Heart Meditations 5 - Whatever is Pure - David Mitts
Meditations describe an intentional thinking process that brings together the mind and the heart. Intention is a tool of the heart. It is important to distinguish between our ordinary thoughts and intentional thoughts. Intentional thoughts are focused and are an activation of the thoughts of our heart.
Look with me at 1 Chronicles 29. At this point in Israel’s history David, the anointed king of the kingdom of God’s people is about to do something that has never happened before. He is about to transfer his authority and anointing to his son Solomon
"O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You." 1 Chronicles 29:18
The word phrase “intentions of the thoughts of the heart” is determined by David as the priority of the relationship between God and His people. In Hebrew, the word intention or intent is the word “Yetzar”. Yetzar is the word picture for a press, like an olive press. It is the idea of a transformation that comes by deliberately applied pressure or effort. The word root is also used to describe an attacking enemy which causes the people to come together. It is likewise the word root for a belt which by pressure keeps your pants in place.
Intentional thoughts of the heart are a kind of thinking that brings oneness and holds things together by focussed pressure. This is where we get the term “pressing in for a breakthrough”. We’ll read through 1 Chronicles 29 at another time. It is so powerful and really shows us a picture of how our giving meshes with God’s love and power.
One additional verse to illuminate intentional thinking, Hebrews 4:12-13
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And 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." Hebrews 4:12-13
The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. This is a living description of how God interacts with us through His inner voice, the conversation of our heart. He discerns intentional thoughts of the heart. These are our inner motivations, what we gird ourselves within our innermost chambers. We are naked to Him. He holds us accountable for how we respond to His voice and promptings.
The reference to the intentions of the heart demonstrates that we need to be responsible for our intentions. How many times we have replied with the words, “I never intended…..”.
Yet it is our very intentions that are transparent to God. There is a deeper reality of the heart that requires diligence on our part, our true intentions.
"Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23
The word “keep” is the word “natzar” which means to guard or to protect. It also is the root for a branch that makes the staff of the shepherd.
"There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots." Isaiah 11:1
The point that I am trying to make is that by meditation, active intentional thoughts into our heart, we act as the shepherd of the issues of our life.
OK. Let’s revisit our key text, Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Php 4:8-9 NASB)
The last sentence tells us that we are to practice a certain kind of thinking which is called meditation. In this chapter, I want to look into the thoughts of the heart, intentional, linked to purity, “whatever is pure”…..
"Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God." Matthew 5:8
Purity of heart opens up our reality to the reality of God. We begin to “see” life differently. One of the transformations of being born again is a shift in how we see life.
"The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes." Psalms 19:8
Our heart purity is developed through listening to the commandments of the LORD. God is real in our lives and we walk with Him through His Word. We literally see through His words spoken in the Bible and in our heart. This purifies our heart. The purity of our heart is also called a “clear” or a “bright” heart. The heart shines with spirit, with life.
This condition of a purified heart is known by the Hebrew word “Tamim”.
One verse prior to Psalm 19:8, Psalm 19:7 states:
"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;" Psalms 19:7
The word, “perfect” is Tamim. Tamim is first used in the context of Noah.
"These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God." Gen 6:9 (NAS95)
The word translated as blameless is the Hebrew word Tamim. Noah lived in an age of great darkness. We are increasingly seeing our time as a parallel to Noah.
"“And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man: people were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, and they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all." Luke 17:26-27 (NASB)
The word Tamim means to be whole, to be fully what was intended by the designer. It denotes a purity of heart that leaves one free of shame. Noah was Tamim and because of that, he walked with God. Or another way to look at this is that because He walked with God, Noah achieved Tamim.
How does one achieve Tamim? How does one walk with God?
By receiving Him into your heart. By communication with Him.
Holiness, purity, was transformed when Yeshua came to the Earth and ever since. Prior to Yeshua holiness was about what one did. In this way, holiness was defined by an individual or a community’s actions relative to the world around them. In many religious sects, this is still the case.
There is a common religious thinking process that believes that holiness can be corrupted by contact with the unholy. This thinking is rooted in the belief that like a disease unholiness corrupts holiness. This makes the holy lesser than the unholy.
This is why Yeshua was constantly criticized for making contact with the unholy, sinners.
"And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them. As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He *said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him. And it *happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, "Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?" And hearing this, Jesus *said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."" Mar 2:13-17 (NAS95)
This situation was a major affront to the religious leaders. Today, it isn’t much different. The external concept of holiness is much like the logic behind social distancing and masks. Trying to “protect” holiness by separation really says that holiness is weaker than unholiness.
Yeshua brought a new concept of holiness. He was holy and was a physician to the sick, the unholy sinners. This was a truly revolutionary concept. Holiness could be exported. Disciples were instructed to actually touch the sick and to walk without fear among satanic principalities.
""These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."" Mar 16:17-18 (NAS95)
Notice, it doesn’t say, when you cast out demons, you will receive demons. It doesn’t say when you lay hands on the sick, you will get sick. No! Actually, the reverse happens, holiness dispels unholiness. Light chase out darkness.
How is this possible? Because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit! This is the power that Yeshua gives to His disciples, through the Holy Spirit. The holiness of the Holy Spirit is greater than the unholiness of sin and disease!
How do we possess this anointing in our vessels? By communion with Him. Turn with me to John 17:18-26
""As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. "O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."" Joh 17:18-26 (NAS95)
Sanctification is the Bible word for Holiness. The method is to become one. This oneness is a transformation out of the world into the kingdom in which there is no darkness and only light, there is no sickness, only wholeness, Tamim.
When we walk with God, then we like Noah become Tamim, pure in our heart. Our eyes are opened to the reality of the kingdom of God. We become the head and not the tail. We can take up the deadly things and they will not harm us. We can walk in the valley of the shadow of death and it will not harm us. We live with resurrection life in our being and our mortal bodies are empowered by that same resurrection life. We have been delivered from the one who holds the power of the fear of death and while we are in this world, we are not of this world. We activate the greater within us and we overcome.
This is called purity of heart and as we meditate on that purity, we walk with God exercising the authority and power of the Holy Spirit in all we do.
Activation: Purity of Heart: Opening the eyes of our heart. Paul prayed: "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might" Eph 1:18-19 (NASB).
Close your eyes to this world. Ask the Lord to show you His Kingdom. Like the servant of Elisha maybe you have been magnifying the negatives in the world as the times grow darker and the enemies seem to surround you. It’s time to see!
"Then Elisha prayed and said, “LORD, please, open his eyes so that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." 2Ki 6:17 (NASB)
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