OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 24 MARCH 2016

THEME: THE PURE IN HEART 

Memorise:

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

Read: Psalm 24:3-6

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

Message

There are certain encounters in the journey of an individual which birth a lifestyle of holiness in the individual. This is why we should always pray to God to encounter a touch of His glory. When Jesus was addressing His followers on the mountain, He taught them among other things the necessity of having a pure heart. Purity of the heart, as far as God is concerned, is a basic requirement in achieving and maintaining an uninterrupted fellowship with God. This is because the heart of man is the engine of his life. The heart, according to the Bible, should be guided diligently, because out of it are the issues of life.

The pure in heart refers to a heart that contains no other thing apart from God and His counsel. According to Philippians 4:8

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lonely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think on these things.”

The intents and contents of the human life go on in the heart so God is interested in the purity of our hearts. If the heart is pure, it will be reflected in the actions of a man. God wants our heart to be yielded to Him and not to the world or the pleasures in it. When the heart is pure, it will produce transparency in our dealings with other people. When our heart is pure, the motive behind our actions will not be evil spoken of and when they are misconstrued for something else; we will always have a good conscience towards God. A pure heart produces holy living.

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for tree is known by his fruit.”
Matthew 12:33

I want you to examine your heart, is it pure? Are your motives correct? Are you speaking the truth in that report? If your heart is revealed by the Almighty God towards your boss, will he find love there or hatred? Do you really know God or are you playing along because of the crowd?

There are lots of blessings attached to having a pure heart. When your heart is holy and pure, there will be no iota of fear and condemnation in you. You will have unlimited access to your Maker because there is no hindrance in you. Purity of heart will make your never lack the help of the Almighty God because He is interested in the cases of those whose hearts are pure and humble, He is committed to helping them (Psalms  73:1, 2nd Chronicles 16:9). You need to nail all your affections to the cross and make your heart right with God. Exercise dominion over self and sin, both within and without. Let God rule over the affairs of your life so that there will be communion and unbroken fellowship with His presence.

Key Point

If God looks into your heart, what will He find?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 10-11 and Job 41:18-34

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE


HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.