Keys: Part 6

Keys to the Good Life
Come Clean!

So far in this study, we’ve received five keys to enjoying life. For review:
First key: Don’t play God. Become poor in spirit, in other words, God blesses those who know they have no righteousness of their own to offer God.
Second key: Be real. You realize you’re powerless without Christ, or as Jesus said, “mourn.”
Third key: Stop insisting on your own way.
Fourth key: Satisfy yourself in God; make God your treasure. God blesses those who crave to be right with Him. They aren’t just satisfied with themselves.
Fifth key: Have mercy. God blesses those who are caring, and have a heart. You have to give in order to receive. God lives in forgiveness.
These keys unlock the fortunes of God. Jesus said it this way, “…blessed are those poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Now, and in the time to come.

Question on forgiveness from the congregation: “How do you know when you’ve truly forgiven someone? I understand that I can will to remember no more, however is it ever appropriate to discuss the offense with others?” My answer is No. The Bible says to go to the person directly. If they don’t come clean, take someone else to testify. The next step is to approach church leadership for assistance. The final recourse is to treat that person as if they aren’t born again. You know you’ve forgiven someone when you decide to forgive them.

Key number six: Come clean and stay clean (Matthew 5:8). Think refreshing. Blessed are the pure in heart because they will see God.
God blesses those who are sincerely devoted to Christ.
Pure in heart = a single minded commitment to God which purifies thoughts and motives to produce a person of purity, honesty, and integrity. It’s an attitude. If you are zeroed in on God, everything else falls away and you mind won’t be divided. Only God can purify your thoughts and motives. Pure is the opposite of contaminated. This attitude allows God, with the person’s cooperation and obedience, to keep out undisciplined and evil affections and lusts.
Psalm 51:10 – you cannot clean your own heart. A person’s heart is vile.
Jeremiah 17:9, 10
Proverb 17:3 – Metal like silver or gold must first be purified; then what comes forth is something useful. The Lord purifies the heart with His judgment. Don’t be afraid of God’s proving and testing by fire; it will cleanse and purify you. The enemy wants to con and deceive you through your heart.
Psalm 19:14 –But if you want to see God as your redeemer, stop playing! Only then will God demonstrate Himself to you. Faith is acting on what you believe. Your actions declare your faith.
2 Corinthians 5:17, 18 – this passage is a fulfillment of the Old Covenant. Christ came to lead people back to God.
Ezekiel 36:26 – Why should God take away your heart if it’s so clean? The first thing God does is a heart transplant. Cursed are the corrupt in heart for they can’t stand to see God.
Proverb 19:3
Ephesians 2:10; 2:8 – How are we made a new creation? As an act of faith. Grace is God’s ability and builds the tunnel of faith through which you can now go through to be saved.
We must keep our purity to stay close to God.
There are two types of clean in the Bible: The outward, physical, ceremonial washing. The other is inward cleaning.
John 15:3 – Jesus’ followers were washed because they allowed the Word into their heart. They were truly purified. We are called to walk with Christ, but we are walking in dirt and must “wash our feet.”
1 John 1:9; 2:1 – Confess your sins.