"Honestly Redeemed" -2

"He who hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." (Psalms 24:4) I heard the Lord speaking to my heart about something that is somewhat of an epidemic in many of our churches, and it has to do with "A Pure Heart". Do you know anyone that I might be talking about? They are like the lame man who had been lame for over thirty eight years, and had always been at the pool of Bethesda waiting for a chance to be healed, but always not doing what was necessary for healing to take place. Even was Jesus asked the man, "Wilt thou be made whole?", he answered him with an excuse why he has no chance of being healed. You will find this story in John 5:2-14, and it brings to mind the real problem that wrecks families and turns our youth away from following Jesus as they should. The main problem that I am talking about is called "transformation"; it is that which happens to a person who is truly "made whole" by Jesus Christ, they are transformed into a new creation, never to be the same again. The other issue that is brought into this story, is that of trying to do something on our own, and not letting Jesus make us whole; always having an excuse for failing, but never really surrendering completely to Jesus and making Him Lord of your life. Jesus said to the man, after he had given Him excuses, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk". There was no reason for this man need any other form of healing, for Jesus had made him complete and whole; he needed only to take up his bed and walk; never needing to have a spot at the pool any longer, and being equipped to walk in the power of Jesus Christ. Later on in the story, Jesus bumps into this man again in the temple, and says to him, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee". This is the transformation that has taken place, where there is complete healing which is meant to be forever, yet there is some who make a choice to hold onto to something that the Lord wants them to release. The unfortunate thing about what happens, especially when we are talking about parents who half-heartily give their lives to the Lord, is that their children many times suffer; not seeing the power available in a life that should have been transformed, they doubt if such power even exist, and therefore doubt the power of the cross of Christ. It is the "pure heart" that David is referring to, as he says, "who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully"; because to have a pure heart a person must be sincere and honest before God; if they are not, then there hands are still dirty; and if their hands are still dirty, then there is no complete healing; and if there is no complete healing, then there is no lasting transformation to their life... "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1 & 2)