Purity Is The Highway to God

The beginning of purity; where does it start? I believe it is an emptying out of oneself – ridding yourself of preconceived ideas and agendas. Perhaps you don’t have any preconceived ideas or an agenda but I have painfully discovered that any agenda not authorized or inspired by Him is my agenda – and though there are many good things to be involved in and even many valiant efforts; however, if they are not His direction or based on my interpretation of His heart than they are generated by me and therefore subject to emptying out. This is harder than it seems based on the investment I have made for what I thought was a good thing, for instance – if you have moved to accomplish this agenda and maybe agenda isn’t really an appropriate word for it., maybe plan or even a purpose you have conceived, I have a lot of those that may be good but not His they are nothing more than works; wood, hay, and stubble. At the end of the day or even more importantly at the end of time –I will have to give an account before the throne of God and if these works are not generated by Him than they are wood, hay and stubble.

I guess at this point I am reconvening – realigning and most importantly emptying out. The motivation for this is purity. I want to apprehend the purity of God = I want to be transformed into holiness and purity of heart, mind and spirit. Here is what the Holy Spirit revealed to me from the spirit of truth. If I want to combat the unholy, unrighteous, impurity of this world I must enter into a higher life of consecration. I need a deeper life of purity and I am ready to accept this invitation from the Lord with fear and trembling in my soul.

Where does purity begin, the heart surely, but what is at the core of this heart – what issues in and out of my heart day and night? This is of a concern to Him. It is interesting how the soul or more specifically my soul works. I can stand apart from it and analyze it as it is the impure part of me. My unregenerate soul that is not completely transformed yet. It’s a process but one that I take very seriously.

I recently completed a fast, to which I was looking forward to but found to be one of the most difficult fasts I have participated in during the last few years. Funny how I wanted to fast (you know that was my soul) but once in the midst of it my soul was crying loud – spare me – don’t deaden me or take from me this independent power I like to rule in. I found that at every turn, every opportunity to grow in God there is a need to say YES to the Lord whether I understand it or not. I say Yes and continue to surrender even when its painful, even when I reach the point of exasperation thinking I just have to quit to relieve the pressure – I know in my spirit (thank God that part is stronger!) though I am not walking there – I know this place of pressure is where God gets His way and “I empty out”. I have to look forward to it because the rewards of staying in there and NOT quiting are worth it = always!

Purity of heart, purity of mind, purity of person. I want it, God. Show me how to walk in the pathway to holiness and purity. Take me there- I say yes, I surrender to you, to your way, no matter how hard – no matter what you ask of me – I give you the Yes first, I surrender first – I yield now and I refuse to back up or give in or quit. I may want to, my soul may be screaming "spare me" but I refuse to.

A walk of purity requires covenant, I must make covenant with all my extremities – all the gateways to my spirit and my soul (mind, will and emotions) The obvious gateways are my eyes and my ears. But it also means making covenant with what comes out of those gates. So I refuse to give place to the spirit of this age. I refuse to agree with the lie and deception of calling evil good and good evil. I refuse to compromise in the area of purity

It is not a one time act or even a once in a while – this commitment to purity and holiness has to be a way of life and it can not look like or even seem like anything remotely connected to the world or seem like it mirrors or shadows a side of this age or worldliness and what is worldliness anyway? – mans attempt to become something he never could be = we have not – I have not the ability to purify myself – I can accept the invitation to live this life of holiness but only the cleansing power of the word can transform and purify my heart. It goes deep into the thoughts and intent of my heart the why and the motivation of my heart. It is deeper than reaction; it’s the seat of my heart.

Mark 7:15 There is nothing from without a man that entering into him can defile him but the things which come out of him – those are they that defile a man.

If the words are coming from inside out and defile than there is not restraint of the holy spirit -= there is no submission to God – there is no surrender. My behavior must be in alignment – my character must reflect Him. So I say Yes to the correction and I submit to this wonderful work of God to lead my by His Spirit into all truth!

What Kind of Preachers/Prophets/Messengers are on the Earth Today?

When I study the examples of Godly Messengers in the bible, I am convicted to the core of my being. This inherent power packed, transforming Word of God is our template, our blueprint of what it should look like today and the contrast of what we are doing with the image of God in the earth has me literally trembling from the fear of the Lord and the penalty of this reality.

Are we really preaching the gospel? Are we proclaiming the truth of God’s Word? Do we represent Christ? I ask myself first, my life is to be a written epistle to be read of men. What do they read? Well I can tell you what I am not living as reality by studying the example of these holy men and women, they are the true messengers.

Take a look at Zechariah who prophesies of the Messiah. He has visions and describes them to the Jews. Through these visions he hopes to give instruction of what God is calling them to and encourage them to hope for God’s favor. Ultimately, his words reprove them of sin. In fact, the release of conviction was so great that those who had given themselves to the rule of Satan wanted to silence him. I don’t mean just asking him to not speak anymore; we don’t even have a grid for what persecution is as a result of preaching the Word of God. They did more than just ask him to be quiet, they killed him, murdered him. The bible describes this release of conviction caused these men to murder Zechariah between the temple and the altar. Read it for yourself. Matt 23:35.

I can not recall a time in America when I have heard a message that caused that kind of reaction? I have not been in the presence of preaching that exposes sin to that level. Is the truth of God piercing hearts and transforming cultures so that the evil retaliates with the such vehemence – not that I want violence to be released – that is not the point - but I just don’t think we are stirring up anything – causing any great change – our word is watered down and made ineffective by reason of our character – God Help Us! We need a great breaking of our souls – a divine visitation – a revelation of the Fear of the Lord and holy reverence for God’s Word.

My only hope is in God. Lamentations 3:22 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy Faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore I will hope in him.

We need a Culture shaking revival that causes weeping and wailing to be heard outside of our churches. The kind of tenderizing of our hearts that turns every pulpit into an altar and every pew to be stained with tears of repentance. Oh God, have mercy on America, we are lost and far away from your heart, Help Us God and visit us with the power of Your Love and conviction that would allow us to really see the state of our heart in relation to your truth.