Cleaning the Temple

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘Am I fully prepared to allow God to grip me by His power and do a work in me that is truly worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me— sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me. But He has to get me into the state of mind and spirit where I will allow Him to sanctify me completely, whatever the cost’ CHAMBERS

 

(Thessalonians 5:23-24) “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

 

Are you willing to let God work in you … to cast out those things in the temple that defile it?  (1 Corinthians 6:19) “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;”

Have you ever thought about your body in those terms? You must have a clean heart.  What things are in your life that are of the flesh, but that you cling to .. you even cherish and protect against anyone who might suggest they must go.  Do you remember in the Old Testament when it referred to the Asher Poles.

 

1 King 20:22-24 “Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than those who were before them had done. They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. here were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.”

 

“Asherah poles were wood poles (sometimes carved, sometimes not) or trees planted by the “high places” where pagan worshipers sacrificed, although the specific purpose of the poles is not clear.”

 

We allow the things that are detestable to God to remain .. and we even embrace them making excuses about why they are acceptable.  Maybe it is time that we chop some wood.  What do you think?

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)