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Passionate Purity: The Pursuit of a Pure Heart

Passionate Purity: The Pursuit of a Pure Heart.

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Passionate Purity: The Pursuit of a Pure Heart

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  1. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Purity is not a popular topic these days when it comes to our thoughts, emotions, or actions. Though jewelers are very interested in the purity of gold, drug dealers are violently concerned about the purity of their products, and performers are very picky about the purity of their art form, no one is supposed to care about spiritual purity! God cares about purity! He wants us to run a race unhindered by the dirt and mud of this world. You can be pure in heart! You can be pure in mind! FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  2. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  3. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Contrary to what you might think, purity and holiness are not only about rules and boundaries. They are about love! While we must follow the Bible’s teachings to the letter, Jesus did not say “obey the Lord with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength.” “He commanded us to love the Lord with everything we have! The truth is, if we really love the Lord, obedience will follow. In John 14:15, Jesus taught “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” By the conclusion of this lesson, we will develop a passion for purity. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  4. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalm 24: 4-5) FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  5. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart David’s psalm makes it perfectly clear that the blessings of the Lord are for the pure in heart. He explained further that vanity or selfish pursuits can disqualify us from those blessings. No one knew better than David about God’s unparalleled interest in the heart of man, for it was David whom Samuel anointed king after God corrected him for ignoring the hearts of the other candidates. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  6. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD) seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  7. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Had God cared only about the outward man, any of David’s brothers might have become king of Israel. Instead the Lord chose David, a man after God’s own heart. Even though purity was hard for David to find, he pursued after it passionately. Let us consider a few of the obstacles to a pure heart: FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  8. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart A Heart of Passions “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (11 Timothy 2:22). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  9. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Lust in this context is a desire, a craving, or a passion for something that is carnal or worldly. While people of all ages must flee from lust, Paul pointed out the specific danger of “youthful lusts.” According to a recent study by the Barna Group, teenagers are more likely than adults to pursue friendships and the latest technology. Surprisingly the report also says that teens are more interested in high-paying jobs than adults. When you add these modern appetites to the timeless physical attraction teenagers have for one another, it’s clear that youthful lusts are not child’s play. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  10. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Paul told young Timothy that the youthful heart naturally follows a path toward passion and lust, and only by running in the opposite direction can someone truly pursue the things of God and possess a pure heart. In other words, worldly passions and pure hearts are at opposite ends of the same path. You have no choice but to turn away from one in order to pursue the other. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  11. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:16). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  12. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart John neatly sorts all the passions of the world into three categories: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. Simply put, Satan and this world will lure you away from God and a pure heart by playing to your body’s cravings, your eye’s attractions, and your self-image. Let’s take a moment and consider the things that the enemy would use against you in each of those three categories. Here are some of the usual suspects: FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  13. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Lust of the flesh Sleep and Laziness — Rest is a necessity, but it should be the reward of a productive day, not an escape from our opportunities and commitments to serve God and others. Food and Drink — Sustenance is necessary, but we should eat to live, not live to eat. When we plan our days around meals, treats, and even caffeine, the body’s appetite controls us. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  14. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Sexual Pleasure — God made sex to be a pleasurable expression of love between a husband and his wife. When our passions push us to satisfy our appetites outside of marriage, God’s beautiful, productive process becomes destructive to all involved. Escaping Reality — In a world full of stress, anger, hurt, and fear, drugs and alcohol appear to be a quick fix. When spiritual rejuvenation through prayer, worship, and meditation on the Word are ignored, the body seeks an escape—even if it is artificial and temporary. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  15. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart • Lust of the Eye • New Things — Developing a taste for the latest product models and versions can lead you on an unending search for satisfaction. This insatiable appetite for new things leaves you discontent with the blessings of God. Someone Else’s Things — An internal pressure to keep up with the material possessions of your friends, classmates, and coworkers can quickly become envy or covetousness. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  16. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Entertainment Media — With the constant progression of technology in media, our society is overwhelmed with non-stop visual stimulation. Shrinking attention spans demand visual gratification, and little time is given to personal prayer, Bible study, and other necessities. Pornography — Among the most addictive and damaging lusts of the eye, pornography deceives the viewer into believing it is not “real.” Christians endeavoring to remain physically pure fall prey to this lie and find their minds and hearts desensitized and dirty. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  17. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Pride of Life Academic Prestige — Schooling and higher education is profoundly important, but when it becomes the primary benchmark of success, then majors, college choices, and even grades can become a source of ungodly pride. Career and Income Advancement — Working for a living is a part of life. Living for work, however, indicates a priority problem. All too often, Christians will uproot families, leave town, and leave behind ministries to pursue promotions, titles, or higher salaries. When these decisions are made with no input from God or godly leaders, pride takes over. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  18. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Recognition and Popularity — Praising someone for a good job is always appropriate. It’s only when we get overlooked, rejected, or when someone else gets the credit that our true motives are revealed. Rejection and ungratefulness is hurtful, but if it only hurts our pride, it may be the work of God. Remember, Paul did not instruct Timothy to struggle or fight with his worldly passions. He told him to flee or run away from them! FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  19. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart The Lying Heart Have you ever approached a fork in the road and were not sure which way to go? When people seek advice on a difficult decision, many times a friend will offer the old cliché: “just follow your heart.” At one time or another, we have all said something like, “in my heart, I knew it was right.” Unfortunately for the heart followers, the words of the prophet Jeremiah offer an alarming revelation. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  20. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  21. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart In art and literature the heart is considered the seat of human emotion and without a doubt, emotion plays a significant role in our everyday lives. Sadness, happiness, surprise, and anger, to name a few, can radically change our plans. Emotions can change our desire to go to school, to talk to friends, to show up for work, and even to go to church. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  22. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart An impure heart allows emotion to run unchecked. Emotions are real, but they are unbelievably short-lived. That is why common wisdom suggests that an angry person “count to ten” before speaking and that an eager business man “sleep on it” before signing a contract. How much the more should Christians ignore the emotional lies of the heart when making decisions that can change the course of their eternal lives? FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  23. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart When it feels like emotions are interfering with your prayer life, your fellowship, your church attendance, your worship, or your work in ministry, just remember that your heart and emotions are deceitful. So with such an unpredictable heart and temporary emotions, how can you gain control? Who knows your heart? The answer can be found in an emotional conflict between Christians in the Book of Acts. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  24. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart The Holy Ghost and Faith Purify the Heart “And God, which knoweth the hearts’, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:8-9). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  25. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Because of their passionate allegiance to Moses’ law, devout Jewish Christians had rejected the salvation of the Gentile Christians. When emotions had reached their peak, Peter stepped forward to draw their attention away from emotion and toward God. Peter reminded us that when men do not know their own hearts and cannot trust their hearts, God knows our heart! More importantly, by faith and through the Holy Ghost, God purifies our hearts. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  26. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart God’s Word Purifies the Heart “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  27. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart The psalmist offered God’s Word as the powerful remedy for both a lying heart and a lustful heart. Just as the writer had prophets and priests to minister the Word to him, we must have preachers and teachers that bring God’s Word to us. We must attend church services and classes to hear God’s Word, but then it is our responsibility to hide that word in our heart. The Hebrew word chosen by the psalmist for “hide” means to store up like a treasure! When we treat God’s Word like a treasure of truth, it replaces the lies of the heart and eclipses cheap passions. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  28. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart David and the Psalms deal with the heart in the context of worship. They seem to offer us a regiment of worship, Bible study, and Holy Spirit renewal as the pathway to a pure heart! FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  29. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. Matthew 5:8 FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  30. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart When we combine those messages, we learn that the heart lets God see us, and the heart enables us to see God. Take the next few moments and consider what improper passions might be standing between your heart and God. Then think about the emotions that most often confuse your decisions. Privately answer the following questions: FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  31. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart • What passions of the flesh do you struggle with the most? 2. What passions of the eye most often demand your attention? 3. What prideful passions do you pursue to exalt your-self? 4. Name a time when you rushed to a decision and later learned you made the wrong choice. Which emotion pressured your decision? 5* Are there personal and church worship opportunities-of which you could take better advantage? Name them. 6. What can you do to glean most from a sermon or Bible lesson? How can you treat the Word like a treasure? FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  32. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart A Pure Mind “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (II Corinthians 4:4). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  33. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart If the heart is the place where man fights his own passions, then the mind is certainly Satan’s battlefield of choice. He tries to burden our minds with temptation, depression, and other unhealthy thoughts in an attempt to spoil our thinking and blind our faith. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  34. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Submit Your Mind “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians I0:5). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  35. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Our thoughts are generated from the passions of our heart, so it would stand to reason that when the Word of God and worship become our passion, our thoughts will align with God’s. Nevertheless, Satan tries to invade our minds with a new distraction every day. It’s important to point out, though, that Satan’s temptation does not automatically become our sin. The Epistle of James explains it this way: FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  36. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1 :14-15). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  37. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart The devil would like us to believe that we have instantly sinned when he has tempted us, but according to James, temptation has to connect with our lust, and together they must conceive sin. In James’ writing, the word conceive means “to seize or take and indulge.” You will be tempted to transgress God’s Word every day of your life. Satan tempts us with things that in the past have been a passion of ours. When we dwell on that temptation, making it our own thought, it leads to sin. When that thought moves from your mind into your heart, embracing your lust, sin is imminent. Once you take action to satisfy or indulge a lustful thought, you have sinned. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  38. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart In this media-saturated culture, it is impossible to eliminate every external thought or temptation with which the enemy tries to attack us, but we can prevent them from dwelling in our minds. It is ironic, however, that when protecting the mind, thoughts alone will not get the job done. In II Corinthians 10:5, Paul makes it very clear that submitting our minds requires an active, if not violent, effort on our part! Just like the old gardener, we must ignore the fluttering imaginations that Satan sends to distract us and focus our attention on godly tasks. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  39. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Focus on the Task at [land Here are a few godly tasks that will occupy your mind: Share a testimony of what God recently did for you with an unsaved friend. Walk to class or eat lunch with a classmate who doesn’t have many friends. Carry the church prayer list in your wallet or purse, and pray sincerely for a different person’s need each time you bless your food. Carry a small card in your wallet or purse that has your two favorite Bible verses from this lesson on it. When temptation comes, pull out your card and read the verses aloud. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  40. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Despite our active Christian lives, sometimes distractions and temptations penetrate our minds and settle into our thoughts. When this happens, Paul instructed us to aggressively cast them down and hold them captive. This must be done immediately, before these thoughts build a permanent nest! FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  41. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Busted Imaginations and lockedup Thoughts Here are a few practical ways to subdue ungodly thoughts: Write down the people, places, and things that trigger those thoughts. Do everything in your power to avoid them. For those people, places, and things that are impossible to avoid, add a layer of accountability. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  42. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart For example: 1) Only fellowship with your problem people in the presence of a spiritually strong friend or adult. 2) Only visit your problem places at the right time with the right person. 3) For things like cell phones and computers that are unavoidable, have a parent or godly leader install foolproof blocks and filters for you. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  43. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart If these steps were easy, it would not be called “submitting.” Sometimes making a pact with your friends to take these steps together makes it easier, but only do this with the supervision of a godly adult. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  44. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Cleanse Your Mind “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:7-9). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  45. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart You have repented of your sins, you have been baptized in the name of Jesus, and you have been filled with the Holy Ghost. What could possibly go wrong from here? “Will I really have to deal with sin again?” In his General Epistle to the church, John removed all doubt when he said: FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  46. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart “if we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves” (I John 1:8, NLT). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  47. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Still, John did not leave us hanging in the hopeless snare of sin. He goes on to teach that through sincere confession and Christ’s blood, we can be cleansed from all unrighteousness—including that of the mind. FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  48. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart Light Minded While we have the promise of Christ’s cleansing power, it is impossible to ignore that it is a conditional promise. According to John, believers can only claim this promise if we walk in the light! Earlier in the same chapter, John recorded that God is light in which we must walk: FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

  49. Passionate Purity:The Pursuit of a Pure Heart “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (I John 1:5—6). FORWARD | TO BE CONTINUED…

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