What is the condition of my heart?
Am I pure in heart?
Yesterday
The last few days we have been learning about a wisdom that is NOT from God.
Today
In contrast, let’s see what God says about wisdom that IS from Him in verses 17-18.
Open GODcha to the Book of James.
NOTE:
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You can print off this post and put in a Notebook!
Let’s Pray
Oh Lord, we love You and want to understand Your Truth. Show us our hearts. Show us if there be anything that would hinder us from hearing all You have to say about wisdom. May we hear and then live out what You instruct us.
LOOK at What God Says
Let GODcha direct you.
What will you do first?
READ God’s Word
Read James 3:13-18, asking the 5W’s and H.
What are the 8 characteristics that James uses to describe the wisdom from above?
Do you remember the definition of the word ‘wisdom‘?
Think back to Chapter 1 and everything we have LEARNED thus far about about wisdom to help put you into context.
Let’s Incorporate all Our Strategies
To unlock the meaning, let’s zoom in on these 8 characteristics that are key words, LOOKING at each one separately by:
1. Understand the Meaning – the definition is just a tap away.
2. 
Then, check out the Cross References, GODcha gives for each one. Remember, THINK and REASON by asking questions.
3. 
LISTEN to God Speak – LOOKING, LEARNING, and LISTENING can happen simultaneously.
Remember: Your goal is not to get through a passage(s), but rather to engage with God, hear Him speak to you, converse with Him, let Him draw you into a deeper relationship.
Let’s Try it!
Let’s focus on verse 17.
How does wisdom begin?
This wisdom from above is first ‘pure’...
Understand God’s Words
Check Out the Meaning
Pure, hagnós; innocent, modest, perfect:—chaste, clean, pure. Akin to hágios, holy, sanctify, set apart, pure, clean.Freedom from defilements or impurities. In a more restricted sense, not only chaste but also virginal. In the NT, used figuratively: (I) Pure, perfect, holy. Of God (1Jn 3:3); of His wisdom (Jas 3:17).
Scholars say: The root idea of this word hagnē is the idea of being pure enough in your heart to approach the gods. It was a secular word, and people needed to be that pure to approach their deities. Eventually it came to refer – it started out meaning a ceremonial cleansing where you washed your body. It eventually came to refer to a moral purity which allowed you to approach your God.
Let Truth Explain Truth
CR-Cross References-Word Search Tutorial >
1. Who is pure? What do believers do?
Jesus who is our wisdom, is pure, and everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1Jo 3:3)
2. What should be the motive of all believers?
a. This is one of the Beatitudes: Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. (Mat 5:8)
Note: The word ‘see‘ means to discern, perceive, know, understand.
Understand: those who are pure in heart, know and understand God.
b. Without sanctification, holiness [purity, set apart], no man will see the Lord. (Heb 12:14)
Remember: we have seen we enter into God’s wisdom by faith in Christ.
Understand: Once we are ushered into God’s wisdom, it first leads to purity. If there is no purity, then it is not wisdom from above.
c. We are to be holy, as He is holy [set apart]. (1Pe 1:15-16)
3. 
What would be the opposite of pure?
THINK: Well obviously, impure, unholy! What about the bitter jealousy and selfish ambition that we see in earthly wisdom – is that unholy?
Remember: we have seen early on that believers have received a new heart.
Understand: That new heart begins to change our wants and desires, causing us to want to know God.
We see: It only makes sense that it is the pure in heart who really know and understand God.
Try searching ‘pure‘ in GODcha’s Word Search.
“It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they will see God, for only the pure in heart want to.” C. S. Lewis
Are you tracking with me? Do you get it?
Understand: God’s Wisdom, true wisdom begins with pureness, a holiness.
Understand: It is cleansed of all ulterior motives, and of self, becoming pure enough to see [know, understand] God.
Earthly wisdom, false wisdom has no desire to be pure, set apart to really see, know or understand God.
Engage With God
LISTEN…
Is my heart pure before God? Am I holy, set apart unto God?
If so, how do others know I have a pure heart? How do they know that I am set apart before God?
Do I want to see God? If not, why not?
What motivates me? What is my attitude? What are my desires and thoughts?
Do I need to be cleansed?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
Our Day Has Come to An End!
Reflect and meditate on what God taught us about His wisdom.
Why would we be in a hurry,
when God has so much to teach us,
we have so much to learn and live out in our daily lives?
Record What God has Taught You
Did you start a Note for the Wisdom Above?
As we bring this day to a close, journal your discovery and communion with the Lord.
Save your discovery forever!
Turn What We LEARNED into a Prayer
Perhaps. . .
OH FATHER, we praise You for who You are, knowing You are all wise and knowing, for wisdom and power belong to You. Thank you for Your Word that is so clear and forthright! Oh Father, I pray we all have have had eyes to see Your Truth, and ears to hear. Of course Your wisdom would first be pure, because You are HOLY and PURE. Father, we know we can not be pure in and of ourselves, there is no way. Search us today O Lord, and show us our hearts, (Psa 139:23-24). May we be willing to be stripped of everything that is not of You, so that we may be pure and holy in Your sight. We thank you so much for giving those of us who believe new hearts that are pure and Your Spirit within, setting us apart unto You. Oh Father, we love You and desire to see You. Help us Lord to know and understand You. And I ask again that we would examine ourselves before You. Do we have pure, God centered motives that reflect these characteristics, that are Christ like? Purify us Father, cleanse us, for we love and trust You and desire to be set apart unto You, in holiness and righteousness. Only You can change us from the inside out to become more and more like Jesus. Oh, may we be able to say we are wise and understanding! Thank You Father! I ask this in the name of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Thank you for wanting to know your God, and for taking time to understand Him and love Him with all your heart. See you tomorrow.
Next: We will continue to LOOK at this wisdom that is of God.
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