A Clean Heart and a Renewed Spirit

Deuteronomy 6:5 commands us to love God with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind. In order to accomplish this awesome task we, like the Psalmist, must petition God to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us, for he indeed knows the secrets of our heart. What does it mean to “love God with all your heart”?

Consider putting absolutely nothing before God by giving him your complete trust, respect, devotion and faithfulness. For most of us that requires growth and maturity, plus learning to prioritize where to place our loyalties. If we get bogged down with worldly cares, then God will renew a right spirit within us.

God does not leave us to ourselves in committing our entire being into his care. He provides his unconditional love plus the gift of faith to all who accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We then have peace and security as anchors for life. What a wonderful blessing!                             

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My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

~Psalm 51:17 New International Version

 

Whoever conceals their sins, does not prosper; but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

~Proverbs 28:13 New International Version

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Restoring Reverence and a Clean Heart

 At different stages of adult life, we seek out new beginnings for our personal life and relationships. We make commitments to become the person we're most capable of being by saying goodbye to an unproductive and unhealthily lifestyle. You can leave behind attitudes that prevent possessing an attitude of reverence for God.  

Going forward may offer challenges to renew neglected areas like worship and Bible study. You may have lost the willingness to express reverence for the Lord God, but the good news is, reverence can be restored or reclaimed even if it has been lost a long time or never even existed.

God makes it possible to develop an attitude of reverence from scratch. First, God will create in you a clean heart through confession and turning from sin in your life. You can read and meditate on God's word until it becomes alive for you. Be thankful for what God has given you. Gradually an attitude of reverence for God will spring forth.

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I will take away your stubborn heart and give you a new heart and a desire to be faithful. You will have only pure thoughts, because I will put my Spirit in you and make you eager to obey my law and teachings.

~Ezekiel 36:26-27 Contemporary English Version 

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Create Happiness

A definite connection exists between creativity, happiness and the expression of joy that connotes inner peace. Creativity is not limited by age nor is it restricted by education or wealth. Creativity can include making a specific idea fit your need, regardless of who introduced it.

An elderly woman burdened down by illness possessed a gift for creating warm, inspiring religious poems she mailed out each day to other seniors from her church. Irrespective of how she felt, she consistently projected a contented persona, which she credits to her creative ability for encouraging others.

Despite the array of contaminants that flood our consciousness, everyone still is capable of possessing a pure heart. David asked God to create in him a pure heart. Have you asked God to do the same for you? Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." The pure in heart are the ones who acknowledge their need for God's redemption and pursue it like a wonderful treasure.

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Happy are the utterly sincere, for they will see God!

~Matthew 5:8 Phillips – New Testament in Modern English

Who may climb the mountain of the Lord and enter where he lives? Who may stand before the Lord? Only those with pure hands and hearts, who do not practice dishonesty and lying. They will receive God’s own goodness as their blessing from him, planted in their lives by God himself, their Savior. 

~Psalm 24:3-5 The Living Bible

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

~Psalm 51:10 New International Version

Forgiveness Revisited

When C. S. Lewis lay dying, his final thoughts were on forgiveness. He was struggling to forgive a cruel and harsh elementary teacher from his childhood. He had forgiven this individual as a young man and again as a middle-aged adult and now felt compelled to complete the task before he breathed his final breath.

What is incredibly important to understand about C. S. Lewis’ experience is that forgiveness is being completed at various stages throughout life. C. S. Lewis could never forget the trauma he experienced from this teacher. He understood that the only way to let go of the bitterness was to forgive him for the pain he felt so deeply.

It's often at the crossroads of adult development where forgiveness needs to be revisited. God’s wisdom and compassion aid us in forgiving at a deeper level. As Lewis lay dying, he again offered forgiveness to the person responsible for his suffering. The Holy Spirit brings to our awareness what needs to be forgiven so we can have a clear conscience.  

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It is truly wonderful when the people of God live together in peace.

~Psalm 133:1 Contemporary English Version

When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won’t give up in despair. You should make them sure of your love for them.

~2 Corinthians 2:7-8 Contemporary English Version

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

~2 Corinthians 13:11 New International Version

Confronting Unhealthy Pressure

Proverbs 22 challenges parents to “teach their children to choose the right path because when they are older they will remain upon it.” What did Rebekah teach Jacob as a child and adolescent that allowed him to defraud his brother Esau of their father’s blessing? Fear of discovery was overwhelmed by Rebekah’s convincing words of deception.

What prevented Jacob from standing up to the pressure his mother was putting on him to commit this heinous sin? His mother’s values prevented her from teaching him appropriate boundaries and God’s rules for living. Little did he know this act of deception and fraud would permanently separate him from his mother.

Rebekah apparently felt it’s okay to be deceitful provided you don’t get caught. Jacob must have been driven by greed and lust for power and prestige. He would have to learn time and again that God neither sleeps nor slumbers. God knows our deeds and our heart, yet consistently desires to create in us a clean heart through our repentance if we will but seek it.

God Is There! Are You Listening? - Part 2

How did you come to believe in what is right or wrong, good or bad, appropriate and inappropriate? The Apostle Paul emphatically declares in Romans 2:14-15 that those people who have never heard of the Ten Commandments do by nature what is required. They do so because it is written in their hearts and minds, and their conscience bears witness.

It’s possible to mute out and disregard the values promoted by the conscience. This doesn’t imply freedom from guilt resulting from wrongful choices and behaviors. Delayed consequences can be more painful because of accumulated guilt. The purpose of an active conscience is to guide, protect, accuse and defend each of us.

A weakened conscience can be strengthened by renewing your covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ, creating a place in your heart for God’s word, and finding a Christian mentor to be an accountability partner. God’s purpose is to cleanse the conscience so fellowship with him can be possible and enjoyed. 

Hero or Failure? Riding the Roller Coaster - Part 3

Living a good life depends on your personal values, which supply meaning and purpose to your life. They are the heart and soul of your existence. Values that are enhanced by the presence of Christ Jesus provide energy and power for staying focused when life becomes too difficult or too easy. It's during these times when your values may be discounted or suppressed, implying they are outdated and insignificant for what you now want to be and do. 

God's presence in our lives gives values the strength to endure. If you were asked, "What do you value most," what would you say?  David, described as a man after God's own heart, begged God to create in him a clean heart.

In this context, the word heart describes David’s conscience that yearned to be unshackled from failures in thoughts and deeds. God's word makes it clear that anyone who seeks him with a repentant heart will find him, regardless how deep into sin that person may have plunged. It's a significant choice and is necessary for reclaiming your faith and lost values. 

Don't Dance with the Devil! - Part 1

The story of Balaam in Numbers 22 tells of a person who believed in God, yet moved to the edge of inappropriate moral judgment. He apparently enjoyed balancing the tantalizing effects of dancing with evil and pursuing God’s purpose for his life. Ambivalence permitted him to explore evil and become captivated by it.

Balaam yielded to temptation by considering evil proposals made to him by people of influence and power. To convince himself it was OK, Balaam may have asked childishly, "Why can't I do it? What will it hurt?" The permissive will of God allowed Balaam to choose, but God’s anger was provoked when He observed Balaam’s eagerness to participate in evil.

Balaam made a grave error in judgement by allowing himself to dance with unrighteousness, including an agreement to place a curse on the Hebrew people. This act of defiance hardened his heart toward God. A warning for God's people is, be aware of the allurement of evil. Accept God’s escape from temptation so your heart can remain clean.  
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To coordinate with KHCB’s “Five Days of Christmas” programming, I will post special Christmas thoughts on my blog Wednesday-Sunday, December 21-25. On those days, KHCB will air only Christmas music and short thoughts from the programmers. 

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Salt, Light, and Second-Milers - Part 3

It is not uncommon to want to measure up to the problems life presents to us.  It takes resilience and courage to tackle issues in ways that are productive and healthy. Confidence and knowledge are required to advance toward meaningful goals. Thomas Babington, the English historian, said, "Knowledge advances step by step, not by leaps."

I once talked to an aspiring musician who demonstrated unusual insight for  achieving his goal. He believed studying history, science, English, and math would enhance and hone his capacity for being a composer. Acquiring knowledge step by step demanded persistence and dedication that he was willing to expend.

The good news is, steadfastness can be acquired. Listen to David's prayer to God in Psalm 51:10. "Create in me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me." God rewards those who desire steadfastness and who will allow it to become a constant in their lives. Would you, like David, ask God to give you an unwavering spirit and a pure heart so you can serve him?

Repentance: Letting Go of Sin - Part 2

Tragedy forms troubling images in our minds because it can be so painful. Most people tolerate tragedy and eventually heal from its wounds, but consider  those who invite tragedy by refusing to change certain attitudes and behaviors. They have an inner tenacity to hold on to a way of life, regardless of the destruction it produces.

Repentance is sincere remorse for sin and is accompanied by a  desire to forever change old behavior patterns. God creates in those who truly repent an unrelenting desire to avoid the sin that's so easily besetting. God constructs in each of us a resilience to fight off sin and its consequence.

God, through Christ Jesus, creates in us a new person equipped with His armor to manage tragedies we will face. Repentance is a deep-seated regret for sin and opens the way for God to renew a right spirit within us. God is constantly giving you strength to survive and the capacity to change, so give thanks and praise to him.  

Consequences of Positive and Negative Reality - Part 1

Everyone has escaped or will feel the need to escape reality in some way. At the beginning my military basic training, a young man suffered a grand mal epileptic seizure. The medics took him away and we never saw him again. He thought he could leave his medical issues at home, so he enlisted in the Air Force and ceased taking his medications.

Making an all-out effort to escape dependence on medication and a negative identity, he devised a plan that was doomed to failure. The young man's denial encountered a harsh reality. Imagine returning home and carrying the burden of shame and humiliation.

The young man in Jesus' story of the prodigal son fostered fantasies that also would end in failure. When these fantasies became contaminated with the stench of a hog pen, his ability to deal constructively with that reality surfaced. Reality instilled in him determination to go home and face his father who loved him. Acceptance of reality activates God's help, so if the need exists, choose to return and renew your relationship with him now.

Finding Purpose in Life's Ups and Downs - Part 3

Integrity determines how success or failure is managed. Personal failure can be devastating because failure is attached to our values, morals, and sense of uprightness. It is not unusual to overestimate what we can do with the skills and abilities that God has given us, but failure does not require a denunciation of who we are as persons.

By his mercy, kindness, and forgiveness God will, by Christ Jesus, renew a meaningful and purposeful spirit within us. Finding purpose beyond failure is where integrity plays a major role. When we are enlightened and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, our integrity prevents us from lapsing into despair when failure, whether perceived or real, comes our way.

A friend was forced to take early retirement, but resigning to a life without purpose was out the question. Instead, he determined to find a new purpose for the remaining time God would give him. His integrity allowed him to use this crisis as a means for determining how all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.  

Integrity: Character Strength for a Lifetime - Part 3

As newborn babies, we begin life helpless and dependent on others to nurture and care for us in ways that develop feelings of safety and trust. Infants need to be loved and cherished so feelings of trust and security can emerge. Others of God's creation may nurture by instinct, but humans depend on the integrity, love, and compassion of their parents.

Feelings of safety and trust are the foundation on which all developmental stages of life are built. Therefore children need constancy and order, guidance and training, to help them develop integrity for making life's decisions throughout all the other phases of life. Integrity is the character strength that enables a person to face death, as life ends here on earth.

Refrain from idealizing integrity because it doesn't imply perfection. Integrity, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, Christ Jesus, and God's word, gives us guidance for making tough choices that life forces upon us. Integrity and appropriate behaviors form a partnership to create a clear conscience in the person who loves God and desires to please him.  

Uncertainty to Assurance: Giving and Gaining - Part 3

By the time most adults hit their mid-thirties, the realities of life have begun to sink in. Most often we used self-deception to keep these realities at bay. We do this to avoid the normal pain each of us must face just for living. One reality that hits hard is that we all make mistakes. These mistakes can be costly, not only physically or financially, but emotionally.

The consequence for making mistakes is often embarrassment. Anger is a common response that tries to hide grief and sorrow. So many people think their big mistake was in their choice of a career or spouse. Instead of facing mistakes, we frequently use a form of self-deception by believing, "Someday my life will change, things will get better."

Choose to change by giving up self-deception. While mistakes are common, they can produce positive good. Be honest. How is this person or job beneficial, even a blessing? God is in the business of giving you hope, a change of heart, and a new spirit. Be open to what God can provide.  

Intimacy: The Power of Trust - Part 2

Most adults by their late twenties have found an acceptable person of the opposite sex to marry. We need to be close - to be emotionally, spiritually, and physically attached. Emotional isolation is unnatural and not what God intended, but happens when hurt and angry feelings are mishandled and where healthy communication is absent.

Emotional isolation supplants or replaces intimacy and close attachments if fear of rejection has a strong history. Coupled with fear of rejection is a reluctance to trust others or oneself. Fear of rejection tied with the inability to trust blocks healthy intimacy from taking place. Fear of rejection often originates with distant or absent parents.

Choosing to love and be loved must be grounded in knowing you are lovable. God loves and accepts you as you are, with all your fears, doubts, and lack of trust. God's desire is to transform you into a person capable of intimacy and loving attachments. In Psalm 51, David asked God to "renew a right spirit" within him. Will you do that?  

Re-making Wrong Choices - Part 2

Making choices for a better life is not simple. Decisions to change often provoke a struggle within. St. Paul took note of this struggle that plagues all humankind. “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” What choice do you have when your strong side is at war with your weaker side?

Abraham, a man of faith, is described as a person of integrity. He at times made choices that reflected his selfish side, but his integrity led him to re-make decisions based on his relationship with God. His belief in God  kept him on track in the face of failure. He believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.

Integrity portrays honor and honesty. It seeks what is just and fair. Abraham refused to let bad choices dominate his life. David made this appeal to God: “Create in me a clean heart and renew a faithful spirit within me. A broken and contrite heart you will not despise.” Christ in you is your hope for change.