God desires a Pure Heart not outward spirituality

The Mystery of Salvation

Have you ever wondered at the mystery of salvation? The bible says that when we are born again, the old is gone and the new is here. 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 

Transformed by the Spirit of God

God uses the extraordinary power of His Holy Spirit to change our hearts and attitudes, transforming us from the inside out. When He starts to live in us, we are regenerated. He starts instructing and directing us according to his truth and His ways. And we naturally start to have desires for things that are in line with His will. That is God's power operating within us.

"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God."  1 John 3:9

God gives us a heart willing to follow his ways. He takes away or heart of stone, and replaces it with a heart of flesh.

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." Ezekiel 36:26-27

Others can observe the impacts of this conversion. It is not a transformation that can be mimicked or faked. It is a change that may be seen in the fruits of the spirit that we produce. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit.

God alters our purpose, will, desires, goals, and disposition. We start living a different kind of life - a Spirit led life. Deep within our hearts, the change takes place. He creates in us a pure, blameless heart with pure motives. He renews our hearts and changes our minds, transforming us daily to the image of His son.

Transformed by His Word

The word of God has power to penetrate our hearts and change your minds. It is a living and active word and will always achieve what God intended.

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

God's word has the power to change our life. By His word, he created the earth and every living thing.  And by His word, lives are transformed.

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11

The Spirituality of Love

We are called to love one another.  This is the essence of Christianity.  Only His Spirit can transform us such that we love even those who are not easy to love.  If a spiritual act isn't committed out of true, sincere love, it doesn't matter what it is. Genuine love resides in a transformed heart.

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." 1Corinthians 1:7

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

God wants us to undergo inward change. Our outward expression should come from true inner transformation. This means that we now depend on him rather than on our limited power. It's not necessary for us to attempt to manage and control everything. We don't need to be concerned about everybody and everything  because it is not by our power but by His. 

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