  Revelation 3:16


When you choose to be a half-hearted Christian it's not Him, it's you! He is fully committed to you!


If you choose to be half-hearted in your commitment to Christ you will have an unstable faith:


"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." James 1:5-8


Being "pure in heart" refers to being “unmixed, as having no double allegiance.” In his commentary on this passage, Warren Wiersbe writes that the “basic idea is that of integrity, singleness of heart, as opposed to duplicity, or a divided heart.” Jesus said it this way in Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” 


Do you want to be in a significant relationship with someone who is half-hearted, double-minded or conflicted toward you? Would you consider yourself in a blessed relationship?


Neither does God!