Scripture Reading: Heb. 2:10-11; Psa. 139:23-24

IV. In order to be those “who are being sanctified” in living a holy life for the church life, the kingdom life, we must cooperate with the inner operating of the One “who sanctifies” by dealing with our heart—Heb. 2:10-11; Psa. 139:23-24:

A. God wants our heart to be soft:

1. When God deals with our heart, He takes away the heart of stone out of our flesh and gives us a heart of flesh, a soft heart—Ezek. 36:26.

2. To be soft means that our heart is submissive and yielding toward the Lord, not stiff-necked and rebellious—cf. Exo. 32:9.

3. A soft heart is a heart that is not hardened by worldly traffic—Matt. 13:4.

4. God softens our heart by using His love to move us; if love cannot move us, He uses His
hand through the environment to discipline us until our heart is softened—2 Cor. 5:14; 4:16-
18; Heb. 12:6-7; cf. Jer. 48:11.

B. God wants our heart to be pure:

1. A pure heart is a heart that loves God and wants God; besides God, it has no other love, inclination, or desire—Psa. 73:25; cf. Jer. 32:39.

2. Our heart should be single for God so that we are fearful of nothing except offending Him and losing His presence—Psa. 86:11; Isa. 11:1-2.

3. Our goal and our aim should be God Himself, and we should not have any other motive— Matt. 5:8.

4. We must pursue Christ “with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart”—2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Tim. 1:5; Psa. 73:1.