Page 8 - Good News August 2007 paper

od is seeking people thing we must work on.
who are pure in heart. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 teaches
G“Blessed (happy, envia- us to desire and work toward
bly fortunate, and spiritually purity of heart because that is
prosperous - possessing the God’s will.
happiness produced by the This is a challenge that every
experience of God’s favour believer should be excited
and especially conditioned by about accepting, but we do not
the revelation of His grace, have to face it alone.
regardless of their outward God has created us to be
conditions) are the pure in dependent upon Him, to bring
heart, for they shall see God!” Him our challenges and allow
(Matthew 5:8). Him to help us with them.
A person who has a pure heart, Only He knows what is in our
who is wholeheartedly serving hearts, and He is an Expert at
God, is truly powerful. removing the worthless things
In Psalm 51:6, David tells us from us while retaining the
that having a pure heart means valuable.
having truth in our “inner There is a price to pay to have a
being”, which is who we really pure heart, but there is also a
are deep in our hearts. reward. We do not have to be
Having a pure heart starts with afraid to make the commitment
paying attention to our to allow God to do a deep
thoughts, because from our purifying work in us.
thoughts come our words, our We may not always feel
emotions, our attitudes, and comfortable about the truth He
our motives. brings us, but if we do our part
It may take a very long time to facing it, accepting it, and
realize that God will not bless allowing it to change us, He
actions that are done out of will make sure that we are
wrong motives or an impure blessed! - The Everyday Life
heart. Bible, Amplified Version, Faith
Purity of heart is not a natural Words, Hachette Book Group
trait; in most of us, it is some- USA, 2006.