I wanted to start this whole thing off with the discussion of just the simple word Pure. I googled the word Pure for its definition and this is what I got from www.TheFreeDictionary.com:

Pure:
1. Having a homogeneous or uniform composition; not mixed:
2. Free from adulterants or impurities:
3. Free of dirt, defilement, or pollution:
4. Free of foreign elements.
5. Containing nothing inappropriate or extraneous:
6. Complete; utter:
7. Having no faults; sinless: .
8. Chaste; virgin.
9. Of unmixed blood or ancestry

As we can see, they do offer two definitions that go along with the Bible and what we are going to be talking about...but it isn't until definition 7 or 8, which I found odd. But then I looked up the definition Purity from the same site. There weren't as many definitions and this one only listed being sinless as definition 3, but nowhere was purity for sexual immortality listed.

Now, of course this could mean nothing but in my odd head I thought "How sad, this is the world we live in." No one cares much of purity anymore, especially physical, that it’s not even listed as a definition. Luckily though, I found the website http://www.bible-history.com/isbe/P/PURITY/
and I loved what it said of purity.

"The Bible bears witness to the long struggle over and in man to secure physical, mental, and moral cleanliness. The various forms of purity have relation to each other."

Like I said in my first post, all three areas relate and we have struggled with them since the first sin.


The verse I want to focus on today is found in Proverbs 27:3a. Now, usually I use the NIV version of the bible, but I prefer the KJV for this verse. Also, I don't like to break a verse in two or just use one part of a verse but I am for this lesson just because I want us to focus on the first part so we can relate it to this topic.

"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he"

I am sure you have heard many people use this as a quote at least once in your life. I know I have, but I must be honest: I had no clue where it was in the bible...even more so, I didn't know it was in the bible. Yeah I know: sad.

But the truth of this verse is clear as day. What is in our heart is what we are. If people have bitterness in their heart, bitterness will be shown in their life. If they have anger in their heart, it will be evident in their life.

If their heart focuses on things of an impure nature, their actions with be of an impure nature. It all starts with the heart.

I hate science. I really do. I was horrible at it. But I want us to look at how the heart works in our body.

http://www.covenanthealthcare.com/body.cfm?id=556038

The heart actually consists of two pumping systems, the right and the left. Each system has a receiving chamber (atrium) and a sending chamber (ventricle).

Step 1 – The right side of the heart (atrium) receives blood containing carbon dioxide (CO2) and low in oxygen.

Step 2 – The blood is pumped from the atrium to the right ventricle, which sends the blood to the lungs to exhale CO2.

Step 3 – The blood picks up a new supply of oxygen in the lungs and returns it to the heart through the left atrium.

Step 4 – The left atrium pumps the blood to the left ventricle. The left ventricle pumps the blood out of the heart through the large aorta to provide the body with circulating blood that is rich in vital nutrients, including oxygen.

Okay, did you all get that? I promise there is a reason for this. Notice that the heart receives blood, and as it’s pumped through other parts of the heart, it develops a new supply of oxygen in the blood to then travel through the rest of our body. Without the heart, are blood would never be refreshed, never renewed.

We can take this same concept to relate to our topic and the verse. What we think about, what we read about, what we see is taken to our heart, and whatever those things are, they are then "pumped" through our heart and that is reflected in our life. For example, if you like listening to dirty jokes, there will be a time when that is what your heart continues to think about, and your life will reflect it, whether it’s evident through their words, actions, or both. Most times it is both. If you enjoy watching certain movies, thoughts actions and thoughts will be reflected in your life. (And no I am not saying we should stop watching movies, I just believe we should be selective about the kinds of movies we watch, and how often we watch them.)

This is why we should focus on things of a pure nature, just like Philippians 4:8 states:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

When we focus on things of a Godly nature, of a pure nature, our life will reflect that. If we think and focus on others, that will be evident. If you focus on God's word, it will be shown through your actions.

This is truly the first step to answering the call to purity: is setting our heart to think on thinks that our Godly, right, pure. If we want to live a life that is pleasing to God, we must answer the call he has placed to Christian of living a pure and holy life.

But I know there are some out there that can't begin to live a life of purity and holiness because they haven't answered the knock on their heart. Some of you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. If you haven't done this, you cannot begin to answer the call to purity, because without the grace and forgiveness of Jesus, you cannot stay the course. When we accepted Jesus into our heart, he renews our hearts; he gives us new clean blood. And when He is the focus of our life, we will be like him. That’s why I pray that if you have not accepted the beautiful gift of salvation that you will today. It’s so easy and it’s waiting for you. You don't have to meet God where he is; he meets you where you are.

For some this is a hard thing to understand. You might think you've done too much in your life to ever be forgiven by God. But this is untrue, and in future post I hope I can provide stories for you for people I know who have thought the same thing and are now living a beautiful life of forgiveness.

So if you want to accept Jesus in your hearts today, just ask. If you're not sure how to, simply pray this prayer:

"Dear Lord,
I know that I am a sinner. I have lived my life for myself. I ask you to forgive me. I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life, I give it to you. Help me to live every day in a way that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you."

My hope is that if you needed to pray that prayer today, that you did and are now my sister or brother in Christ! And now you can begin your journey to live a pure life. It may not be an easy road, and it doesn't happen right away; and it is a beautiful journey to take. This will be more fulfilling than anything you've ever known.

A Simple Hello...Maybe

I am a hopeless romantic.  I love hearing love stories, from the corny stuff to the original stuff. I could listen to these kinds of stories all day...well except my own just because I turn in to a school girl when my husbands shares our story and I hate giggling like that in public.


You can blame Disney movies for corrupting my mind first that fairy tales were true.  Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and my all time favorite, Sleeping Beauty.  Yes I loved Prince Philip.  Even with his stereotypical white horse and riding in to slay the dragon.  That was my prince charming and I hoped for him every day.


As I have gotten older, I still believe in fairy tales, just not completely how Disney showed them.  Plus, instead of movies, I turned to books.  Classics such as Pride and Prejudice (oh Mr. Darcy, so misunderstood, but I loved him as soon as he came on the scene) to the new addiction Twilight (yes I am a Twihard.  My husband likes to make fun of me for this.)  I love seeing true loves, conquering love, everlasting love.


Yet with all these movies and books that deal with finding your true love...we seem to live in a world that has convinced many that true love does not exist out there.  That we live in a fast and furious world, so we should just find and do what makes us happy, what brings us pleasure, what brings us fulfillment. 


So many have forgotten the importance of something I have always held dear to my heart and have had a desire to teach others about: Purity.


When I speak of purity, the first thing that does come to people's minds is in the physical nature.  And yes, this is true and that main area I have a desire for teaching and the importance of waiting.  But purity is not only body...purity is mind, body and soul.  When we forget these three do go together, or allow one area to become focus on things of an impure nature, we begin to fall into the hands of the enemy and forget the beauty and the pleasure of living a life that is pure and pleasing to God.


Am I the most eloquent writer: no.  Am I the most eloquent speaker: no.  Those are my husbands fortes.  Am I the best expert of this subject: no. I could only wish the be an amazing teacher like Beth Moore or Louie Giglio.  What I have to offer those of you who read this is a desire of my heart to reach the teenagers of this world to turn from the ways of the world and focus on what God has called us to be.


Most of my post will deal with purity in a physical sense; this is something that has gotten so insane and has begun to become a come act in people younger and younger, every year.  And my prayer is that at least one person will hear what I feel God leads me to say to you, and understands the importance and the joy of True Love Waits.


Also, my post will deal with purity of mind and soul.  If we cannot keep our minds and hearts pure, we will more easily fall into physical acts that may have a temporary sense of feeling fulfilled, but soon becomes an acts that leaves us empty.


My prayer is that these our God's words that are in my post, not my own.  And I pray that in these post God speaks to you.  I will try my best to post once a week, given in what I feel God leads me to write.  But I hope you understand that I am a wife and a mother and my first calling is to them.  I will try my best to keep my updates regular.


So, maybe not a simple hello. :-)


~Courtney~