Have you ever been to a restaurant and before your food arrives, they served you water? Have you ever looked at the glass before you drank? I do. Sometimes, not to criticize them, but the glasses aren't always spotless. I do believe that sometimes they wash these glasses in dishwashers and not by hand. If cleaned by hand, they would be thouroughly washed. That is why not all stains are removed. No one likes to drink from a dirty glass.
If I may, lets visit the Scriptures. In Matthew 23, Jesus speaks about the religious leaders. But He says something very interesting in verse 26. He says: "Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."
Jesus condemned the Pharisees and religious leaders for outwardly APPEARING SAINTLY and holy but inwardly remaining full of corruption and greed. Living our Christianity merely as a show for others is like washing a cup on the outside only. When we are clean on the inside, our cleanliness on the outside won't be a facade. The question that I would like to ask is have you been truly FILLED with God or RINSED by God? Have you allowed yourself to be throughly cleaned or just rinsed? There is a difference. Someone who is FILLED is changed completely. They live for Christ and not matter how hard times get, they do not dare to go back to the life or the things that once defined them because they know their identity lies in Christ and they are a new creation. But the one who is RINSED seems clean and holy on the outside but their insides haven't been cleaned. Which are you? Forgive me for asking....
(This post is actually inspired by a sermon I heard from Pastor George Morisset Jr.)
(Devotions/ Devotionals)
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