Day 25

Day 25
Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God"
In this particular passage we see a change in the original meaning of the word blessed, here it means something more like; honored, happy, joyful, someone enjoying the bliss of Heaven. The word pure can be translated as untainted, free from dirt, free from harshness, or well tuned. For most of us the thought of having a pure heart seems so unattainable that we tend to feel more discouraged than encouraged upon reading this passage. However let's look at it through the eyes of God rather than those of man, in present tense rather than the tense in which it was written. Remember this was spoken prior to the death of Christ yet written for those who followed Him. Today we have the blessing of a High Priest who makes petition daily for us at the throne of God as our mediator, (Hebrews 8:1-13). Therefore those who seek the covering of the blood of Jesus, those who repent and turn from impure and tainted thoughts, are now pure in heart. So what is the promise for the "pure in heart"? That "they shall see God!" Once again I see this passage as a warning; a warning to flee from the hardness of our hearts and the judgment of our minds yet there is more, again the promise; "for they shall see God". If the promise of redemption is alive and well, then so is the promise to see God yet rarely do we profess to see God. We go to great crusades, revivals, or meetings, hoping to see the works of God done through another, yet we avoid or discount the possibility that God can do those same things we seek in and through us, why? Is it because we know our hearts and cannot believe in the power of God through us? Or is it possible that we just don't believe that God does those things today: if so why not? If one promise is for today then they all are! Could it be that we have placed God in our own little box and by doing so have limited our ability to see and understand His great power and desire to bless us? In Luke 11:9 Jesus says "ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you will find;" when was the last time you practiced this passage? When was the last time you asked for God to show Himself to you? I'm not suggesting that God is a magic spell to be used every time we want to be encouraged, or see His power. However fear of humiliation, insecurity, or whatever excuse you use can has I believe more often than not prevented ourselves and others from seeing God! I have a friend that was complaining to another friend of mine about me, he said this; "every time Gene preaches he expects to see people get saved", dare I say duh! Not only that but every time I preach, walk the street, or buy groceries I expect to see God! I even expect to hear God, and I am committed to obeying God when I do, why not? Look He is either Lord or He is not, He is either Lord of my life or He is not, He is either my savior or He is not, and if He is one He is all! What is He for you, that is the question?
Daily Prayer: Father help us to live for you everyday, expecting to see you everyday, to hear your voice, obey your commands, and to serve you somehow everyday, and today I pray that all would be so: In Jesus name, Amen.
"A miracle may just be a prayer away"
Gene Burroughs Servant