Unalloyed Hearts - Himalayan Heights – July 25 Readings: Matthew 5:8 – Pure

Matthew 5:1-12  The Beatitudes

All Scripture is God-breathed and useful, but there are some Scriptures that we can consider the Himalayan mountaintops of the Bible. In the next few months, we will be looking at a series of great texts that inspire and move us - the "Himalayan Heights" of God's Word.

Today's Reading:  Matthew 5:8

Jesus' most famous sermon took place on a mountain near the Sea of Galilee. There is enough meat packed into the three brief chapters of Matthew 5-7 to sustain years of Bible Study. The passage begins with the Beatitudes, expressions of blessing. The principles here run counter to everything people instinctively believe in this world. We want to be rich but Jesus invoked blessings on the poor in Spirit - and on and on it goes.

Again, this week, read the entire passage daily, then give special focus to the highlighted passage.

When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to teach them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the humble,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

11 “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Through the Bible Readings: Esther 9-10, Acts 19:21–41, Psalm 88:1–3, Proverbs18:14–15

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional:  Unalloyed Hearts 

Have you ever handled pure gold? I wear a gold ring, but it isn't pure. It is alloyed with other metals. As I understand it, pure gold, 24-carat gold is soft, easily shaped. The alloys are added to gold to harden it, to make it keep its shape. My wedding band wouldn't be useful without the alloys, without those things that harden it.

My heart, on the other hand, needs the kind of purity that leaves it soft, malleable, easily shaped by the Father. For that to happen, I must see to it that I do not allow the world and its alloys to harden my heart. I am to have a pure devotion for Christ, an undivided heart.

I have often said that the hardest word in the Bible is "all." In Deuteronomy 6, we are given what Jesus called the greatest commandment, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength." That one word, all, makes that verse infinitely difficult. I can tell you that I love God with my heart, with my soul and my strength. I do. But all? Is my heart completely and totally devoted to him or are there alloys in this world that harden my heart and leave me with a devotion less than God expects?

The purity that Christ demands of us if we wish to experience God's presence, if we wish to "see God," is a whole-hearted passion. It is the first-love that Jesus spoke to the Ephesian church about, Jesus told his disciples to seek first the kingdom and all the other things they needed would fall into place. Jesus simply wants to be the highest passion of our hearts, the reason we live.

Too often, we treat our relationship with Christ as a hobby, something to do in our free time. That is not enough for Jesus. He demands that our devotion to him be pure, unalloyed with other loves, with the things of this world.

Father, help me to have a pure and abiding passion for you and for your kingdom. 

Think and Pray:

Is your devotion to Christ pure?
What "alloys" hinder the purity of your devotion to Christ and harden your heart?