Monday, February 6, 2017

Monday, February 6th: Exodus 39-40; Matthew 23:23-39

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Exodus 39-40; Matthew 23:23-39

It's so easy to get caught up in outward appearances. Trying to wear the right clothes, or fix my hair in the right fashion can sometimes take control over the way I think. But Jesus tells us that this is not the way we are to live our lives:

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of your cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." (Matthew 23:25-26)

You could be the most beautiful person in the whole world and the outside of your "cup" is absolutely spotless, but have a very dirty inside of your "cup". When this happens we are filled with greed and selfishness. But when we only worry about cleaning the inside, the Holy Spirit works through us and cleans us inside and out. The greatest concern should be inward purity, for once that has been accomplished we find that we are outwardly pure as well.


Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Leviticus 1-3; Matthew 24:1-28

1 comment:

Conrad said...

Good point on appearances. As a habit, when I grab a cup to drink with, the first thing I do is look at the inside to see how clean it is. If it is dirty I am not pleased and I will grab another one. The same goes for us. If our insides are not clean, God too will not be pleased and will cast us to the side.

In the OT reading today, it was mentioned numberous times that the work was done just as God commanded Moses. Just as God commanded; important to keep His commands our number one goal in our lives.