Dirty Hands, Dirty Feet

Dirty Hands, Dirty Feet

Hebrews 10: ¹⁹ We have, then, my friends, complete freedom to go into the Most Holy Place by means of the death of Jesus. ²⁰ He opened for us a new way, a living way, through the curtain—that is, through his own body. ²¹ We have a great priest in charge of the house of God. ²² So let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, with hearts that have been purified from a guilty conscience and with bodies washed with clean water. ²³ Let us hold on firmly to the hope we profess, because we can trust God to keep his promise. ²⁴ Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. ²⁵ Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.

 

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After playing outside, a neighbor invited us into their house. It was a strange invitation, because we really had never been inside this particular home. “Take off your shoes” was the first statement. “Sit on the plastic covered furniture” was the next statement. The walls were white and so wase the carpet.

 

• I felt like I was dirty.
• I felt uneasy being around something clean while I was dirty.
• I felt I could not touch anything or do anything because I would make the clean stuff dirty.

 

Paul, the assumed writer, tells everyone that, through JESUS, there is “complete freedom to go into the Most Holy Place.” This is the sanctuary of GOD and no sin is allowed. He implies that we have freedom to walk around because JESUS made us clean.

 

My Observations:

• GOD is holy enough to clean me up to be in HIS presence.
• JESUS died for my sins so I could become holy enough to into into the Most Holy Place.
• Since I am in the Most Holy Place, GOD wants me to use it well.

 

Bam, “you are clean, now what?”” is the tone of the message. I mean, as dirty as I have been, JESUS cleaned me up. I don’t even know the areas I am dirty. HE sees my entire being and cleans areas of me that would not be allowed to enter into the Holy Place.

 

I can now come near to GOD with a purified heart, clean body, firm hope concern for others and a desire to meet with others. The HOLY SPIRIT provides the ability to do go and show love. I am glad GOD allows me to be cleaned of all unrighteousness.

 

Challenge

• What is “The Most Holy Place” the writer speaks about?
• Have you ever felt that you have sinned too much to be loved and forgiven by GOD?
• Has someone made you feel less than clean?
• Will you turn your life to JESUS so HE can truly cleanse you and give you access to GOD who has great things planned for you today? 

Repairing Self-Destruction

2 Corinthians 7:1 All these promises are made to us, my dear friends. So then, let us purify ourselves from everything that makes body or soul unclean, and let us be completely holy by living in awe of God.

 

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Feeling like a failure, I needed some “fun.” With a mountain of debt, a broken down car, kicked out of school again and being dumped, I wanted to feel good for a moment. I went to a convention and there were wild parties everywhere. But for some reason, I could not get into it this particular time.

 

• I thought I could relieve myself if I did some things that I could hide.
• I felt like I was already low, so sinning wouldn’t make me any lower.
• I wondered if there was an alternative to the self-destructive path I was on.

 

Paul speaks softly regarding purity. He doesn’t rant or yell, rather tries to convince everyone that JESUS made promises that were everlasting. These eternal promises should be recognized, but sin blinds us to that well deserved recognition. Paul give a better way of looking at purity. Be in awe of GOD.

 

My Observations

• JESUS did an amazing thing by volunteering to die and be raised from the dead, just for me.
• GOD’s mercy is amazing because HE sees the sin I hold onto tightly and still forgives me.
• The HOLY SPIRIT amazingly lives in my body, seeing every thought and action and pleads on my behalf for forgiveness.

 

“Stop sinning” is easy to say when everything is going right. I mean, when the world seems to be falling apart, sin seems to knock on the door of my heart with its grimy hands at my most vulnerable time. BUT GOD sees all and loves me when I’m low.

 

HE understands every situation and cleanses me of all unrighteousness when I ask. But what if I ask and sin again? HE forgives me and cleanses me over and over and over and over and over again. He fills me with another chance each day and gives me a better path to walk on. I am in awe that GOD’s grace “is” sufficient.

 

Challenge

• Does the writer limit the boundaries of purity?
• Is there any difference between using slanderous words and sexual sin?
• What do you notice about the individual walk implied in this passage?
• Will you remain in awe of GOD’s forgiveness and allow HIM to cleanses you of all unrighteousness today and again tomorrow?

Sick, Not Blind

Mark 2: ¹³ Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. ¹⁴ As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

¹⁵ Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. ¹⁶ And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

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Broke and confused, I had no guidance from my counselors. I mean, how was I supposed to pay my rent, have my car fixed and pay for tuition? What good was school anyway? Seeing how I was stewing over my situation, someone invited me to church.

Maybe I can tell these people about my problem, I thought to myself. When I arrived, the church was so focused on some kind of celebration that I could not express what was going on in my life. I left distraught.

• There were times I wanted help from “churchy” people and was met with an invitation to give.
• There were times I desired to say “I’m hurt” to the “churchy” people but was met with “Come to our fashion show.”
• There were times when I longed to get sound advice from “churchy” people and was met with clap at this song a little harder.

JESUS sat with sinners who knew they were sinners. They were the outcasts of society and knew they needed help. They did not fit in with “churchy” people so they hung out with each other. HE was accepted by them yet criticized by the “churchy” people. GOD wants me to follow HIS lead.

• JESUS wants me to seek the lost just like HE sought me.
• JESUS wants me to look for he hurt instead of gathering to feel comfortable.
• JESUS wants me to find those who need HIM rather than going to a club week after week.

Blind is what JESUS accused the Pharisees of being. HE challenged them to trade in their blindness for sickness but they refused to do so. They would never admit they were spiritually dying so they continued down their “churchy” blind path. JESUS wants me to open my eyes and admit “I am sick and I need JESUS today”, only then can HIS power be shown in me.

• Are you blinded by society?
• Do you think you are well when you are really spiritually sick?
• Will you admit to GOD you need HIS help and HIS help alone?
• Will you stop looking around at others and seek the lost for CHRIST?

Future Bright with Joy and Delight

Isaiah 65: ¹⁷ “See, I will create
    new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
    nor will they come to mind.
¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice forever
    in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
    and its people a joy.
¹⁹ I will rejoice over Jerusalem
    and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
    will be heard in it no more.

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“Start on the bottom with both hands grasping a sponge. Edge the board to the top and proceed across, then down the other side. Rinse your sponges, wring them out until damp and go across the board until reaching the bottom.” These were the instructions of washing a chalkboard during my janitor days. After following these instructions, I had a “clean slate” in each room.

• GOD says to me “I will create new heavens and a new earth.”
• GOD says to me “The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”
• GOD says to me “I will delight in MY people, the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more.”

GOD reaches HIS hand out to me on a daily basis even though HE despises my sin. HE loves me and cares enough for me to erase my past and provide for me a bright future. All the sins that GOD would count against me will be wiped away, like cleaning a chalkboard.

• ALL of my sins are forgiven by GOD because I believe in the Risen SON.
• There will come a day when I will look back and see nothing but grace from the FATHER.
• One day all of my tears will be wiped away and every sin that has been accounted for will be thrown away.

Joy and delight is the plan GOD has for me. HE tells me to rejoice now because of the wonderful future HE has for me.

• Are you concerned about today’s problems?
• Are you worried about something?
• Can you look towards the future and see that GOD is holding HIS hand out to you to erase the past and provide you with a wondrous life?

Sinner's Clean

This poem's dedicated

   To my father

Who has been redeemed

   Why'd you have to go so soon

It seems like yesterday

 We were hanging

     Round the pews

Now we're  gonna

     Keep your memory alive

           Sharing God's good news

A life time of memories

  I can not contain

I'd like to keep claiming

   But must first get past the pain

I lift my Bible to your memory

 Romans 10 verse 9

Gives me peace of mind

  Knowing one day soon

      We'll be,

          seeing eye to eye

This for my family

..this is for my father

See you when I get there

 Cause this sinner's clean, this sinner's clean...

My God My God

..could you pass on a message for me

Tell him to hold his praise for a second Lord

..Listen to his family

Could you tell him

...we'll never let go of his memory

So his church will know

....you don't have to cry no more

Cause God's got their back

... I said God's got my back..

A life time of memories

..we cannot contain

We'd like to keep moving

... But need time to heal the pain

I lift my Bible to your memory

..1 John 1 verse 9

Gives me hope that I

..know that one day soon

We'll be, seeing eye to eye

This is for my family...

Doug