Matthew 5:8 – Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (NKJV)

Blessedly, Bible study teachers encouraged me in simple belief when reading the Scriptures, especially those that contain a promise, also to ask, "What does God want from me?" "What is my part?" "How do I qualify for this promise?"

"Blessed are the pure in heart."

Clearly, any iniquity defiles us. Of ourselves, we cannot make our own hearts pure. As each of us surrenders to Jesus' Spirit, desiring a pure heart, we permit Him to begin His loving, ongoing, transforming work of grace, which forms a holy, true and guileless, pure heart within us. Such a pure heart qualifies us to have this beatitude promise fulfilled in our lives: "They shall see God."

From my own experience, plus believer friends' testimonies and Christian books, there is concurrence that it is through the purifying, holy work of Jesus' Spirit, and by His loving grace and our desired time spent in His presence, that receiving this glorious promise of seeing God is made possible.

Initially, it takes practice and perseverance to spend time in the presence of the Lord, with nothing else pressing on our minds and timetable. Shutting out all else takes discipline and determination, until the habit is well developed, and we are enabled by His Spirit to relax and to fearlessly enjoy Him — His holy presence, His love, His fellowship in response to our fellowship, and the holy anointing of His Spirit.

Hebrews 12:14 – Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. (NLT)

For me, this devoted time in the Lord's presence has developed over time in the same way as any other growth and development: it begins with the desire and choice to begin. It develops and multiplies with the desire and choice to continue in faithfulness to the habit of spending time with our Lord.

Eventually, with His anointing, came the spiritual seeing of my Lord during the time of close fellowship with Him, occurring while hearing His quiet voice, and through prayers and reading His Word, also during praise, dance, and worship, alone and in anointed church and group gatherings.

Believer friends, my daughter, Sharon, and I, agree that we've found nothing to equal these holy, spiritual, intimate, fellowship experiences with the Lord, which we describe as times of heaven on earth — that is, as much as we can imagine how heaven will be.

I do believe with all my heart that the promise, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God," is possible for every one of us who faithfully wants to spend time with Him in His holy, awesome, presence.

I believe Jesus Lord wants our company immeasurably, so that He graciously waits for us every day, just to love us and lead us into His holy resurrection life of His glory. Bless His holy name!

Prayer: Master, Sovereign Lord of the ages, thank You for all that You want for each of us and for the many ways You permit us to know You. You ever continue graciously to love us through all our various ways and endeavours to love, surrender, and draw close to You. With grateful hearts, we thank You. Amen and Amen!

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