I am a Jesus pusher!!! “Blessed are the pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8). The Greek lexicon defines “the heart” (kardia) as the seat of the desires, feelings, affections, passions, and impulses. The Old Testament states the Hebrew concept of the heart. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11). This was the basic concept of the lamb sacrifices offered to God and the Lamb who was to come. Logically, the blood comes from the heart and flows back to the heart. Therefore, the source, seat of the life (blood) of an individual is the heart.
In our language, the heart is what “makes us tick!” It is used to express the human personality, who we are. Therefore, God looks at our hearts rather than at our actions to see our intent toward Him. We are told to seek God with our hearts (our whole person). “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29). It is the heart God views to determine if we are His people. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Purity is a state of existence in my heart; Jesus must dwell there. I am a Jesus pusher!!!