Pure as the Driven Snow

'Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.' James 4:8 (NLT)

Do something today that you will thank yourself for later. 

I will draw near to You Lord, in faith, in repentance, in returning and in prayer. No regrets to be found in doing those things as once I find myself doing them, for God has given me the desires to do them, then God will manifest His glorious presence and His favor will shine upon me. His grace will be given to me and I will find my strength to endure which comes from Him.

God is Good. For it is all found in Christ. He is the reason that I am able to be made clean. It was God's Work and through Christ's blood that I have been cleansed and He alone has redeemed me from my sins. Save me from myself Lord. Make Your temple in my heart. Make me pure as the driven snow.

For it is with pure heart and clean hands that I can really begin to make amends, ask for forgiveness, make right choices and take appropriate actions that are worthy of the call that He has made to me and that will bring Him Glory.

I once was lost. I was born a sinner, and capable of unbelievable malevolence and violence and wickedness beyond measure towards others. I lived under the curse knowing that the enemy comes but to kill, steal and destroy. Thankfully, the Savior has come to bring me Life and that in abundance. I hear His voice and He gives me strength to resist the enemy. I celebrate His birth during this Christmas season of gifts and joy.

So then, to the lost, why not take another road and admit that you need a Savior? We were all born rebels, and our evil deeds and thoughts come from within. We were once double minded hypocrites, fence sitters, lovers of God and man. This should not be. This cannot be the case. We must choose between God and man and truly repent so that God can use us and reform us, both the inward and the outward man. We need Christ to cleanse us and make us whole. When our hearts are made pure, then pure motives and deeds will follow.

Do something today that you will thank yourself for later.

Dear Father. I thank you that Your Words bring comfort to my soul. You give clear direction. You guide me in the ways that I am to go. I know that when I turn from You for any reason that thing that I turn to will only cause me to leave your presence again and again. I turn my back on that thing today and make the choice to do something that will make me a better person tomorrow. I choose to come close to You, to live in your presence, and it is there that I am able to keep my hands clean and my heart pure.  In Jesus' name. Amen.

Source: 'Drummingthemessagehome', December 18, 2019 reposted.