Matthew 5:8-9; 1 Peter 1:14-19,22-23

There are some things in the Full Salvation that many people do not think about. Peace, Purity and Power are all in the Full Salvation from God. Yes, there is peace with God, but there is a deeper fullness of that salvation which is Purity. And there is a fuller version of that salvation which is power. Forgiveness is in that salvation. Then Freedom, that He sets us free from all the bondage and yokes of sin in our lives and hearts. And then there is the Fire of the Holy Ghost that burns all the past weaknesses and things of the world in our lives.

Experience you have it, evidence, you will show it, and expression, you will manifest it. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:8-9). The tribes of Gideon, Gad and Manasseh lacked the purity of heart, that they wanted the lands outside the Promised Land. A pure heart does not have the covetousness of this world like Lot as well. He saw the physical riches of Sodom, so his heart was not pure he did not see God, but only saw Sodom. A heart that is full of lust and defilement like Solomon who only saw women, he did not see God. The Lord wants us to have a pure heart to enable us to see Him. When God purifies our hearts, He purifies our hearts from anger that we just love everybody and be at peace with all men. The action of the heart of Achan was not for peace, his covetousness was his concern, and not the armies of Israel that lost their lives. Look at the disciples of Christ, Jesus told them about His Death and Resurrection, but they were engrossed in their position-seeking and carnal competition among themselves. They could not think about peace among themselves. This is the experience of peace that the Lord is calling us into as believers today.

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1. THE PRIORITY OF POSSESSING A PURE HEART WITH PEACE

Matthew 5:8-9

• The Peaceful Heart in His Peace – Romans 5:1; Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:7-9; Romans 16:20. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Romans 5:1). When we came to know the Lord and believes in Christ, God gave us peace in our hearts with the forgiveness of our sins. And we are justified as if we have never sinned. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3). God keeps us in that peace that is increasing after the initial peace as we come to know the Lord. Increasing peace as we continue to walk with the Lord, then we have the indwelling peace as Christ comes to live in our hearts and lives. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:7-9). Peace beyond human understanding like when they were in the boat on the stormy sea, the disciples were troubled but Jesus was asleep in that boat because He is Peace Personified. The peace of God and the God of peace will be in you. But in between verses 7 and 9, we have verse 8 that tells what we need to meditate upon. The world is trying to remodel us by what we see on social media. Many acts and dramas we see in the world are not true, honest, and pure but they glamorise sin and iniquities contrary to God’s word. “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” (Romans 16:20). When you have the God of Peace, then all those evil spirits, demons and Satan will be under your feet in Jesus Name.

• The Purged Heart by His Propitiation – Hebrews 9:14; 2 Timothy 2:21-22; Psalm 51:7; Hebrews 1:3. Christ cleanses, washes and makes our hearts whiter than snow. We must not rely only on past experiences, what is your spiritual state and experiences now? When you come to the Lord, He purges your heart, so that there will be no animosity or anger in your heart. If love does not give you what you are looking for, anger will never give you what you are looking for. “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:2122). Anger, animosity, frowning face, and pushing others down to have your way will not prepare you for every good work. “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (Psalms 51:7).

• The Pure Heart at His Price – Psalm 24:3-4;1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Peter 1:22. He paid for it all, and what you need to do is to come to Him and receive this pure heart after He has given you peace. “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” (Psalms 24:3-4). We were passionate about Heaven when we came to the Lord at salvation at the beginning of our Christian lives and experiences. But today many have forgotten about Heaven for themselves and their children. Now we want the earthly positions and possessions without thinking about Heaven. But David the king with all his position and possessions on earth still wanted to know the qualifications to get into Heaven. We must have clean hands and a pure heart to get into heaven, not just one or the other. David thanks for the inspiration but we cannot thank you for the pollution at the sin of Beersheba and the murder of her husband Uriah to cover up his adultery. What state was David at that time? If he had died in that condition, he would have gone into Hell for God is not a Respecter of persons. David could have sworn deceitfully when Nathan confronted him with his sin. Many compounded their problems and sinfulness when they swear deceitfully instead of repenting and confessing their sins before God.

2. THE PROMISE AND PROVISION OF PURE HEART, OUR PRIVILEGE

Matthew 5:8-9

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:8-9). The Lord Jesus Christ did not confirm that everyone is blessed including the sinners, hypocrites, and defiant souls. That will not be true, because Jesus is Truth.

• The Persons with Pure Heart in the Past – Genesis 5:22-24; 2 Kings 20:3-6; Daniel 6:3,22; 1 Thessalonians 2:4-10. Remember Enoch, he walked with God, and God took him not to see death, that man had a pure heart. Remember Hezekiah in the face of death after the pronunciation of the Prophet Isaiah. Hezekiah affirmed his pure heart before God in prayers. Daniel was faultless in Babylon. Paul the Apostle was pure and behaved himself holily and justly before the people. It is not possible to lie against a man who is never alone. Everywhere he went, he had Timothy, Silas and others with him. When you position yourself that you are not always in the secret, that you can play a fool when others are not there, that is dangerous. These are people with pure hearts in the past.

• The Promise of Pure Heart for His People – Deuteronomy 30:6; Ezekiel 36:2528; Titus 2:14; Ephesians 5:25-27. “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 36:25-28). That is the promise He has given us, and we have the fulfilment of this promise today in Jesus Name. The old heart has been traversed and trampled by actions and evils that it cannot be new anymore. God will remove this old heart and give us a new heart. If you always lean towards the old propensity of sin, you don’t have a new heart yet. If you always falling into sin and old habits, you do not have a new heart.

• The Provision for Pure Heart at Present – Acts 15:9; 1 John 3:1-3; 2 Peter 1:3-4; Revelations 7:9-17. “And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:9). He put no difference between the apostles of that time, and the apostles, teachers, pastors and evangelists of today. The believers of those times, Jesus told them to go and sin no more, and the apostles of that time, said how holily and justly we have behave ourselves among you that believe. But the believers of today justify their sinning habit. They don’t have this provision and possession of pure hearts. But today is your day, the Lord will purify your heart by faith. “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:3-4). He called us out of disgrace to glory and virtue. Those who want the ordinary like others do not know that they have great and precious promises of partaking in the divine nature. You are shallow when you live your life like others in the world. But today the Lord will take you deeper so that your lifestyle, language and heart will be different.

3.     THE PURSUIT OF PEACEFULNESS WITH PURE HEART AS PEACEMAKERS

Matthew 5:8-9

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9). The peacemakers are the children of God. In all things and situations in life, we must be peacemakers. Between all men, you must be a peacemaker as a child of God. God wanted to destroy the Israelites in the wilderness when they rebelled, and murmured God, and they also annoyed Moses as well. But Moses as a peacemaker prayed for their salvation from the wrath of God. Abraham was left dry by Lot, his nephew, when he chose the better part of Sodom. But Abraham as a peacemaker when he heard about the predicament of Lot still went with his army to rescue Lot and his family from the enemies. Even when he was offered some gain by the king of Sodom, he rejected the offer as a peacemaker. Where do you stand as a peacemaker today?

• Pursuing Peace with Purposeful Calling like our Peacemaker – Isaiah 9:6-7; Ephesians 2:14-18; Acts 10:36; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20. “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” (Ephesians 2:14-18). The One Who lives in you is the Prince of Peace, and He will not encourage you to retaliate when you are offended. As a man of peace, you will not build again that wall of partition that Christ has broken down. Break down that wall of partition that God has broken down. There should be no language, tribal, cultural and educational barriers between us as peacemakers of God. In the early days of Deeper Life Bible Church, we had no barriers between ourselves, we did all things by the grace of God.

• Promoting Peace as Peaceable Citizens among People – Matthew 5:9; Mark 9:34,50; 1 Thessalonians 5:13,21-22; James 3:14-18. We don’t do politics in the Sanctuary of God; we have peace with each other. “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9). The Lord has blessed you today as a peacemaker. For anything to change, the change must begin with you. Be a peacemaker as a child of God first then all this wall of partition will be broken down in Jesus Name.

• Partnering with Peacemakers in the Covenant of Peace – Numbers 25:1112; Isaiah 54:10,13-14,17; Malachi 2:5-9; Hebrews 13:20-21. When we come to Christ, He lives in us so that we can live for Him. We are to partner together and encourage one another. Let the peace of God reign in your life. Peacemakers do not go about to criticise others. Criticism is evidence of pride.

The peace of God abides in you, and the grace of God multiplies in your life. Blessed are you, and the Lord purifies your heart, so that you will see God on the final day. We shall see each other in heaven. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:8-9).