I greet you, my dear readers, on this wonderful day! God creates every day anew, and His mercies are renewed for us every morning! We are still discussing the importance of God’s Word in the life on every believer. As we already saw, if we want God to direct our lives, if we want to see the working of the Holy Spirit and receive revelations from Him, we must daily feed on God’s Word. Also we saw that the person who daily fills his heart with God’s Word has several advantages:
- God makes his feet strong as the feet of deer.
Besides:
- God’s Word is the best ‘cleansing agent’ for a human heart.
That is sufficient reason why we need to read God’s Word. The Word cleanses me. Jesus already cleansed me by His Blood when I got saved. I am clean and have access to God without any condemnation. Yet, I still need to experience daily cleansing. For example, I bought some new clothes. After some time of wearing they get dirty. Dirty clothes are not pleasant. If I don’t clean and wash my clothes, they will start to stink. I must take some detergent and wash them with it, and iron them after they get dry. Only after that I would be able to wear t hem again; washing renews the clothes. The same thing happens to us: we get dirty by operating in this world, so we need regular cleansing. We are not the only ones who like clean clothes; God also likes clean vessels. God communicates with us through the spirit, and He wants our spirits to be clean. We use water, soap, shampoo etc. to wash ourselves, but that is not how we cleanse the spirit. It is the Word of God that cleanses our spirits. When we interact with people that have not had a bath for some time, we can feel the unpleasant odour. The same is true in the spiritual sense. God’s Word cleanses us, even though we are not aware of the process. If we do not get our daily cleansing, unpleasant spiritual ‘odour’ starts spreading around us: it might be pride, unforgiveness, bitterness, envy etc. Pride is a sin and every sin has its odour. God’s Word changes the person who daily reads the Word and feeds on it. The fact that I took a bath yesterday does not mean I don’t have to do the same today. I want to be clean every day, so I take a wash every day. God cleanses me through His Word, so I need to abide in it daily. It says in the Bible that the Word is spiritual water:
«…that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish» (Ephesians, 5:26-27).
The Bible says that God wants to cleanse His Church by the Word. The Word that Jesus speaks is the truth. Jesus prayed:
«Father! Sanctify them by Your truth!» Many Bible verses confirm this thought. For example, when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet it was the demonstration of this truth. Jesus was washing their feet and then it was Peter’s turn. Peter asked Jesus not to do it; he said he rather washed Jesus’ feet. Jesus answered that if He did not wash Peter’s feet Peter would have any part in Him. Then Peter asked Jesus to wash all of him. Jesus said that only feet should be washed because the believers were already cleansed. If you go out after bathing and walk on a dusty road, your feet will get dusty and they would need washing. It has spiritual connotation. The Blood of Jesus has washed me and that is why I am a saint. It says in the Bible that God has called us saints. But when I walk in this world, many things get on my feet and make them dirty. When I receive God’s Word, it cleanses me and helps me live a clean life.
«Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you”» (John, 13:8-10).
«You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you » (John, 15:3).
Who of you wants to be spiritually clean? We attain this condition by reading the Word and abiding in it daily. We will continue tomorrow! May God abundantly bless you and your loved ones! Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
