Steps leading down into the ritual bath.......
Joshua 7: 13;
“Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.
What things do I need to remove from my life?, heart? mind?......... What about you?
Joshua 3:5
5 Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”
How do I purify myself in this race we call life? I want so badly to immerse myself in His blood...to wash away all the dirty water of my heart.......and Jesus said it's DONE.......
Here I am coming up out of the purifying water.....A cleansing agent was required: water, blood, or fire (Numbers 31:23). Water, the most common purifying agent, symbolized cleansing and was used in the rituals related to a waiting period. The person was to wash the clothes and bathe the body (Leviticus 15:7
Ritual Purity. To be ritually pure means to be free of some flaw or uncleanness which would bar one from contact with holy objects or places, especially from contact with the holy presence of God in worship. God is the ideal of purity, and those who are to come in contact with God's presence are also to be pure. Habakkuk 1:13 indicates that God's eyes are too pure to look upon evil.
Jesus Christ came to transform us into "His," image....to make us true sons and daughters out of us.......Jesus Christ gave "Himself," for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to PURIFY for Himself a people that are His very own........
We are to "PURIFY, ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." (2 Cor 7:1)
God sent Jesus to do the final purification for us......So how do we now purify ourselves? The bible tells us; (1 Pet 1:22), "by obeying the truth," by preparing our minds for action, and not conforming to this world and this world's belief system....and by(not allowing our flesh victory).
The removal of SHAME, CONDEMNATION, SELF-CONTEMPT and SELF-LOATHING, brought about by Christ taking those things on Himself is what PURIFIES us and enables us to walk in holiness, "eager to do what is good". (Titus 2:14)
No longer do we need a purity bath to be in God's presence. The veil was torn from top to bottom.....So why is it that I am in this race we call "life" blinded by pure pride????? God continues to work with me in my messy life not giving up on me when I continue to impose what I believe to be a higher standard for myself than even what God has provided? Who do I think I am? Satan is making a fool of me,,,, How about you? Are you wallowing in self-pity, casting yourself as a tragic victim? God is showing me that I am not allowing myself to FALL........It is a flat out refusal to allow myself to FALL or COMMIT myself in love with Jesus Christ.........Why is that? Do I love sin more than I love Jesus? Is my refusal to allow myself to FALL because their is doubt that their is unconditional Grace? I stated in an earlier post how I had cried more in the last few weeks than ever before.. I know now that I was basically throwing temper tantrums! I was too scared to be angry at God so I always chose people that are close to me...the ones who I love the most......
God is the perfect love for us to enter into. Satan is playing with our minds.....if he knows he can't get us to not believe that God is real, he will lead us into a deception and help us find salvation in a pseudo-faith where there is no commitment, one that is birthed through the mind rather than the HEART....
Don't let anything keep you from God.....not your past, present or future.....Don't compromise God's promise for us to be made HOLY......
Don't let Satan fool you....Be holy in all you do...just as He who called you is Holy......
Take the time.....get in His presence........fall in love with Him...He will PURIFY the one who hungers and thirsts for His righteousness......
