Today’s Devotional – May 5th (The Proper Way To Wash Dishes)

By admin On January 18th, 2021

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Today’s Devotional – May 5th

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The Proper Way To Wash Dishes

 

THE FOLLOWING DEVOTIONAL IS AN EXCERPT FROM THIS WEBSITE’S ARTICLE…“Moon Into Blood Trilogy: 2nd Face: The Pharisee Scorner”

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“Beware of false prophets,

which come to you in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” 

Matthew 7:15

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It seems that our culture has become almost obsessed with outward cleanliness!

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And of course, cleanliness is good!

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Much of the advertising on TV has to do with cleaning products: soaps, cleaning tools, and other new products designed to enhance the appearance of the home. 

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Kitchen 1937 – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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CLEAN THE INSIDE FIRST!

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And speaking of cleaning, several of the Gospels tell the story of when Jesus and His Disciples attended a dinner “in their honor”.

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Well, when it came time to sit down, some of the Pharisees took note and complained to Jesus, that the disciples did not first wash their hands.

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And Jesus used this incident as an occasion to reprimand these Pharisees for, not only their rudeness, but also about their outward cleanliness.

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Listen… “ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups:

and many other such like things ye do….

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter,

but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter,

that the outside of them may be clean also.”

Mark 7:28 & Matthew 23:25, 26.

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And so, Jesus used this metaphor of “first clean the inside of the cup” to reveal the undone condition of their hearts!

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Brooklyn Museum – The Pharisees Question Jesus – James Tissot – US Public Domain – Wikimedia

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CLEANLINESS IS OFTEN NEXT TO PHARISEEISM!

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John Wesley is purported to have coined the phrase, “Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness”.

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Well, John Wesley was a great man of God, to be sure. But he really should have used the phrase, “Cleanliness is quite often next to Phariseeism”.

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Because, outward cleanliness is actually next to worthless, unless it is combined with INWARD cleanliness of the heart!

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ABOVE PAINTING:Hamilton Portrait of John Wesley-1703-1791

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FIRST CLEAN THE INSIDE

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No doubt, if you have a chance to visit those proud Pharisees, you would have found their houses “swept, clean, and put in order”. Luke 11:25 NIV

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But God “looks upon the heart” of Man. 1st Samuel 16:7.

And Jesus proclaims what was in the heart of those Pharisees…

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“And He (Jesus) saith unto them…

That which cometh out of the man, that defiles the man.

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,

adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness,

wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

Mark 7:18-23

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This Pharisee in the forefront of this picture to the right, has cleaned up himself outwardly. And yet, inwardly he remains in his sins. 

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Tissot The Pharisee and publican – Brooklyn Museum & Wikimedia – US public domain

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JUST ANOTHER SIN

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While it is very commendable to be neat and clean and moral and hard-working, these virtues must be accompanied by the other Christ-like virtues, as well, to be of any true value!

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Otherwise, all we end up with is proud pharisaism.

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Just listen… “An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.” Proverbs 21:4.

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This verse not only declares that a high look and a proud heart are sin. But also it declares that even “the plowing (the labor) of the wicked is sin“.

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REGARDS HIS LIFE AS THE STANDARD

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You see, the Pharisee has set himself up as the standard of excellence, instead of Christ.

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The Pharisee never ever judges others who have his own particular weaknesses!

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But in the areas where he’s strong, these are the traits he judges the world by.

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After all, it’s no fun to scorn others who share “my” sins!

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It’s only fun to scorn the sins which are not so noticeable in “my” life!

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drunk Panhandler – Wikipedia – public domain

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BIBLE IS THE TRUE STANDARD

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But if only this Pharisee would take his eye off others, and begin to look at his own self, in the mirror of the Bible, he might start to see that, in spite of his good qualities, he doesn’t measure up to the true standard, which is Jesus Christ.

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423px-Mirror_globe by Arpingstone for Wikipedia Public Domain

This is because, along with that good work ethic, and so on, he has some other qualities which are not so Christ-like.

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Besides being a hard worker, and neat and moral, Jesus was also patient, non-aggressive, kind, slow-to-wrath, gentle, humble, sympathetic to the needs and even the desires of others; qualities which those proud moralists simply do not possess!

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Quite the contrary, Pharisaism is often subject to foolish-pride, fits of anger, judgmental-finger-pointing, impatience, selfish-opportunism, greed, sarcasm, lacking-in-sympathy, rudeness, and a host of other qualities which are normally associated with Satan’s character, and never with Christ’s.

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Mirror globe – by Arpingstone for Wikipedia – Public Domain

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“A NEW HEART” IS REQUIRED

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“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Brassey_Hole_Nicodemus.jpgJews: Jesus…said unto him…Ye must be born again…” John 3:1, 3, 8

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The above passage tells of Nicodemus, one of the chief Pharisees.

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Yes, Nicodemus was also a Pharisee at one time.

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And as a ruler of the Jews, Nicodemus was no doubt a very moral person.

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Nicodemus – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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“YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!”

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Now in midst of their discourse, Jesus told him, in a very loving manner… “Ye must be born again”. 

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Nicodemus had risen to the height of a ruler over the Pharisees, and yet, he had never truly become a child of God.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMC-081218-M-4507D-001.jpg.

Listen to Ezekiel 36:26“A new heart also will I give you,

and a new spirit will I put within you:

and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh,

and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

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And though Nicodemus was an unsaved individual, yet in the end, God gave Nicodemus a new heart, and he became Born Again.

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And so, this little account of Nicodemus and how God took away his Pharisaism, should give us hope, that God can, likewise, take away every trace of Pharisaism out of your heart, and out of my heart too!

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Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain

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cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.”

Mark 7:28 & Matthew 23:25, 26.

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And so, O sorely tried and tempted soul, if my life is out of control in this area, or other areas, it may just be that God is humbling us, to drive out that “the Old Man” of sin, who is a proud Pharisee.

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Yes, God has to humble His children outwardly, in hopes that they will begin to cleanse the inside of the cup first, their own heart and soul.

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And then, after a while, He can help them to begin to clean up their outward life.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Most Holy Place within the heart – Signs Of Heaven

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rezando.jpg

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to fully engage in the daily purification of my heart. Remove all proud Pharisaism from my heart…

Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svgREAD MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read…July 8th (Go Ye Into All Your Heart! Part 2), or you can also read…NOVEMBER 8th (REVELATION OF THE HEART)

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

.Orion Constellation at Eagle Ridge

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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“It (God’s Covenant) shall be established…

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for ever as the Moon…

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and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.”

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Psalm 89:37.

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GOSPEL INSCRIBED ON THE MOON

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The Bible states… “It (God’s Covenant) shall be established for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven (sky). Selah.” Psalm 89:37

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God’s Covenant (The Gospel) has been inscribed in the sky. In the night sky, predominantly. It has been established “as the Moon, and as a faithful witness…”.

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That there would be “signs in the Sun… moon, and…stars” (Luke 21:25) just before the end, was a promise made by God.

.Write-adam-Total-Lunar-Eclipse-December-21-2010-wikimedia-commons-share-alike-license-e1375327509135

But we didn’t know exactly what those signs would be (although many thought they knew).

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Nor did we realize that these signs would be pointing us to present Bible truths!

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Lunar Eclipse – cropped photo – by Jiyang Chen & Wikipedia share-alike license. Click for link.

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“THE SCORNER (THE PHARISEE)”

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_moon_of_31.08.2012.jpgPlease tilt your head to the left. Do you see a man with a very long pointed nose. (Obviously, the sketch to the right is just an exaggeration in order to help you find the face in the photo to the left.)

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Do you see an angry look? His right eye-brow is raised as if he is judging.

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This second face in the Moon appears to be that of a combination of a man as well as a fox. Or maybe a wolf. Doesn’t he have a long narrow nose like a wolf or fox? Maybe even a dog. Nevertheless, the expression on his face, as he appears to look down upon the Earth, is that of scorn. Unlike the first Moon-man’s sad shock and awe; this ‘man/fox/wolf/dog’ appears to be that of anger and scorn. As if he is disgusted at the sinful planet below. He is very moral, you see!

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Moon – 2nd face Pharisee Scorner – by Cezar Popescu for Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain – cropped, highlighted & rotated photo

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

Moon Into Blood Trilogy: 2nd Face: The Evil-Eyed Pharisee Scorner

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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High-Priest-www_thebiblerevival_com-public-domainTOMORROW…

“May 6th (Who Are The Sons Of Levi?)”

High-Priest – www.thebiblerevival.com – Public-Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #123 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain

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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on provided link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing details & tags, and all other necessary information on any particular photo.

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