vision by personal purity
This week I've been interviewing and writing an article from a student's perspective at Reagan High School. It's been such a joyful, awesome experience. One of those times when you pray for God to be glorified in your efforts, and He shows up so powerfully. More than using my gift of writing, He's shown me once again of how much He loves us, loves me. Why wouldn't I surrender all to a God who loves so much, and without boundaries? And who sets my own boundaries so beautifully.
I wanted to share today's devotional from "My Utmost for His Highest " by Oswald Chambers. There is a reason it continues to be the most read devotional, yeah? (emphasis in italics mine)
What I love about this devotional is the idea that in our quest for purity, personal intimacy with Jesus, it means some things in our life will have to go. Some things that are acceptable for others will become unacceptable for us. It's so good to have like-minded friends to support you and encourage you in this belief!
Vision By Personal Purity
"Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God."
Matthew 5:8
Purity is not innocence, it is much more. Purity is the outcome of sustained spiritual sympathy with God. We have to grow in purity. The life with God may be right and the inner purity remain unsullied, and yet every now and again the bloom on the outside may be sullied. God does not shield us from this possibility, because in this way we realize the necessity of maintaining the vision by personal purity. If the spiritual bloom of our life with God is getting impaired in the tiniest degree, we must leave off everything and get it put right. Remember that vision depends on character - the pure in heart see God.
God makes us pure by His sovereign grace, but we have something to look after, this bodily life by which we come in contact with other people and with other points of view, it is these that are apt to sully. Not only must the inner sanctuary be kept right with God, but the outer courts as well are to be brought into perfect accord with the purity God gives us by His grace. The spiritual understanding is blurred immediately the outer court is sullied. If we are going to retain personal contact with the Lord Jesus Christ, it will mean there are some things we must scorn to do or to think, some legitimate things we must scorn to touch.
A practical way of keeping personal purity unsullied in relation to other people is to say to yourself - That man, that woman, perfect in Christ Jesus! That friend, that relative, perfect in Christ Jesus!
I wanted to share today's devotional from "My Utmost for His Highest " by Oswald Chambers. There is a reason it continues to be the most read devotional, yeah? (emphasis in italics mine)
What I love about this devotional is the idea that in our quest for purity, personal intimacy with Jesus, it means some things in our life will have to go. Some things that are acceptable for others will become unacceptable for us. It's so good to have like-minded friends to support you and encourage you in this belief!
Vision By Personal Purity
"Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God."
Matthew 5:8
Purity is not innocence, it is much more. Purity is the outcome of sustained spiritual sympathy with God. We have to grow in purity. The life with God may be right and the inner purity remain unsullied, and yet every now and again the bloom on the outside may be sullied. God does not shield us from this possibility, because in this way we realize the necessity of maintaining the vision by personal purity. If the spiritual bloom of our life with God is getting impaired in the tiniest degree, we must leave off everything and get it put right. Remember that vision depends on character - the pure in heart see God.
God makes us pure by His sovereign grace, but we have something to look after, this bodily life by which we come in contact with other people and with other points of view, it is these that are apt to sully. Not only must the inner sanctuary be kept right with God, but the outer courts as well are to be brought into perfect accord with the purity God gives us by His grace. The spiritual understanding is blurred immediately the outer court is sullied. If we are going to retain personal contact with the Lord Jesus Christ, it will mean there are some things we must scorn to do or to think, some legitimate things we must scorn to touch.
A practical way of keeping personal purity unsullied in relation to other people is to say to yourself - That man, that woman, perfect in Christ Jesus! That friend, that relative, perfect in Christ Jesus!