"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:9-11 NIV
A pure life is built choice upon choice. It does not magically appear one day after 20 years of being a Christian. Purity is grown and maintained by the practice of inhaling and exhaling purity. What does this mean? The constant input of the pure Word of God is necessary to grow personal purity. When a person is very hungry, they "inhale" their food. In the same way, we are called to "inhale" the Word of God -- feed on it, keep chewing on it, devour it (Psalm 119). In order to practice purity, you need to be tapping into the correct source of purity, God's Word. But, it doesn't stop there. The "exhaling" of God's Word through our actions and mouths is critical to our purity. Knowing the truth is one thing. Obeying the truth will bring purity alive in our lives.
Psalm 119:9-11 gives several commands that help us to practice purity. First, God tells us to live according to his word. Do you measure your life against the world's standards or God's Word? Is your highest goal to blend in with the world's ways? Often, God's word and ways cuts against our feelings and the culture of our day. Are you willing to choose for God and make a stand against impurity? Take a moment to ask God if you have been living according to the world in how you speak, where you go or how you spend time and money.
The Psalmist also says that he seeks God with all his heart. Purity doesn't just happen to you. It comes through the practice of seeking God. Take time to ask God where impurity might reside in your life. Ask him to give you a greater desire for purity. Listen to his wisdom as he applies his truth to your situation. This is all called "seeking God."
Do not stray from God's commands. How easy is it to do 90% of what God says and leave the other 10% out. Typically, impurity enters in drop by drop. In other words, impurity comes from partial obedience. We can pat ourselves on the back for doing God's will. But, the reality can be that we have only done some of God's will (see 1 Samuel 15). Ask God to show you where you have strayed from his commands. Perhaps you have not done something terribly wrong… but you are straying. This means impurity is staining your life.
Meditation on God's Word is such an effective way to maintain purity in your life. The Psalmist says that he "hides" God's Word in his heart. Memorize, meditate on, speak out, and sing out God's Words. This is the meaning of "hiding" the Word of God. The more you have his words running through your body, mind and spirit, the more you will sense his purity in your life. This active use of God's Word is like holding a cup under a tap of running water. After a while, that cup is bound to be cleaned from all impurity.
Hold your eyes, mind and spirit under the opened tap of God's Word. He will bring great cleansing to your life as you hear and obey.
A pure life is built choice upon choice. It does not magically appear one day after 20 years of being a Christian. Purity is grown and maintained by the practice of inhaling and exhaling purity. What does this mean? The constant input of the pure Word of God is necessary to grow personal purity. When a person is very hungry, they "inhale" their food. In the same way, we are called to "inhale" the Word of God -- feed on it, keep chewing on it, devour it (Psalm 119). In order to practice purity, you need to be tapping into the correct source of purity, God's Word. But, it doesn't stop there. The "exhaling" of God's Word through our actions and mouths is critical to our purity. Knowing the truth is one thing. Obeying the truth will bring purity alive in our lives.
Psalm 119:9-11 gives several commands that help us to practice purity. First, God tells us to live according to his word. Do you measure your life against the world's standards or God's Word? Is your highest goal to blend in with the world's ways? Often, God's word and ways cuts against our feelings and the culture of our day. Are you willing to choose for God and make a stand against impurity? Take a moment to ask God if you have been living according to the world in how you speak, where you go or how you spend time and money.
The Psalmist also says that he seeks God with all his heart. Purity doesn't just happen to you. It comes through the practice of seeking God. Take time to ask God where impurity might reside in your life. Ask him to give you a greater desire for purity. Listen to his wisdom as he applies his truth to your situation. This is all called "seeking God."
Do not stray from God's commands. How easy is it to do 90% of what God says and leave the other 10% out. Typically, impurity enters in drop by drop. In other words, impurity comes from partial obedience. We can pat ourselves on the back for doing God's will. But, the reality can be that we have only done some of God's will (see 1 Samuel 15). Ask God to show you where you have strayed from his commands. Perhaps you have not done something terribly wrong… but you are straying. This means impurity is staining your life.
Meditation on God's Word is such an effective way to maintain purity in your life. The Psalmist says that he "hides" God's Word in his heart. Memorize, meditate on, speak out, and sing out God's Words. This is the meaning of "hiding" the Word of God. The more you have his words running through your body, mind and spirit, the more you will sense his purity in your life. This active use of God's Word is like holding a cup under a tap of running water. After a while, that cup is bound to be cleaned from all impurity.
Hold your eyes, mind and spirit under the opened tap of God's Word. He will bring great cleansing to your life as you hear and obey.
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