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The Thin Place

I’m #Blessed When I’m Pure In Heart (So I Confess My Sin)

When if purity doesn’t always look like an idyllic young girl in a field of white flowers? Because, let’s be real, that’s the image of purity that tended to blanket the cover of every evangelical book on purity – Purity in appearance.

Modesty was painted as the ultimate measurement of purity and inner beauty was exalted.

But when Jesus spoke in the Sermon on the Mount, He wasn’t concerned with how we look or what people thought of us, He was concerned with purity of heart.

But this isn’t the type of purity that we all look at and marvel over, because purity of heart means digging into the messy, broken state of our soul and letting God to the work of rooting our the filth and restoring us to the state He intended.

Purity of heart is something we should all aspire towards, but it’s something none of us can achieve alone. We need soul-carrying, sin-bearing, help.

Since the Fall of Adam and Eve, our hearts have been battered by the effects. The pure hearts God gave us were wreaked. Our desires became disordered and we longed for simple things more than they deserved and for holy things less than we needed them.

And our hearts became clouded and busted and impure. 

To be pure in heart, we must let Christ do the work of rooting out these disordered desires and replacing them with a heart like His own.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8, ESV

If we want to be pure in heart, if we want to be counted among those who shall see God, we need new hearts.

And that starts by confessing that our current hearts are corrupt.

When we think of pure hearts, we think of those never tainted by sin. But all of us are fallen. Even the most saintly human is corrupt and impure in heart.

When we think of pure hearts, we think of those never tainted by sin. But all of us are fallen. Even the most saintly human is corrupt and impure in heart. Read about being pure in heart here: Click To Tweet

We need to hold ourselves accountable to the standard God has set but give ourselves the grace to recognize that even the most saintly saint has fallen short. They fell short and we will fall short. It doesn’t mean that we are beyond repair, but simply in need of the Blood of Jesus to fill our hearts and bring them back to true life.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9, ESV

Confession shouldn’t be scary, nor should it feel like admitting defeat. It is not a loss, but a complete surrender of the wicked part of our hearts to full healing in Christ.

Confession is an act of coming home and reclaiming the pure hearts God desires for us.

When I confess my sins, I start fresh with a pure heart, ready to see God and embrace His will for my life.

Confession shouldn’t be scary, nor should it feel like admitting defeat. It is not a loss, but a complete surrender of the wicked part of our hearts to full healing in Christ. Click To Tweet

Purity in heart can be seen in a variety of circumstances, but it is not identifiable from outward appearance. Man looks at appearances, but the Lord looks at our heart.

So if we want to be pure, we need to be people who embrace purity of heart. We need to run to the foot of the cross and abandon the sins that plague us so that we can embrace the healing Christ offers for our hearts that have been broken and bruised by the sin that infects them.

And we need to do this over and over again.

Because I will confess today, and tomorrow I will fall short. And I’m deceiving myself if I think that it is enough to say I will no longer live for sin once and move on.

Confession needs to be a regular part of my life if I want purity to be the regular state of my heart. I need to examine myself, not as a masochistic way of tormenting my soul or to practice self-loathing, but as an act of self-care.

When I confess my sin, when I realize just how frustrating (understatement of the year) it must be for God to deal with a miserable wretch like me who returns to sin like a dog returns to vomit, I realize that I am loved beyond what I can imagine.

Over and over again God expresses His willingness to restore me to Himself.

Over and over again He shows me the sufficiency of Christ’s work on Calvary to make my heart new.

Over and over again He welcomes me home like the Father welcomes home the Prodigal Son.

So over and over again I will throw myself at His mercy and trust that when I confess my sin, He will make me pure in heart.

#Blessed are the pure in heart #devotional #christianliving #beatitudes #christianliving #purity

#Blessed are the pure in heart #devotional #christianliving #beatitudes #christianliving #purity #Blessed are the pure in heart #devotional #christianliving #beatitudes #christianliving #purity #Blessed are the pure in heart #devotional #christianliving #beatitudes #christianliving #purity #Blessed are the pure in heart #devotional #christianliving #beatitudes #christianliving #purity #Blessed are the pure in heart #devotional #christianliving #beatitudes #christianliving #purity #Blessed are the pure in heart #devotional #christianliving #beatitudes #christianliving #purity #Blessed are the pure in heart #devotional #christianliving #beatitudes #christianliving #purity #Blessed are the pure in heart #devotional #christianliving #beatitudes #christianliving #purity

If you look at your life as a beautiful, lovely bundle that does the Church credit, I would encourage you to look and see the sinful state of your heart, daily, and ask God to grant you humility to rely on Him for a heart that is pure in the inside, not simply a polished exterior.

If you are discouraged because you don’t look like the “pure” people, I would remind you that the Bible is full of broken, busted, impure people whom God called and renewed. Christi did not come for the healthy, but for those broken by sin. That includes you.

Wherever you are, I encouraged you to regularly incorporate confessing your sins and asking God to make you pure in heart. Because when we confess, we see how far His grace extends.

You Might Also Enjoy: 

3 Powerful Ways to Encourage Self-Examination and Confession of Sin: Disciplines of the Faith

I Want to be Holy (But It Might Get Messy)

13 Ways To Be A Proverbs 31 Women Today

The Beauty of Confession: 3 Ways to Incorporate it into Your Prayer Life

10 Christian Books That Need to Be On Your Radar

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The Comments

  • Amy @ Orison Orchards
    August 9, 2018

    I love that the bible is FULL of the busted, broken people! Even the strongest, most magnificent ones like Paul didn’t start out that way. I love that verse in Galations.

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Amy @ Orison Orchards
      August 10, 2018

      I love that verse in Galatians as well! So encouraging!

      Reply
  • Kristin Cook
    August 9, 2018

    Good post, Bailey! I agree. Confession can’t just be a one-time deal. We are sinful every day- even every hour at times. We have to confess and ask God to shape us.

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Kristin Cook
      August 10, 2018

      Yes! It needs to be a regular part of our spiritual walk.

      Reply
  • Shan Walker (@shanGURUwalker)
    August 10, 2018

    Certainly feel pretty busted and bruised around here most of the time but if we are striving for purity…God is pleased with our hearts. Thanks for this today. 😉

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Shan Walker (@shanGURUwalker)
      August 10, 2018

      He is pleased with us, not because of us, but because of the work on Calvary. Thank God for Jesus and His cleansing blood over our sinful hearts.

      Reply
  • Jasmine - LoveLifeLaughMotherhood
    August 11, 2018

    love your reminder that no one is without sin – some tend to forget!

    Reply
    • TheThinPlace
      Jasmine – LoveLifeLaughMotherhood
      August 13, 2018

      I think we all tend to forget – or at least tend to think our sin is excusable or “normal” as if that makes it better.

      Reply
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Hello, I’m Bailey
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Hello, I’m Bailey

The Thin Place was born out of a season of struggle. A season where I felt stretched thin and desperately longed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living. The goodness of God showed up in unexpected ways. During that season, the spiritual disciplines laid out in Scripture, the traditions of the Church, and the reminders of His faithfulness seen in liturgial living and the feasts and seasons of the Church calendar all opened my eyes to the hope we have in Christ.

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Baruch, as you may recall from the book of Jeremiah, was the scribe of Jeremiah. This is a prophetic book written by Baruch calling the people of Jerusalem to repent of their idol worship and return to the Lord. 
Baruch is a great reminder of the importance of confession. The book opens with a call to make respond.
Then they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord; and they collected money, each giving what he could – Baruch 1:5-6 RSVCE 
Baruch is a collection of the response to sin – both the acknowledgment of sin and the call to God’s mercy. 
#christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy  #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime 
#biblequotes #bibleinspiration
thethinplace
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Baruch, as you may recall from the book of Jeremiah, was the scribe of Jeremiah. This is a prophetic book written by Baruch calling the people of Jerusalem to repent of their idol worship and return to the Lord. Baruch is a great reminder of the importance of confession. The book opens with a call to make respond. Then they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord; and they collected money, each giving what he could – Baruch 1:5-6 RSVCE Baruch is a collection of the response to sin – both the acknowledgment of sin and the call to God’s mercy. #christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime #biblequotes #bibleinspiration
4 weeks ago
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1/5
The Book of Sirach is part of the Wisdom literature of the Bible. It was also written during the Maccabean revolt to encourage the people to hold fast to their Jewish faith and not to neglect the traditions and commandments handed down to them. 
Sirach is one of the books of the Bible found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the late 1940s. It is also found in every copy of the Septuagint suggesting that is was considered to be Scripture by the Greek speaking Jews of that period.
It is full of practical, clear wisdom that is incredibly applicable to our lives today such as: 
The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. - Sirach 3:18
The higher your position, the more you have to actively seek humility. When you are in a low position, when you rely on others, humility is a more natural disposition and you recognize your dependence on God. When you are great, you need to actively seek humility. 
Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. - Sirach 15:11
This is pretty straightforward. We cannot blame the Lord when we choose sin. The Lord does not do what He hates. He will always provide a way for us to choose good and it adds to our shame when we choose sin and blame God for it. 
A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue; so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily. - Sirach 20:18
As the Book of James expands upon the importance of bridling your tongue but more abut consistently in the Book of Sirach we are exhorted to keep charge over our tongues. Ironically, this is much easier said than done. 
Whether you’re new to the wisdom literature or have spent years pouring over proverbs, Sirach is a great place to begin in living a wiser, more biblical life. 
#bibletime #biblereading #readyourbible #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #savedbygrace #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #givemejesus #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #biblescripture
thethinplace
thethinplace
•
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The Book of Sirach is part of the Wisdom literature of the Bible. It was also written during the Maccabean revolt to encourage the people to hold fast to their Jewish faith and not to neglect the traditions and commandments handed down to them. Sirach is one of the books of the Bible found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the late 1940s. It is also found in every copy of the Septuagint suggesting that is was considered to be Scripture by the Greek speaking Jews of that period. It is full of practical, clear wisdom that is incredibly applicable to our lives today such as: The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. - Sirach 3:18 The higher your position, the more you have to actively seek humility. When you are in a low position, when you rely on others, humility is a more natural disposition and you recognize your dependence on God. When you are great, you need to actively seek humility. Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. - Sirach 15:11 This is pretty straightforward. We cannot blame the Lord when we choose sin. The Lord does not do what He hates. He will always provide a way for us to choose good and it adds to our shame when we choose sin and blame God for it. A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue; so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily. - Sirach 20:18 As the Book of James expands upon the importance of bridling your tongue but more abut consistently in the Book of Sirach we are exhorted to keep charge over our tongues. Ironically, this is much easier said than done. Whether you’re new to the wisdom literature or have spent years pouring over proverbs, Sirach is a great place to begin in living a wiser, more biblical life. #bibletime #biblereading #readyourbible #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #savedbygrace #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #givemejesus #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #biblescripture
1 month ago
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2/5
The Book of Wisdom full of poetic principles and outlines how to live life well. Written around the time of the Maccabean revolt, it is written in the style of Solomon (and is sometimes referred to as “The Wisdom of Solomon”) but was written by later authors.
While this book was not accepted in the Jewish cannon, it is in every copy of the Greek Septuagint but it was quote by St Augustine over 800 times and, most importantly, was declared Scripture at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage. 
It focuses on Wisdom guiding the lives of the faithful, the follies of the wicked, and focuses heavily on our future home with God and the life to come. 
For those of you familiar with the Nicene Creed, the Book of Wisdom is one of the sources of inspiration of our description of Jesus Christ. The reference to Christ being “Light from Light” is taken from Wisdom 7:26 which refers to Wisdom as being a “reflection of eternal light.” 
There are also several passages in Wisdom which foretell the death of Christ. One of my favorite passages is Wisdom 14:7, “Blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes,” which reminds me how truly blessed is the cross which held the Savior of the world, our perfect Sacrifice. 
Wisdom is very similar to the book of Proverbs in length and style. It points constantly to the Lord who, as James tells us, is ready to give wisdom to those who ask.
#proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword  #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld
#thinplaces #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
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The Book of Wisdom full of poetic principles and outlines how to live life well. Written around the time of the Maccabean revolt, it is written in the style of Solomon (and is sometimes referred to as “The Wisdom of Solomon”) but was written by later authors. While this book was not accepted in the Jewish cannon, it is in every copy of the Greek Septuagint but it was quote by St Augustine over 800 times and, most importantly, was declared Scripture at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage. It focuses on Wisdom guiding the lives of the faithful, the follies of the wicked, and focuses heavily on our future home with God and the life to come. For those of you familiar with the Nicene Creed, the Book of Wisdom is one of the sources of inspiration of our description of Jesus Christ. The reference to Christ being “Light from Light” is taken from Wisdom 7:26 which refers to Wisdom as being a “reflection of eternal light.” There are also several passages in Wisdom which foretell the death of Christ. One of my favorite passages is Wisdom 14:7, “Blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes,” which reminds me how truly blessed is the cross which held the Savior of the world, our perfect Sacrifice. Wisdom is very similar to the book of Proverbs in length and style. It points constantly to the Lord who, as James tells us, is ready to give wisdom to those who ask. #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld #thinplaces #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
1 month ago
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3/5
Chances are, the Books of Maccabees are probably the deuterocanonical books you are most familiar with!  It is in these books that we find the origins of Hanukkah.
To be honest, they are a rough read. A really rough read. They detail the suffering the people of God endured while their enemies attempted to control their land and wipe out their religion. 
It is a set of books filled with great suffering as many of the faithful are killed but it is also a book of great bravery and trust in the Lord in the midst of trials.
In Maccabees, two of the theological principles used today are clearly seen. The first, that God created the world out of nothing. 2 Maccabees 7:28 details how God did not make the world out of things already created, but out of nothing. 
The second principle is that of praying for the dead. While there are references throughout Scripture and it is a clear practice of the Early Church, it is most clearly referenced in 2 Maccabees 12. 
#christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy  #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime
thethinplace
thethinplace
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Chances are, the Books of Maccabees are probably the deuterocanonical books you are most familiar with! It is in these books that we find the origins of Hanukkah. To be honest, they are a rough read. A really rough read. They detail the suffering the people of God endured while their enemies attempted to control their land and wipe out their religion. It is a set of books filled with great suffering as many of the faithful are killed but it is also a book of great bravery and trust in the Lord in the midst of trials. In Maccabees, two of the theological principles used today are clearly seen. The first, that God created the world out of nothing. 2 Maccabees 7:28 details how God did not make the world out of things already created, but out of nothing. The second principle is that of praying for the dead. While there are references throughout Scripture and it is a clear practice of the Early Church, it is most clearly referenced in 2 Maccabees 12. #christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime
1 month ago
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4/5
Judith is another archetypal story of the battle being won at the hand of a woman, seen also in Judges and Esther. 
During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, an army is sent to destroy the mountain town that Judith lives in. The people are greatly distressed and death seems to be the only option. Judith, a wealthy widow, trusts in the Lord and ultimately, kills the opposing military leader and brings peace to the people.
It is a story of God’s provision for His people in their exile through an unlikely source, a widow. In Judith, we see an archetype pointing to Mary and to the Church, waiting for her true Bridegroom. 
But it is also a story that points to the Lord’s desire to draw all nations to Himself! One of my favorite parts of the book of Judith is that it tells us of the conversion of a man who initially sets out to fight the Jewish people coming to believe in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. 
“And when Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he believed firmly in God, and was circumcised, and joined the house of Israel.” - Judith 14:10
It beautiful reminder that God’s deliverance is for all mankind. 
#proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword  #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
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Judith is another archetypal story of the battle being won at the hand of a woman, seen also in Judges and Esther. During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, an army is sent to destroy the mountain town that Judith lives in. The people are greatly distressed and death seems to be the only option. Judith, a wealthy widow, trusts in the Lord and ultimately, kills the opposing military leader and brings peace to the people. It is a story of God’s provision for His people in their exile through an unlikely source, a widow. In Judith, we see an archetype pointing to Mary and to the Church, waiting for her true Bridegroom. But it is also a story that points to the Lord’s desire to draw all nations to Himself! One of my favorite parts of the book of Judith is that it tells us of the conversion of a man who initially sets out to fight the Jewish people coming to believe in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. “And when Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he believed firmly in God, and was circumcised, and joined the house of Israel.” - Judith 14:10 It beautiful reminder that God’s deliverance is for all mankind. #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
1 month ago
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