CLEANLINESS AND GODLINESS

Time with Jesus - Monday, 03 December 2012

Hi all,

Our meditation today is on the topic of Cleanliness and Godliness. I’ve drawn the title from today’s Scriptures. Some of them focus upon the need for us to be clean. The fact is, nothing “unclean” can ever approach God. In many ways, the two go together. It’s only the sinfulness of man that raises questions about their compatibility. For those who truly love Him, these two “qualities” are inseparable. Only sin can distort this.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Monday, 03 December 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	CLEANLINESS AND GODLINESS
Back in the 1960’s in the UK, radio was still comparatively popular. TV was well and truly ensconced, but radio was far from forgotten. There were some programmes that were widely followed. One of them was a weekly “Letter from America” by Alistair Cook. He would take a broad look at what was happening around him. His descriptions were classic. Very often, with tongue in cheek he would report on the latest “fad” going on around him. At times he was most complimentary. His weekly letter had been read since shortly after WW2 and people loved it. When he passed away, it was the closest thing to a national day of mourning that I remember. Other favourites included “Beyond our Ken” featuring the comedy of Kenneth Horne. He followed this with “Around the Horn” which also became a “national event”. Another favourite was a show called, “My Word”. The stars were two “show writers” called Frank Muir and Dennis Norden. Their “Pierce de Resistance” occurred at the beginning and end of the show. At the beginning they were given a well-known expression. They were asked to think about it and, at the end, they would be asked to explain how and where, in their imagination, these saying came about. On one occasion the phrase was, “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones”. One of them went into an elaborate tale of an African King who lived in a grass house and who kept his thrones in a tree. One day the thrones fell on him through the roof and killed him. Hence the expression, “People who live in grass houses should not store thrones. One of the pithy “proverbs” from my youth was, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. It’s one of those statements we feel sure originates in the Bible. Much to our subsequent surprise, we find it doesn’t. It just seems to sound so right; it should be there somewhere! In fact, in many cases, just the opposite is true. This is because you and I know what appeals to others. Then, when the customer is impressed, a product is produced that is a trade-off between expectation and price. Not many people can afford the excellence of quality and luxury of a Rolls Royce. Some make do with something a little cheaper! Their decision will be dictated by functionality and affordability. The rich will settle for well-known top of the range cars. The poor will have to get by with something that is “pre-owned”. Others will have to make do with “Shank’s pony”. However, whatever it is that we finally settle on, Christians must realise that this thinking pervades almost everything. We know that we are the Temple of the Living God. We know that He is living in us. In other words, all of us are equal in the eyes of God. But the location and comfort of our “temple” depends on our desire to be clean and Godly. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22 NLT 18 "You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19 with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. 20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations." Exodus 30:18-21 ESV 19 Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. 1 Corinthians 6:19 MSG 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:17 NLT 26 And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27 I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! Job 19:26-27 NLT 27 Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty--but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Revelation 21:27 NLT 13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? Habakkuk 1:13 TNIV 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 ESV	Cleanliness and Godliness, are said to be a pair, That people all should follow and something we should share. It isn’t in the Bible and is quite often true. But is it universal in everything we do? It hinges on our motives. It hangs upon our goals. It hinges on the purposes, within our hearts and souls. Some people are fastidious in keeping themselves clean. But in their hearts we find that they are covetous and mean. The cleanliness is outward; they wash away the dirt. But they are quite indifferent, to all the pain and hurt, Which they cause other people. They’re fine on the outside, But when you get to know them, they are sin personified! Our Lord and Master Jesus, once spoke of them that way. They are like whited sepulchres; outside they look OK. But underneath the surface; below the whitened stones, They’re littered with corruption and filled with dead men’s bones. He said this of the Pharisees and all their outward rites. Very few were interested in other people’s plights. They’d wash their hands in public when they sat down for a meal. All of the observers would think it very real. But none of it was genuine. They did it all for show; And to impress the people whom they didn’t want to know! They took as their example, what God said He desired. Washing at the laver, He certainly required. “To and from the tabernacle, wash your hands and feet!” It was never optional. And if they didn’t meet, These absolute requirements, most likely they would die. This was the commandment from God Who reigns on High. It is a requirement that still lives on today. Christians are the Temple of God in every way. We must keep it spotless and always free from sin. Give no opportunity for Satan to come in. Jesus Christ will wash us; His blood will make us clean. When we are repentant and confess what we have been. Each of us are temples. His Spirit is inside; With a special purpose; to lead us and to guide. God has said He’ll do it. It is His guarantee. That if we follow Jesus, with Him we’ll always be! Jim Strickland Written 3rd December 2012