Sermon 080998

1Tim. 1:5-6                                  Love From A Pure Heart - II                                          8/9/98

Series 24.3                                                                                                                          ABCC

I.    Introduction                                                                                                                      632

q      Love is the goal of the scriptures & teaching of the scriptures (v. 5a) – self-denial & sacrifice

q      The proper objects of love are God and man (Matt. 22:37-40) – godly relationships is the goal

q      Love must come from a pure heart – the scriptures/teaching is intended to address the heart

q      The heart is the inward & central part of every person that controls their thoughts, will, emotions & motives (Gen. 6:5b; Col. 3:22)

q      There is a wide range of conditions of the heart

-         Deceitful & desperately sick, stubborn, hardened, foolish…honest & good (Lk. 8:15), open, obedient

-         The thoughts, will & motives of a person can be deceitful & evil or honest & good, open & obedient

This is the reason our hearts need to be search by God & His word so that we may know individually the true condition of our own heart (Ps. 139:23; Heb. 4:12)

II.    Loving God With A Pure/Clean Heart

A.     To love God, you must first see Him (Matt. 5:8)

See Christ as the only Savior for you soul Who completely paid the price & penalty…See Him as the Good Shepherd, your righteousness, Wisdom, Peace…To see Jesus Christ with a pure heart is the only way to love Him – He’s all that you could ever long to be and more than that even – nothing on earth or heaven compares to the Lord!

B.      To love God with a pure heart is to long for & enjoy His presence (Ps. 24:3-4)

After your heart has been opened & you see God, you enjoy His presence; longing for it & nothing else satisfies   (Exo. 33:11-15; Ps. 27:4; 73:25-28; 2Co. 5:5-8; Phlp. 1:23)

Love From A Pure Heart - II, pg. 2

C.      To love God with a pure heart is to truly know & enjoy God’s goodness (Ps. 73:1)

After you’ve seen the Lord & been in His presence, then you see life differently – you see waking to a new day as God’s goodness to you; sunshine & rain, other believers, spouse & children, provisions, deliverances, (Ps. 103:1ff)

D.     To love God with a pure heart is to be faithful & effective in prayer (2Tim. 2:22)

After you’ve have seen yourself rightly & the dangerous potential of your own heart, you will take practical steps to avoid temptation & you will be faithful in prayer to God for His power & deliverance, wisdom, provision, grace, His way of escape – you will seek to pray according to His will (1Jn. 5:14-15; Lk. 18:1)

E.      To love God with a pure heart is to love the scriptures & teaching (1Tim 1:3ff)

The scriptures become essential for life (Ps. 19:7-11; 119:47,48,97,163,165; Matt. 4:4) – they are not optional, they are not boring, burdensome, out of date.  The scriptures are living & applicable to every aspect of my life.

So how does all this tie together?  To love God with a pure heart, means that I have been converted & I now see how wonderful my Christ truly is.  I enjoy being in Christ’s presence here in this life & long to be with Him in eternity.  Likewise, I know with certainty that the Lord is blessing me & it is His goodness that I enjoy.  So I praise Jesus Christ & I thank Him & I pray to Him because He is my only help & my only deliverer.  And I love His word because the scripture continue to reveal how wonderful my Christ is & His glory yet to come, how much I need Him, etc.  Has your heart been changed?  Can you see God?  Do you love Him & His presence & His word & prayer?  Do you need to have your heart changed, searched, cleansed?  Only Christ the Lord can do it!  Has your heart already been changed, are you thankful?  QUOTE Rom. 6:17-18!