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!