Clean Hands ~ Holy Hands

8/14/24 

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. Psalm 24:3-4.

As I said before if the Lord chooses you to be His confidant/mediator before Him in intercession, the ‘chosen one’ stands before the Lord, alone.  That means, a need to wash your hands daily to do His work.  Intercession and mediation on behalf of the Lord, requires a sinless stance before Him, holy hands. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16b.

It is crucial to check one’s heart frequently, asking God if we harbor sin during an assignment, as that would hinder answers to prayer.  This is important as a heart can hide inner sins that only God recognizes, but in repentance the Holy Spirit can bring to the surface those sins that we cannot see.  Pride hinders.  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.  Psalm 66:18.

Aa a confidante of the Great I Am, clean hands and a pure heart are imperative.  Otherwise, when He starts talking about His wrath and the reasons for the displeasure, you may think He’s talking about you!  He wants us to be His intimates, but we can only do that with a sinless clean stance before Him.

Did you know, the cleanliness of our hands results in deliverance of the subject?  As we can see in this Job reference: When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the downcast.  He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”  Job 22:29-30.

Wow, did you see that?  Our position before God will determine the outcome of our prayers and the subject’s future!   Therefore, He said that He would destroy them (His sinning people), had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them.  Psalms 106:23.

“And the Bible says that “the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.” Why did He change what He said He was going to do? Because Moses “stood in the gap” between a righteously angry God, and His sinning people, and pleaded for His mercy and grace for them.  That is what an intercessor does: an intercessor is a person who “stands in the gap” between someone else and God, and pleads to Him on their behalf, that He might show them mercy and grace. “The Ministry of the Intercessor” (Psalm 106:19-23 sermon) | shawnethomas

The Spirit spoke to me during a difficult prayer assignment on the importance of a pure heart towards the subject of my prayers.  “Make sure no curse against her crosses your tongue, the enemy would use this to keep her in bondage, he will also use your words to accuse her before Me.  So, choose wisely the words that cross your lips and do not speak accusatory things.  Be a blessing in your speech and I will use it to free her.  These are your current instructions, as well, pray the scriptures for her.” 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14.

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. Matthew 15:18.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.  Proverbs 18:21.

We want our speech to reflect a pure heart especially during an intercession assignment so as not to hinder the work to be accomplished.  Believe me, God will correct any incompatible behavior quickly.  We want our words to be life and healing… My words come from my upright heart; my lips utter pure knowledge.  Job 33:3.

An example of intercessory words bringing life and healing is seen in Job after he prayed for his not-so-nice friends!  And, the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also, the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10.

He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.  Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.  For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.  1 Peter 3:10-12. 

In addition to clean hands and a pure heart, the Lord requires an intercessor, not to lie nor have any idols.  We all know what lying is, but do we understand idolatry in our lives? Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. Psalm 24:3-4.

“Because we think of idolatry as an ancient way of worshiping gods we tend to miss the idols in our own life. Idolatry isn’t confined to worshipping a golden statue or praying to trinkets. It’s much broader than that. By that definition, even good things can become idols when we make them the ultimate things in our lives. Anything, or anyone, can become an idol if we place the value for that thing/person above our value for God.” 10 Surprising Modern Day Idols (rethinknow.org).

Examples of idols today:

• Identity / personal appearance / health / addictions
• Money / material things / your job / food
• Comfort / people / pets / genealogies
• Phones / technology / entertainment

I think we can all relate to these items.  Certainly, it is a good list to have in mind, to keep in check and to maintain God on the throne of our hearts.

I will behave wisely in a perfect way.  Oh, when will You come to me?  I will walk within my house with a perfect heart…Psalm 101:2.

My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with Me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve Me.  Psalm 101:6.

SING AND PRAY WITH ME:

Chris Tomlin - Give Us Clean Hands (youtube.com)

Lord, give me clean hands and a pure heart that my words will be acceptable to You. Cleanse me of any idols that stand in the way of my prayers being heard by You.  That Your eyes will be upon me as your faithful servant who walks in a perfect way in your sight.  In Jesus name amen.

9/5/24 The Fireworks of Our Words

"The first words ever spoken, as far as we're concerned, are found in Genesis 1:1. God speaks and creation begins; the spoken Word of God…by God's spoken Word, everything was created. The first spoken word was to create, to bring into existence what is good. Words exist to bring good into the world, not to tear down, slander, discourage, denigrate, or blame. They exist for divine purpose, to call into being that which is good, to build up, to make whole, to complete, and to bring healing.

So, every time you open your mouth to speak a word, speak it to build up, call forth life, bring healing, and make whole. The Word of God teaches us to speak that which is uplifting according to the need of the moment. Is that you?"

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.  Proverbs 18:21.

"Are your words building up or tearing down, bringing life or causing death, or just making conversation?" Hope of the World

But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. James 3:8-10.