OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 2016

Tuesday July 26, 2016

CLEANLINESS IS PRACTICAL GODLINESS

Memorise : Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.- Isaiah 52:11

Read: Numbers 8:5-7

8:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

8:6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

8:7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.


MESSAGE :

One truth a child of God must embrace is that cleanliness is godliness in practical terms. God pays attention to personal hygiene as much as he pays attention to the spiritual purity of His people. In the book of Leviticus 14:43-45, we read:
"And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered; Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house; it is unclean. And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place."

In our Bible reading for today, we read how God instructed Moses to take the Levites from among the congregation and cleanse them. There are many lessons we must learn from this passage. Why were the Levites singled out for cleansing? It is because they were special to God; they were Yahweh's representatives among God's people. 

"But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle." Numbers 1:50

The Levites, being vessels of honor, were required to be cleansed to function as priests unto God. As such, children of God must be clean in and out because it is required of us to be physically and spiritually clean. 

"And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean." Numbers 8:7

It is unfortunate to see that some children of God are not taking seriously the basic hygiene that can enhance their divine health. Some actually believe in divine healing, but do not live in clean environments, nor eat good food. Good food does not cost much. As a matter of fact, it is dangerous delicacies that are costly. So, in order to enjoy divine health, we must live clean lives. May the Almighty God grant us the ability to live clean lives in Jesus' name. 

ACTION POINT :
Take care of your personal hygiene and observe basic health instructions in your home. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 
1 Thessalonians 1-4;
Psalms 19:7-14