MBP 011: A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders – Purity

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Ministry Backpack Podcast Episode 11 Show Notes:

Summary: In today’s podcast I talk about an essential quality for Christian Leaders – Purity

Resources and Links mentioned in this episode:

2 Corinthians 6:6a  
(But in everthing, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves) “By purity…”

“Purity“  – Chaste, pure, clean, uncontaminated from the inside-out.

“The battle that we face to maintain purity needs to be fought from within and without.”

“Purity should be viewed as a quality that we value, pursue, and fight for. You have to be ‘crazy intentional’ about purity.”

“You should never find your identity in, or define yourself by, your desires, attractions, appetites or failures. We should find our identity in Jesus.”

Psalm 86:11 – “Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.” – NLT

Psalm 19:14  – “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” – NLT

1 Samuel 15:22 – “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD : your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” – NLT

Psalm 101:3-4 – “3 I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. 4 I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.” – NLT

Some Quick Tips For Maintaining Purity:

1. Have a big, life consuming vision and mission for your life. Fill your life and time so that you don’t give yourself time to fail morally, and that the short term pleasure of the temptation seems small by comparison.

Nehemiah 6:3 – “So I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?'” – CSB

2. If you are married, invest in your marriage. It involves attention and intention on your part.

“7 Questions” Episodes – (Question Number 5) “What One or Two Things Do You Do to Keep Your Family Relationships Strong?”

3. Saturate your mind with Scripture. Read it, Memorize it, and Meditate on it.

Romans 12:2 – “2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” – CSB

Psalm 119:11 – “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” – KJV

4. Confess where you’ve failed. Don’t justify it – draw a line in the sand – confess it to the Lord and move forward.

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – CSB

5. Remove all “fuel for failure” in relationship to purity. Git rid of everything that causes you to stumble.

Romans 13:14 – “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” – ESV

A Recommended Service For Accountability:

Accountable2You – Accountability Software For All Of Your Devices

(This is an affiliate link, but I use and greatly recommend this service.)

Proverbs 10:9 – “The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.” – CSB

6. Daily be filled with and have access to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:16 – “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” – NLT

Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to Hello@MinistryBackpack.com

Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/