“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

When we think of our own battles with sin, particularly hidden sin, we often consider as a motivation for us the fact that God sees everything. As Hebrews 4:13 says, “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” 

It certainly ought to motivate us when we are in the throws of temptation, when no one is looking, when it is just you, alone and in the dark, it ought to motivate you toward holiness to consider and meditate on the fact that God sees all things, that God knows all things, that he is present with you watching everything you do. 

But here, Christ says the inverse of this must also be a present motivation for us. When you’re in throws of temptation, when you’re tempted to lie in order to present yourself in a better light, when you’re tempted to gossip and slander a brother or a sister, when you’re tempted to fully give yourself over to your anxiety about the future, when you’re tempted to click that link to the shady website in order to see forbidden things, Christ tells you that what should stop you dead in your tracks in that moment, is the promised reward ahead of you. 

Yes, God sees you in that moment. You are naked and exposed before the fire of his eyes. Everything you do, everything you say is before his face. 

AND if you would turn to him, if you would purify your heart, if you would confess your sin and cling to the cross of Christ, then you will see God. 

This is what you were made for. To behold your creator in all his splendor, in all his radiant holiness, to take in the sheer magnitude of his glory—like a thimble attempting to hold the ocean. This is what you were made for, to see him face to face. 

So do not let the fleeting pleasures of sin entice you. Do not let the cares of this world distract you. Do not give yourself over to the impurity of lust, and licentiousness, and anger, and envy, and bitterness. Purify your heart and you shall see God.

Zach Wilke – May 19, 2024

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It really is something that Jesus Christ told his disciples that it would be advantageous to them if he left them (John 16:7). Take this truth in as if you were there with our Lord and you will see just how outrageous those words must have seemed to them. Jesus tells them, “If I don’t go away, the Comforter will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you.” “Well, Lord,” they must have been thinking, “how can it be more advantageous for us? We have seen you walk on water. You have heald the sick. You’ve cast out demons. And then there was the time you raised Lazarus from the dead. We just don’t understand how your departure will make things better.” “Right,” our Lord responds, “you do not understand. But you can believe.”

Petecost reminds us that we live by faith not by sight, we live by faith, not by complete understanding. By all means, you can reason from the things Christ says. You can reason to your heart’s content from the Word. But you cannot sit in the swamp of unbelief and reason your way to the Word. Jesus smiles at one of the disciples, saying, “You don’t understand? Well, you’re definitely not going to understand if you don’t start by believing what I’m telling you.”

Pentecost kills the sin of stagnant, swampy unbelief. The Spirit is Living Water. And He will flow. It is not your job to keep up with Him. You could never do that. He’s not some stream running along beside you. He is a stream that has been poured out in your hearts. Your job is to trust the Word and ride the river.

Jared Longshore – May 19, 2024

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I had already picked where I was going to aim this exhortation before I realized it was Mother’s Day. Surely the Spirit was at work in this. The exhortation comes from 1 Peter 3 where Peter has just finished saying this- You were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls…and then there is a pause and a transition…In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands. Feel the weight of that first. Peter says people straying and being brought back by the shepherd is not unlike women being submissive to their husbands. Wives are to follow their husbands like sheep follow the shepherd. And then there is this safeguard. If any of the husbands are disobedient to the word- win them over by your submissiveness as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. So husbands, you have a massive weight of responsibility to lead the sheep in your home, like Christ leads the church. And women, you are to follow your husband like a sheep follows a shepherd. How are you all doing with this? Men with your responsibility and women with yours? For you women specifically think of all the things you could be doing for your husband. The laundry, the dishes, the cooking, working part time, all the things you could be doing. Good things. What Peter says is precious in the sight of God is a gentle and quiet spirit. How are you doing with that? This is what God desires. This is what pleases Him. Go ahead and do all the other things but if you are not doing them with a gentle and quiet spirit then you are doing it all in vain. A husband wants a wife that he can trust. He wants a woman who will do him good and not evil. He wants a woman who is diligent and wise. He wants a woman who opens her mouth in wisdom and kindness is on her tongue. He wants a wife who praises him. But above all, if he is a godly man, he wants her to have a quiet and gentle spirit. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 

So women as you go about your duties taking care of your household and your children lay all of your vanity down at the foot of the cross and take up the righteous garments for your soul, the garments of being gentle and quiet in your spirit.

Joshua Dockter – May 12, 2024

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In the infinite wisdom of God, salvation came through a mother. When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman (Gal. 4:4). And so it should be no surprise that it pleases God, generation after generation, to use the sacrificial love of mothers to build His kingdom. 

This is the case in every humble Christian family, but church history is filled with great examples for our imitation and encouragement. St Timothy inherited his sincere faith from his mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois (2 Tim. 1:5). Behind the great St Augustine stood his faithful mother, Monica. The Wesley brothers received their fiery zeal from Susanna’s example. The powerful preaching of Spurgeon was the fruit of Eliza’s pleading prayers. Hudson Taylor departed for China with the prayer and blessing of his mother, Amelia, still echoing in his ears. And J. Gresham Machen dedicated his book Christianity & Liberalism to his mother, who taught him the Bible and the Shorter Catechism as a child. And the list could go on… 

Mothers give life. Mothers cultivate eternal souls. God uses mothers to change history. And so it is little wonder then that those in our culture who are at war with God are at war with motherhood. Their attacks range from teaching young girls that there is something much better for them to aspire to than “just being a mom” all the way to the celebration of abortion as a way to avoid motherhood (although we know those discarded babies do indeed have mothers).

In our fight against such a culture of death, we celebrate that which they hate—strong and faithful mothers. The kind that die daily so that their children might live. The kind that raise boys and girls that are not “safe” but dangerous – a threat to the enemies of God.

And so the exhortation this morning is to honor the mothers in your life. Rise up and call them blessed (Prov. 31:28). And if you’re a mother, hear this: the eternal significance of your work is not meant to be a terrible burden but a great opportunity for faithfulness. All that you do is by the grace of God and according to His promises. So rely on Him, and may your works praise you in the gates (Prov. 31:31).

Shawn Paterson – May 12, 2024

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You faced a host of temptations to sin this past week, and it is certain that you did give way to one degree or another to those temptations. If that weren’t enough, you live in a world that’s unraveling and is full of wars, blasphemies, and hard consequences. To top things off, the Devil prowls around looking to bring about your destruction. Not the most cheery thoughts. This may convince you to adopt a survivalist mentality. Bunker down, just try to make it through life, and then go see Jesus in heaven.

But this isn’t the salvation which Jesus won for you. He ascended into heaven. And this means a few things. All things are now placed under His nail-scarred feet, and by the covenant union you have with Him, you are made (both individually and corporately) embassies of His global dominion. Sin shall not have the victory over you, because Christ is seated on high. The world shall not overcome you, for Christ is seated on high. The devil shall not devour you, for Christ is seated on high.

So then, cast off any disposition of fearful survivalism. By faith, acknowledge the great salvation which Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension brought about for you. You are not at the mercy of your fleshly desires, for the Spirit of Christ gives you new desires. You must deal with your sin in the light of the reality that Christ is subduing all His enemies; that includes every last nagging temptation that rears its vile head in the dark corners of your heart. That envy must go, because Christ ascended. That lust can’t stay, because Christ is King. That fearfulness must pack its bags, because Jesus has been given the Name above all names. Christ is King. Our task is to live accordingly.

Ben Zornes – May 12, 2024

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