2. A Pure Palace continues with the king's head. (3) Psalm 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
Purifying the palace takes a decision to have a pure heart, but this can never happen if what is set before the king’s eyes in wicked or evil. If the entertainment he enjoys is sinful, it will not be very long before the king’s heart is no longer pure.
Proverbs 23:7a For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…
The Bible is clear that what I allow my mind to dwell on, I will become. If my thoughts are always on chocolate, I’m constantly reading about it, comparing different types, thinking about how good it taste, eventually I am going to eat a bunch of chocolate. If I’m constantly watching television shows that are filled with cursing and using the Lord’s name in vain, it will only be a matter of time before I begin to use these words in my mind and then out loud. What I watch I will become. Think about the influence of television on America. I believe that Hollywood steers the direction of our beliefs, convictions, actions more than Washington or the Bible does. Many sins that were once abhorred by the majority of Americans are now tolerated and allowed because of the influence of what we have seen. Sin no longer shocks us. Sin no longer bothers us. We have the attitude that everyone is doing it so it can’t be wrong.
Lamentations 3:51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
This affect can be either good or bad. If I allow myself to view things that are godly and wholesome, it will help my heart to be the same. I remember going to Brazil and seeing the poverty and the spiritual needs of so many people. What my eye saw there has forever changed my heart. I’ll never see the word Brazil without thinking of poor people picking through the trash at the city dump. I’ll always remember those dear people who need Jesus Christ more than they need food, clothes, or a house to live in. Mine eye affected my heart for the better.
Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. Achan’s sin began when he saw what was prohibited. You can read Joshua 7 for the entire context.
2 Samuel 11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
2 Samuel 11:2 shares a story later in David’s life when he no doubt was not thinking of purify the palace but rather fulfilling the sinful desires of his flesh. David saw Bathsheba and he began to think and think and think on what he saw. Eventually, he had his servants send for her and he committed adultery with her. I believe David’s first glance was an accident, but no doubt he look again and again. I can imagine what he saw consumed his mind for some time as he wrestled with what to do, but eventually he gave in to sin and fulfilled the promise of James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
If we are to keep the palace of our life pure, we will need to be careful what we set in front of our eyes. I am tempted with materialism (wanting more, better, nicer, bigger, what he has) when I go shopping. I don’t think about all the stuff I don’t have until I see it. I’m not suggesting that you quit shopping. I’m just trying to prove that what I see affects my attitude, heart, and eventually actions. All of us have bought something we thought we needed so bad, only to realize a few days later that it wasn’t that vital to my life.
May God help us to keep a pure heart by keeping a pure head.
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