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
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Monday, 03 December 2012
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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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
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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CLEANLINESS
AND GODLINESS
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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
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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
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"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
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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
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