So, my friends, Jesus by His blood gives us courage to enter the most holy place... Since we have a great High Priest who presides over the house of God, let us draw near with true hearts full of faith, with hearts rinsed clean of any evil conscience, and with bodies cleansed with pure water. Let us hold strong to the confession of our hope, never wavering, since the One who promised it to us is faithful. Let us consider how to inspire each other to greater love and to righteous deeds, not forgetting to gather as a community, as some have forgotten, but encouraging each other, especially as the day of His return approaches. (Hebrews 10:19-25 VOICE) If you lack courage to face a holy God, you can find it in the person of Jesus. He made it possible for sinners like you and me to approach the throne room of God with boldness and assurance. Hearst rinsed clean of our evil, bodies clean, minds renewed. This is the work of Christ within each of us - allowing us to be strong, courageous over...
Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life. Do away with any talk that twists and distorts the truth; have nothing to do with any verbal trickery. Keep your head up, your eyes straight ahead, and your focus fixed on what is in front of you. Take care you don’t stray from the straight path, the way of truth, and you will safely reach the end of your road. Do not veer off course to the right or the left; step away from evil, and leave it behind. (Proverbs 4:23-27 VOICE) Above all else - these instructions aren't to be taken lightly - we are to pay close attention to them, guarding our hearts so that they stay on course. The pure, good, and noble things of life don't come naturally when one is born with a sin nature - there must be an exchange of nature in order for these things to become the 'norm'. Let's take a closer look at the instructions we are given in this passage: - W...