Clean the Inside

“Cleaning Yourself” was the title of another of my studies and writings. In that writing I was studying in Isaiah where we are to wash ourselves to remove the big chunks of dirt and making ourselves presentable to God. We are still sinners and have plenty of filth, but we can work to wash away the conscious sin.

This morning I am in Matthew 23 where Jesus is speaking at the temple about 3 days before His crucifixion. He is in public and not mincing words and at this moment is speaking of how the scribes and Pharisees are hypocrites in their work. They say one thing in public and then in private act another way entirely.

“²⁵Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.” – Matthew 23:25-26 (ESV)

Jesus, speaking directly to them tells them to first work on their hearts and allow that to make its way to their actions for all to see. The scribes and Pharisees were famous for preaching the ways of the LORD (cleaning the outside for all to see) and then when they were out of sight of the people, they would not necessarily heed their own words (dirty heart that was not seen).

Isn’t this the way we are as well. We all talk aloud how we should be acting in the way that God would have us act and then when it comes time to actually act, it is as if we had not even hear ourselves speaking aloud. I know that I struggle with this myself. One of my biggest struggles is maintaining a calmness. I tend to allow my passion for order in things spill out and lose the calmness I speak of with others. I immediately turn to the words known by parents as they speak to their children when caught in the act of not heeding their own advice, “do as I say and not as I do”.

“¹Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘²The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, ³so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.’” – Matthew 23:1-3 (ESV)

Jesus tells us to do as the scribes and Pharisees say and not as they do. I know, isn’t that the words from above. It is. Jesus is acknowledging the correctness in the words from the scribes and Pharisees. He is letting it known that the people that are doing what is preached are doing so in a righteous manner.

Jesus also point out that these same scribes and Pharisees are not righteous as their words and calls to action. They say one thing and then do another, not out of passion for a particular thing, but as they are just saying one thing for people to “see” and then doing something else when the feel like no one is watching. They lack the integrity of their own words.

This is where I was going with my writing this morning. It is up to us to clean our hearts on the inside and allow that cleanliness to show through our actions on the outside. We have to scrub ourselves of the dirt and grime on our hearts and then allow that cleanliness to drive us to do some scrubbing on the outside with our actions.

We are not able to wash away our sin, but we are able to scrub the vessel starting on the inside that the LORD will be seen by all on the outside as well.

What does cleanliness look like to you? Are you showing one thing on the outside and walking around doing otherwise on the outside? What if you were to start by cleaning yourself up on the inside and allowing that cleanliness to be seen in your actions on the outside?

Cleaning Yourself

I wrote about asking for a clean or innocent heart. This morning I read and am writing about cleaning yourself up.

“¹⁶Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;

remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;

cease to do evil,

¹⁷learn to do good;

seek justice,

correct oppression;

bring justice to the fatherless,

plead the widow’s cause.”

— Isaiah 1:16-17 (ESV)

The LORD is speaking through Isaiah here to the Judah. He has told them of their wickedness and now is guiding them through it. Notice verse 16 and how it leads off, “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean”. We have the task of cleaning ourselves up.

Now, the word “clean” is again used and as I have mentioned before, the Hebrew word for “clean” can also mean “innocent” and when used brings out more meaning for me. I think of it in this way. I have the task of cleaning up my known sins and dirtiness. I can make myself innocent before man by following the law. I also make the decision not to consciously sin. I will still sin as I am a sinner forever, but I can choose not to sin consciously. And even when I do, part of the washing up is confessing those sins to the LORD to be forgiven and washed clean.

I have to be careful in that I am not saying we are able to wash away our uncleanness and save ourselves in the process. We are only saved by the grace of God and thanks to the birth, death, and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. There is no substitute for that salvation and being washed white as snow.

What I am referring to is washing away that which I know to be sin and cleaning myself up for presentation to the LORD. We are not going to get all of the dirt off or out, but we can wash up cleaner than we were a moment ago.

How, through our daily, continual prayer and confession. We are to ask for forgiveness daily. We are to ask for forgiveness continually. We are to seek to be cleaned all the time. I can say that I sit in my office early in the morning daily and offer up prayer to the LORD. I proclaim His Glory, thank Him for all, seek His guidance, and ask for forgiveness. This is my daily action to clean myself up.

Even as I take daily action, I admit that I am not in continual prayer and confession. I wait. I wait until the next day and offer up my prayer. But just as in most everything else, by waiting I miss things. I forget my sins. I omit my sins, somehow thinking that they are gone and I can wrap them into a “forgive my sins LORD” declaration. But that doesn’t cut it. It is like showering and only allowing the water and soap to run down without scrubbing to remove the caked on dirt.

I have to remember to be in continual prayer to confess and ask for forgiveness right away. I have to wash up and make myself clean to remove the sin immediately. I have to make and keep myself clean for the LORD. No, I cannot save myself pure, but I can remove the caked on sin and dirt and get closer to righteousness, cleanliness, and innocence than I have ever been.

What is your view of cleaning yourself up? Are you relying on someone to do it for you? What if you took responsibility, not for your salvation, but to clean yourself up to be as presentable to the LORD as possible at all times?

Asking for Clean Heart

The Hebrew word for “clean” can also mean “innocent”. This really helps with me in the impact of my study this morning of that word, “clean”. I am in Psalm 51 and the title of the chapter in my ESV Bible is “Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God” which is the first part of my verse of study this morning.

“¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.”

— Psalm 51:10 (ESV)

Doing the substitution of “innocent” for “clean” opens the verse a bit more for me. “Create in me an innocent heart, O God” has a bit more impact when I am reading. I am guilty of sin and always will be. But, I am also washed clean and returned to the innocence of the lamb thanks to the redeeming blood of Christ.

As I read, I have to remember that this Psalm was written prior to Christ coming and dying for the sins of the world. Daily requests to the LORD for cleanliness or innocence took the place of the yearly pilgrimage for offering and asking for forgiveness. Yes, the pilgrimage was still part of culture, but David here is giving the example of not waiting on the once a year thing and seeking cleanliness daily.

Christ came and died and rose again. His blood was spilled that ours would not have to be. He provided that we would be washed clean. We would no longer be “required” to provide offering of animal sacrifice, as Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. As the physical temple curtain was torn, giving access to God directly, our daily ask for forgiveness was amplified as the way. We now have that direct line to the LORD and He can and will give us a clean heart.

Yes, we are to ask daily for a clean heart. We have been washed clean, but we do still need to confess daily and ask that the LORD work in us. I am a sinner always and will be dirtied up from that sin each day. I need to bathe in Christ each day to cleanse myself of the dirt and sin.

“⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

“¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

— Psalm 51:7 & 12 (ESV)

I ask for a clean heart daily. I pray to the LORD, admit that I am dirty with sin and ask for His forgiveness. I ask to be watched over and that the LORD will keep me from sin, knowing that I am prone to sinning and always will be in this world. Only He can restore me daily to innocence when I come to Him asking for cleanliness.

When you pray, what are you asking for? Are you seeking only the glorious things? What if you were to ask for you daily dose of cleanliness that is only provided by the LORD?

Built Together

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are built together.

“¹⁹So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²²In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” – Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV)

We are not in this alone. We have brothers and sisters to travel with. Paul makes it clear in the above that we “are fellow citizens” and that we are “of the household of God”. WE are a “dwelling place for God” and the collective that we are is growing “into a holy temple in the Lord”.

I know that in the above paragraph I have restated a lot of what Paul writes. I did that on purpose as it is how it lands on me related to my study this morning. WE are in this together and it is important to remember that. I have mentioned before that I am an introverted person and being in solitude is just fine for me (I may not leave the house except on Sundays). But even saying that and being that way, I still go to church with my brothers and sisters in Christ to worship together, to be in the presence of “fellow citizens”, to be in the presence of God.

“²⁰For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” – Matthew 18:20 (ESV)

WE are meant to be together to commune with the LORD. He builds us up together to be bigger than life itself. I or you alone are good in our pursuit of Christ, but together we are a mighty force in the name of God. God gave us each gifts to use for His glory and those gifts, where they are good on their own, working in concert with another is even more powerful. Together God builds us up to be the unstoppable workers. We is certainly greater than me.

How are you traversing in this world? Are you working to build yourself up alone? What if you embraced that God builds US up together for our good and to accomplish all that He has planned?

Built up Through Prophecy and Tongues

This morning I admit was a learning moment for me. The verse and passage of my study is in 1 Corinthians on prophecy and tongues. Paul writes of the two and their meaning and impact to the individual and church.

“²³If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?” – 1 Corinthians 14:23 (ESV)

I will say that I have always been leery of places of worship where there is speaking in tongues. Paul even addresses this in the above verse that when an outsider encounters this, they are likely thinking the same as I.

“²For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.” – 1 Corinthians 14:2 (ESV)

But, this does not mean that speaking in tongues is a bad thing. You can see that Paul addresses the speaking in tongues is for one to speak with God. What a wonderful thing that I and God have our own language to commune together. God speaks directly with me for my benefit. I even pray that God will reveal to me (with a knock on the head as I need it that way) His will in my life.

“²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, ²⁵the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.” – 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 (ESV)

It is prophecy that is better than speaking in tongues. Not because the individual is not important, but because prophecy can be heard by all, believers and unbelievers. Prophecy is for all where speaking in tongues is for the one. It is our goal as followers of Christ to bring His Word to all and provide for them the opportunity to follow Him. When we prophesy, we are bringing the revelations God has provided to all the people and working to fulfill our role in this world.

Now, again, speaking in tongues is that personal revelation of God’s Word to the individual. We have to remember that God has provided our gifts and one of those may be the gift of interpretation. So, speaking in tongues can be beneficial to all when the interpreter is present, using his gift to share the revelation of the one with the church and all. But without the interpretation, the speaking in tongues is for the one and not the many.

“⁵Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.” – 1 Corinthians 14:5 (ESV)

And now to the verse that led to my study of this passage and my learning. Paul makes it clear here that speaking in tongues and prophecy are both part of the building up. One, speaking in tongues, for the individual and the other, prophecy, for all. He would rather for prophecy than for speaking in tongues for the benefit of all “so that the church may be built up” and we can fulfill our work assigned by God.

What are your thoughts on prophecy and the speaking in tongues? Are you partial to one or the other? What if you were to keep the speaking in tongues to be between you and God and prophecy to be for all “so that the church may be built up”?

Life Built on the Rock

In the world of building, the foundation is the most important. You can have the most beautiful architecture and ornate visual appearance, but without a strong foundation, it will not last. Life is the same. We can skate along with the surface view of all things being right, but when the circumstances get tough, that surface view is wiped away by the cracks underneath. Jesus dealt with this as he wrapped up His greatest sermon.

“²⁴Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” – Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)

The above sounds a bit like “The Three Little Pigs”. But the above happened and was recorded first so “The Three Little Pigs” (first published in 1890) sounds a bit like Jesus.

Jesus often spoke in parable and as seen here, He sticks to that process. The foundation, as I noted earlier, is the most important part of building. As noted in the commentary of my ESV Bible, “a wise builder knew that he needed to dig several feet below the surface to the bedrock in order to establish the foundation for his house” as he was well aware of the shifting of sand that would come around the Sea of Galilee. The same can be said for us in our lives.

In our lives, what people see is that which is on the surface. As is understandable, we want people to see us as stable and strong. Well generally what we present only looks stable and strong. I have watched many a house flipping show where in the course of demolition once the surface is removed, a fragile or even nonexistent foundation is exposed. I know many people who are the same. For weeks on their social media profile, they are “#blessed” and the next they are devastated as everything has fallen apart.

I am not saying that we do not have times like that, where one day everything is good and the next we are struggling. Anything can happen in the course of a day. But, what I can say is that we do not have to be devastated with the change in circumstances. Jesus provides the foundation for us to build our lives on. He is the rock on which we stand.

“On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

The above is the refrain from the hymn, “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”. I have to build my life on that which is not going anywhere. The foundation of my life should be strong and unwavering. When my circumstances change, I should still stand firm on the foundation, knowing that I am gonna be alright. I have to know that whatever comes my way, I have the base of my life firmly on the Rock that is Jesus Christ and His unfailing love.

Where are you building your life? Are you more concerned with the life that everyone sees and forget about the changing circumstances that will come? What if you built your life on the Rock that is Jesus, knowing that whatever comes your way, He will never fail to keep you on solid ground?

Love Builds Up

What a great study for me this morning. God led me to 1 Corinthians 8 to continue my study on the word “builds”. Here I found a familiar passage that I do not remember thinking of in this way. Love builds up. The passage is on not leading others to stumble by our actions. What I do not remember considering before was love being the reason. Yes, we do not want to cause our neighbor to stumble in their faith, but we do it out of love.

“¹Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up.” – 1 Corinthians 8:1 (ESV)

“⁷However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.” – 1 Corinthians 8:7-8 (ESV)

I/we have the knowledge that we have salvation that comes from God and that our sins are forgiven. We also know that those things that may have been prohibited in the old testament have been relaxed or removed as such thanks to the new covenant with God. We are not impacted positively or negatively in the way we go about those things. We have been forgiven and serve our savior without the burden as noted in verse 8 above.

It is our neighbor that is not in the relationship with the Father that is still in struggle with the law. Our neighbor does not have the security of God and therefore find themselves conflicted with how to proceed when placed in a position of question. These neighbors lean on the law and also look to us as they are in belief that we are going against that law and it breaks down the relationship with us and pushes to close the door that leads to Christ.

“¹³Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” – 1 Corinthians 8:13 (ESV)

It is out of love that we are to abstain from those things that would cause another to stumble. Whether it is not eating the food, or not having that glass of wine, or staying away from that specific movie with them present. I know that I am just enjoying each of these as they are not prohibited, but the cause my neighbor to stumble and increases their anxiety, therefore I should stay away in order that I am building them up through love for them.

What are you doing in front of others? Do you realize that it may be causing them to stumble in their faith or be pushed away from the faith? What if you were to abstain from those things so as not to cause them to stumble, but build them up through love?

How You Build Matters

There is the story of the three little pigs that built their houses, one of straw, one of sticks, and one of bricks. The wolf came to blow them down and was not able to destroy the one built of bricks.

“¹²Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.” – 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 (ESV)

Like the three little pigs, we have options when it comes to build the church of God. We can build with quality building materials and build to last, or with cheaper materials that are sure to be destroyed or degrade with time.

“⁹For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. ¹⁰According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.” – 1 Corinthians 3:9-10 (ESV)

Paul points out to the church at Corinth the need to “take care how” the church is built. Not of physical materials, but of sound doctrine, faith, and obedience. We are to build the church on the foundation of Jesus Christ, not on the words of man. We, the church are “God’s building” and the church is worthy of being built the right way, not with speed and cheap materials to get the structure up, but over time with care, hard work, planning, and with materials that are of substance.

As I type here I cannot help but refer to the buildings that are used for God’s Church. We put a lot of effort into the building of church buildings. The structures are of wonder to behold. Grand and ornate, a visual spectacle. And frankly lots of “money” goes into making them to be just so. Where we are following the lead of our Old Testament ancestors who built temples to be so grand and ornate, are they really “necessary”. Many a church started in a living room, or a schoolhouse (our church was planted and continues, 5 years later to meet in a school), or some other venue. We have to remember that God’s Church is the people and not the building itself.

As Paul noted, when the church is not built on the foundation that is Jesus Christ and should be built with sound doctrine, faith, and obedience through care, hard work, and planning it will be subject to and will be destroyed when it is put to the test. The story of the three little pigs shares this moral. Hard work, careful planning, and diligence pay off, while laziness and taking shortcuts lead to failure and danger. How you build the church of God matters, we should be using only the best materials.

What materials are you using to build God’s Church? Are you throwing things together to get a roof over your head? What if you were to take care and build on the foundation of Jesus Christ with sound doctrine, faith, and obedience through care, hard work, and planning?

Build Your House on Righteousness

I believe it should go without saying to build your house on righteousness, but what does that really mean. I have studied and written that righteousness is not something that we can assign to ourselves, only God can count us as righteous. So how are we to know we are building on righteousness.

“¹³Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness,

and his upper rooms by injustice,

who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing

and does not give him his wages,

¹⁴who says, ‘I will build myself a great house

with spacious upper rooms,’

who cuts out windows for it,

paneling it with cedar

and painting it with vermilion.”

— Jeremiah 22:13-14 (ESV)

In the verses above, we find what not to do. As I read the above, I see a selfish man who takes advantage of others in order to elevate himself. I see the one who is more concerned with his own possessions and status than that of others around him. This is certainly not righteous.

Now, having fine things and seeking assistance from others does not indicate unrighteousness. It is the using of others and placing those things above the well being of others where one demonstrates unrighteousness.

There it is, what is meant by building your house on righteousness. No, we cannot declare ourselves righteous, only God can. But, what we can do is demonstrate righteousness daily in all that we do. We should be doing righteous actions. We should be building others up as opposed to exploiting them. We should be sharing with others instead of building our own wealth and status. We are to love, care, and protect those less fortunate. We are to share the gospel with others as opposed to keeping the LORD to ourselves.

Righteous actions do not make us righteous and somehow make us better than others. It does not make our house any more or less than that of our neighbor. But, what righteous actions show is our understanding of where it all comes from. Righteous actions demonstrate the love of God flowing from our heart. Righteous actions show who and where we have given ourselves to, the LORD.

“¹⁵And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15 (ESV)

Joshua makes it clear to the people that he gives himself to the LORD. He will serve the LORD and seek guidance from Him in all matters of His house. Joshua chose righteous action in the name of the LORD to build his house. He was not the selfish man taking advantage of others to elevate himself. He did not consider himself righteous. Joshua built his house on righteousness through his actions in the name of the LORD. We should be doing the same.

Where are you building your house? Are you gaining while those helping you get there are less than taken care of? What if you decided to build your house on righteousness through the actions in the name of the LORD instead?

The LORD Builds Our House

This morning as I study, I am reminded that the LORD is indeed the one to build my house.

“¹Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.”

— Psalm 127:1 (ESV)

As noted in the commentary of my bible, “The basic theme of this wisdom psalm is that without the LORD’s blessing, all human toil is worthless.” “of course those who build a house must labor on it, and certainly the watchman of a city must stay awake. At the same time they must carry our their efforts in faith, trusting God to make the work beneficial.” In order for sustainability, there must be a reliance on the LORD.

I take this also to be more than just the physical building of the house and the watching over a city. I see this in the success of that which is in the house. I want to ensure that my family is built on the LORD and that which He provides.

The LORD is the author of me and I am to give Him the glory. He provides for and blesses me and my house. I know that He does so thanks to my accepting of His gift of salvation. Yet, in order for my house to maintain, I must be reliant on the LORD. In verse one above, the author states the LORD “builds the house”. I see that as not just building, but also maintaining as a sort of warranty plan to keep the house in good shape.

Our house will last many lifetimes when we take care to ensure that it is kept up according to the builder’s specifications. The builder here is the LORD and the specifications are His Word as He guides us from day to day. It is great that the Word of God is available to everyone and all the time to review and follow. There is no digging for the plans or working with out dated equipment. The specifications are timeless and always available. We only need to consult God’s Word for how to work through whatever has come up.

Lori and I are likely in our physical house for the foreseeable future and where the house itself is only 10 years old, we will have to look for and consult the plans to begin some of the maintenance even now. But, in our God fearing house, which will be 29 years in April, I like to believe that we are in constant review of the plans as even now the LORD is building. Our boys may have moved to begin work on their personal houses, Lori and I are adding rooms for what comes next. And what better place to consult for those rooms than the master builder Himself, the LORD our God.

Who is the builder of your house? Do you see your house as built and looking for the next? What if you see that your house if continuing to be built and maintained by the LORD and the plans are in His Word?