POST #32: JESUS' SERMON ON THE MOUNT - First cleanse the inside...

Matthew 5:8 says,   

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see GOD."

Today, we hear about "toxic waste dumps"... we hear about our need to de-tox our livers from all the processed (impure) foods that we are eating... we hear that our water is filled with impurities and must be filtered or purified... The whole process of making things "pure" takes a lot of work.  
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Our daughter was highly sensitive to her environment. She had many allergies and was often on sensory overload.  Ten plus years ago we started buying organic... buying purified... using essential oils...  For all of us, especially Jessica, purity in our environment was so important. Yet, it didn't stop her body from failing; it was constantly in "fight or flight" mode.  Eventually, her body became eaten up with cancer.  She left this earth 10 months ago today!  One thing I can certainly say about Jessica - her heart was pure!


Centuries ago, scripture was written to let us know that JESUS was concerned about the purity of our hearts.

Matthew 23:25-26 says,  

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! 

For you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, 

but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity. You blind Pharisee! 

First cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, 

that the outside also may be clean." 

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JESUS did not come to help us "go green" or to encourage us to eat whole, organic foods.  His coming was much deeper than that! JESUS came to change the hearts of sinners like you and me... our motives... our thoughts...   

Matthew 5:27-28 says,  

"You have heard that it was said, 

"You shall not commit adultery." 

But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully 

has already committed adultery with her in his heart." 

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The spiritual heart is what you are, on the inside, that only you and GOD see.  This is what matters to GOD!    
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         1 Samuel 16:7 says, 
            "Man looks on the outward appearance,
                                                                             but the LORD looks on the heart." 


          Matthew 12:33-34 says, 
          "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; 
           or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; 
           for the tree is known by its fruit . . . 
           For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."    
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Matthew 15:18-19 says,  

"What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart . . . 

For out of the heart come 

evil thoughts, 

murder, 

adultery, 

fornication, 

theft, 

false witness, 

slander. 

These are what defile a man (woman)."     

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Hebrews 10:21-23 tells us that because of JESUS, our HIGH PRIEST, 

we can do this:   

"...and since we have a great PRIEST over the house of GOD, 

let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, 

having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and 

our bodies washed with pure water.  

Let us hold fast the confession of OUR HOPE without wavering,  

for HE who promised is faithful..."

 BLESSED!

OH, THE JOY OF BEING PURE IN HEART!