Scripture Reading: Heb. 2:10-11; Psa. 139:23-24
IV. In order to be those “who are being sanctified” in living a holy life for the church life, the kingdom life, we must cooperate with the inner operating of the One “who sanctifies” by dealing with our heart-Heb. 2:10-11; Psa. 139:23-24:
A. God wants our heart to be soft:
1. When God deals with our heart, He takes away the heart of stone out of our flesh and gives us a heart of flesh, a soft heart-Ezek. 36:26.
2. To be soft means that our heart is submissive and yielding toward the Lord, not stiff-necked and rebellious-cf. Exo. 32:9.
3. A soft heart is a heart that is not hardened by worldly traffic-Matt. 13:4.
4. God softens our heart by using His love to move us; if love cannot move us, He uses His
hand through the environment to discipline us until our heart is softened-2 Cor. 5:14; 4:16-
18; Heb. 12:6-7; cf. Jer. 48:11.
B. God wants our heart to be pure:
1. A pure heart is a heart that loves God and wants God; besides God, it has no other love, inclination, or desire-Psa. 73:25; cf. Jer. 32:39.
2. Our heart should be single for God so that we are fearful of nothing except offending Him and losing His presence-Psa. 86:11; Isa. 11:1-2.
3. Our goal and our aim should be God Himself, and we should not have any other motive- Matt. 5:8.
4. We must pursue Christ “with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart”-2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Tim. 1:5; Psa. 73:1.