A CLEAN HEART

Psalm 51:10-13

God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.
¹³ Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways, and sinners will return to You. 


http://youtu.be/aSIazjrA0Ls - Refiner's Fire - Brian Doerksen

Purify my heart
Let me be as gold and precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold, pure gold
Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within

This message has been on my mind so much lately.  I feel that my heart's desire truly is to be holy, set apart to do whatever the Lord has for me to do. I fail miserably but I refuse to give up because I know I have the power of the Holy Spirit within me ready to get me through whatever may come my way. 

I don't like life to be difficult.  I don't like problems.  But I've begun to look at obstacles and struggles as tests.  Can I pass the test?   Will I work through the obstacles by keeping my focus on Jesus, inviting Him to be my Guide and Strength?  I so want to be able to do that consistently.  I really think that many of those difficult challenges I face from time to time may just be to refine me, like the refiner's fire as he seeks to purify the silver by getting rid of any impurities.



I can know the right way to handle adversity, but until I have adversity and have to actually put what I know into practice, I'm just spouting off knowledge.  But really using that knowledge in the face of adversity, that's wisdom.  And when I manage to trust God to get me through the struggles of life, the next struggle doesn't seem nearly as threatening.

Malachi 3
3 “See, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to His temple, the Messenger of the covenant you desire—see, He is coming,” says the Lord of Hosts. ² But who can endure the day of His coming? And who will be able to stand when He appears? 

For He will be like a refiner’s fire and like cleansing lye. ³ He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. ⁴ And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord as in days of old and years gone by.

Refining Silver

Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to read the scriptures, and make them the subject of conversation. While reading the third chapter of Malachi they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse: "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." One lady's opinion was that is was intended to convey the view of the sanctifying influence of the grace of Christ. Then she proposed to visit a silversmith and report to them what he said on the subject.

She went accordingly and without telling the object of her errand, begged to know the process of refining silver, which he fully described to her. "But Sir" she said, "do you sit while the work of refining is going on?" "Oh, yes, madam," replied the silversmith; "I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." Christ sees it needful to put His children into a furnace; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come at random; "the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had forgotten to mention that the only way that he knows when the process of purifying is complete when he sees his own image reflected in the silver....

--Author Unknown

When I read this, I was reminded of the passage in 1 Corinthians 10:13:

No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

He will not let me be tested beyond my strength, but will provide a way out so that I can endure.  That way out is always reaching for His Hand, trusting Him to pull me through the fire.  And He is always faithful.

The Lord has promised to give me a new heart and to put His Spirit within me.  His Holy Spirit living in me prompts me to choose His Way not mine own.  When I listen and obey, His holiness is demonstrated in me.  This is not righteous of my own, I am simply reflecting the righteousness of Christ, shining through my willingness and my desire to live for Him.  The more intense the heat I face, the closer my Lord watches, ready to scoop me out of danger.   One day, I hope to be so refined and pure that Jesus will see Himself in me.

Ezekiel 36:23b-
The nations will know that I am Yahweh”—the declaration of the Lord God—“when I demonstrate My holiness through you in their sight. ²⁴ “For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. ²⁵ I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. ²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances. ²⁸ Then you will live in the land that I gave your fathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God. ²⁹ I will save you from all your uncleanness.

http://youtu.be/SXJz8-6dNKg - Come and fill my heart - Avalon

Contagious Faith!



2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

http://youtu.be/MmUDDxflt6o - MOVE - MercyME

If this song doesn't get you up and moving on Monday morning, I don't know what will! We've got something in Christ that should have us up dancing for joy. Share your joy in Christ! It's contagious!

Contagious Faith

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord,
not for men.  - Colossians 3:23 NIV


Are you genuinely excited about your faith? And do you make your enthusiasm known to those around you? Or are you a "silent ambassador" for Christ? God's preference is clear: He intends that you stand before others and proclaim your faith.

Genuine, heartfelt Christianity is contagious! If you enjoy a life-altering relationship with God, that relationship will have an impact on others—perhaps a profound impact.

 A couple of years ago, Dallas Christian School's PTO has a special motto: Be Salt & Light at DC! We wanted our lives to reflect His LIGHT so that others would be drawn to HIM, and we wanted to be salt. We wanted to be influencers in the world for Christ.   I think it's a motto every Christian should have.

Salt has many purposes:    http://www.teal.org.uk/mat/saltand.htm

As a seasoning agent, it improves the taste of the food that it comes into contact with, and so as we come into contact with society our Christian values should improve the nature of that society.

Salt makes people thirsty - and as Christians we seek to create a thirst in people's lives that can only be satisfied by Jesus, who said : "if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me me and drink" (John 7:37)

Salt is used to thaw ice on roads : so it can have the effect of warming hearts that have hardened against the gospel - over time the saltiness of Christians can bring people to know Jesus Christ.

As a preservative, salt gives food an improved length of life. Ultimately, with enough salt, those who do know Jesus, and acknowledge Him as Lord and Saviour will have eternal life.

My job as a disciple of Christ is to be Salt and Light, and if I am, my faith will be contagious! I'll be a positive influence on my community, my school, at my job, at my church and in my home.

Isaiah 58:10
Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.


Isaiah 60:1
“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.

Isaiah 60:19
“No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.


Mark 4:21
Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.


John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.


John 12:35
Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.


John 12:46
I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Believers are the light of the world. We are to reflect Jesus, The LIGHT, to those around us who are struggling in darkness. Let your light shine today. Don't just go through the motions - give today your everything!

http://youtu.be/qaHmiFaX_pk  - Going Through The Motions


Does Christ reign over your life? Then share your testimony and your excitement. The world needs both.

http://youtu.be/auE-ZCQBOKY  - More - Matthew West

"Your enthusiasm will be infectious, stimulating, and attractive to others. They will love you for it. They will go for you and with you."
Norman Vincent Peale


"Prayer must be aflame. Prayer without fervor is as a sun without light or heat, or as a flower without beauty or fragrance. A soul devoted to God is a fervent soul, and prayer is the creature of that flame. He only can truly pray who is all aglow for holiness, for God, and for heaven."
E. M. Bounds


"Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn." John Wesley


"Don't take hold of a thing unless you want that thing to take hold of you."
E. Stanley Jones

Father, Thank You for loving me and for sending Your Son to save me. How can I show my gratitude for such a wonderful gift! Help me to be a light that reflects Your great love. I know that others are watching the way that I live my life. Help me to be an enthusiastic Christian with a faith that is contagious. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.