Nov 21 – FIRST CLEANSE THE INSIDE !

“…first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish…” (Mathew 23:26)

When you perform your tasks in an orderly manner, the Lord will be pleased to do His part and bless you and your efforts. First and foremost, you should seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And in parallel, you should also cleanse your soul.

You may be making many petitions and supplications during your prayer on knees. But if your inner core is not clean, how will the Lord be pleased to hear your prayers? If that is the case, it is like starting your prayer with an obstacle, the barrier of sin. The Scripture tells us that: “your iniquities have separated you from God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). Therefore, before you kneel down in prayer, remove your sins and be cleansed.

Your inner core should be washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. Only those prayers arising from out of clean hearts, will be acceptable in the sight of God. But the prayers that are offered with all the sins and iniquities will be an abomination to the Lord.

Let us imagine that you take a vessel with you to get milk. If that vessel is full of dirt, muck and mud, no one will ever pour milk into it. Only after you have scrubbed and cleaned, will you be in a position to get milk in that vessel. In a similar manner, your inner core, your heart and your soul should be cleansed before you seek the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

You should reach out and seek forgiveness from all those you need to ask for forgiveness. Whatever that you need to return, you should return. And you should confess all your sins and sinful attitudes, with tears to God. You should also confess your faults to those concerned and be reconciled with them. Once you do that, God will wash you with His precious blood and cleanse your inner being. And He is also gracious to grant you the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today, most people know how to keep themselves clean externally. They wash their faces, brush their teeth, take bath using soap and apply talcum powder. But their hearts are filled with sins, bitterness and fanaticism. Dear children of God, it is important that you are found to be pure and holy in your inner being, and in your spiritual life. And there is no benefit or gain with just external adornment.

Verse for further meditation: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).