The heart choice of PURITY (Part Two)

I hope that this blog reaches both guys and girls, men and women. I think that everything God says can always speak to other people, sometimes in a different way, but still.

In my last post, I kind of gave the Gospel Message, so I hope that this post finds you as a child of God, maybe new, maybe old. Still my fellow believer. :) Totally exciting!!!!

Being a believer in Jesus Christ seems like no big deal..."everyone is doing it". But I don't really care how many people are following the Lord. I'd rather know 3 true followers of Jesus, than to know 50 people who are only "stamped" on the outside, but not one bit changed on the inside.

So...before I get started, I have to ask...are YOU changed? Are you totally, consumed and excited about following the Lord no matter what the cost? Think about it. What parts of your life scream "I AM A CHILD OF GOD" so loud that people sometimes cover their ears?

I want to help you...I want you to be touched by what God speaks to me...but even more, I want you to be as in-love and smitten with the Lord as I am. Otherwise, what I have to say won't matter much.

I pray that you repeat this in you heart night and day...
"May those who fear You rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in Your Word" Psalm 119:74
"Let them know that it is Your hand, that You, O Lord, have done it" Psalm 109:27

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What does it mean to pursue PURITY? To walk towards it? To live for the Lord?

God has given us so much to study, research, and pick up quick. We can apply scripture on the go, we can study it for hours, we can live it and it can live inside us!
To live it...we have to know it. That's a given.

Remember the Ten Commandments?

1-you shall have no other gods before Me
2-you shall not make yourself an idol
3-you shall not take the Lord's name in vein
4-remember the sabbath day and keep it holy
5-Honor your father and your mother
6-you shall not murder
7-you shall not commit adultery
8-you shall not steal
9-you shall not lie
10-you shall not covet your neighbors things

These are very simple things to follow, and everyone knows they exist. Some people even know them and try to follow them, even if their hearts don't belong to God.

In giving your heart and life to the Lord, His Holy Spirit came to dwell in you. It doesn't make you do things, but when you open yourself up to it, it will guide you through anything. In receiving the Holy Spirit, you have the ability to follow the Lord better than before. The law is no longer above you (weighing on you), but it becomes the foundation/ground on which you walk.

So, the walk is obedience. Not to just the law, but to God Himself. "Now that the Spirit has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law" Galatians 3:25

Many people have arguments over this subject of Law and Spirit. This could very well be an example of why God did not "entrust Himself to men" (John 2:24). It is a part of our nature to try to be "right" about things and call people out and, honestly, to created divisions! The Law and Spirit work together. God's Law is no longer what we are judged by. Remember Matthew 15:18-20??
We are judged by our motives, our heart and our devotion.
So what does the Law have to do with this??

Think about laws of a country, or state, or even county. You know...the dreadful speed limit, or that new law about cell phones! Yeah...I think everyone breaks those laws! But aren't we supposed to follow them?? Why?? Because we belong to that country, state, county. Well, it is the same with God's Law. We are a part of His body, His family. And just like with Family rules...elbows off the table!!!!...they make things easier for us, and nicer for visitors :)

So rid yourself of the devils scheme (and infectious lies) to create a division with the Spirit and Law and just think about how guilty you feel when you get a speeding ticket...and ask yourself if you feel the same about God's Law?
Jesus took your punishment, He went to jail for you for disobeying the Law. That doesn't mean you shouldn't follow it.

Don't complicate the Word of God.

Try to obey His "speed limit"...don't "text and drive"...don't "drink and drive".

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So what does it mean to walk in PURITY? Obedience. Obedience to His Word, His Spirit and trying to obey His law. I'm sure He'd appreciate the effort. Remember, you might not be able to follow it, but He sees your heart, your motives and your walk.

"Flee the evil desire of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with [people] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" 2 Timothy 2:22 (check out verse 23 too!)

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a follower of Christ" Galatians 1:10

"Just as you used to offer parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness" Romans 6:19

"If you love Me, you will obey what I command" John 14:15

Pray with me...

God,
Help me to better know your Word and to obey it.
I'm sorry I have not been making an effort to fully follow You even when it is hard.
Help me make the right decisions from now on.
Remind me of Your Word and how You want me to be.
Please give me more opportunities to read Your Word so that it can walk with me to matter where I am.
Make Your Holy Spirit louder than my thoughts and help listen to it.
Guide me in my life so that others may see You in me by how I live.
And give me courage to tell other about You.
Today, I pray that You would be glorified through every step I take.
Consume me God.
In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior forever. Amen.

(Part Three I'll share how God has taught me to walk in PURITY. And what my walk with the Lord is like. :)