Saturday, April 28, 2018

 
 
 
Devotional for Saturday, April 28, 2018
“The First Thing…”
 
 
 
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
 
 
“The first thing about being real is
facing the truth
where you are not real.”
 
Arthur Burt
 
If our hearts are not pure this will surely affect not only how we see things around us but how we see ourselves. While in North Wales visiting Brother Arthur, he was exhorting us to be real with ourselves that our Lord would be able to deal with us as He wishes. May we guard ourselves from being self deceived. We must be real. A pure heart does not have impure motives nor does the pure heart feel comfortable being a pretender.
 
“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10 – Amplified version
 
 
Let us purpose to be in pursuit of a clean heart before God. May we daily be renewed and refreshed by the power of His grace and the work of His Spirit. I love the word ~steadfast~ in this scripture from Psalm 51:10. That word ministers to my heart for it shows me that I need to be fixed in my direction, firm in purpose, and in resolution. As we desire clean, pure hearts, we will immediately recognize when the impure is trying to dwell within us. The humble heart will cry out for Him to clean and renew his or her heart.
 
It is when we are truly real with ourselves that the Holy Spirit is free to work in great depths within us. It is when we are truly real with ourselves that we will face, and receive the truth in every area of our lives. It will be liberating to us and we will welcome the work of the Holy Spirit that He desires to accomplish in us.