Friday, February 19, 2021

A Pure Heart

Meditate.

May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon. And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 

God our Father. Our Father. One day you…and I…will stand before Him with all the other Christians. Paul was giving the church at Thessalonica encouragement to show love for each other in hopes that that love would make them strong, blameless and holy. You have to be holy…pure and blameless…to stand before Our God…Our Heavenly Father. Paul knew that. He was teaching it to those in Thessalonica, as well as those in Corinth and Philippi and to his student Timothy. James, Peter and John also wrote about purity in the New Testament, but the greatest teacher, Jesus, said…

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8.


Are you seeking to have a pure heart? Like David are you willing to ask God to purify your heart?

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. ... Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me--now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Psalm 51:1-4, 7-18

Prayer ~ Dear God…purify my heart.

Verse of Salvation ~ Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Psalm 51:12

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

We’ve had a lot of snow here lately. Have you ever made snow ice cream? My grandkids in South Carolina reminded me that with lots of snow…snow ice cream is a winner of a winter idea!

Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly caught snow (or 8-12 cups) [Do NOT use snow that is already on the ground.]
1 tsp vanilla
10 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

When it starts to snow, place a large, clean bowl that holds at least one gallon outside to collect the flakes. When full, measure out the snow into another bowl. Stir in vanilla, then stir in just enough condensed milk for the desired consistency. Add more snow, if needed. Serve at once. It tastes like French vanilla ice cream. Yum! Freeze any leftovers. You won’t want to waste it.

© 2021 Text, photos and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. 
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