Clean Hands….AND a Pure Heart
……..Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart…
Psalm 24:3 & 4
One of the prerequisites to maintaining a proper relationship with the Lord is for us to regularly monitor our actions and our motives. The above scripture acknowledges the importance of both of these qualities.
There are many instances when people have asked if doing certain things will cause them to go to hell. However, while our eternal state is of great importance – our daily walk is of equal relevance. My daily walk as a Christian will establish one of two points. It will verify that I sincerely love the Lord – more than I love myself. Or it will confirm that although I have acknowledged Christ as my Savior; I have not matured in my relationship with Him.
The statement “clean hands”; above the obvious, is also making a reference to those things that we are involved or associated with. We also must be certain that we have not become members of various organizations (especially those of you who are in college) whose origin is demonic. There are several groups who are accomplishing much within in our communities and making a great impact. However the real motive is to get you to become connected with them. Therefore, by doing so, you have willingly given satan an access.
A “pure heart” reflects on my intentions. If my actions are correct – but my reasonings which support my actions are not resonating from the character qualities of the throne of God – then I am operating from a place of deceit, deception and dishonesty. My actions also must not be the results of: the spirit of fear, past feelings of rejection, anger, pride etc.
Colossians 3:17 states, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
The word clean refers to the state of …while the word purity refers to the composition of. Both are of grave importance to our ability to function successfully in our daily walk – as well as to our relationship with the Lord and His ability to use us effectively.
A pure heart is a heart in which the Holy Spirit has free reign; where He can manifest the fruit of the spirit; and a heart that has been guarded ……and protected from diabolical or wicked guidelines.
Clean hands also refer to our works. Are our gifts being used in unpolluted and uncontaminated manners? Are we utilizing the proper methods to properly cultivate our gifts… hence producing “clean” and holy representations?
Today, God is calling us to a place of discipline that requires us to be more authentic than in days past. This level of effectiveness will not just produce a “Church Service Emotional High”; but will manifest deliverance, change and “Fruit that will remain”(John 15:16)!
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