INTRODUCTION

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, many things change; however, some themes remain constant. One such theme involves the Lord's desire to use pure things and pure people. God commanded His people in the Old Testament to make sure the things used in the tabernacle were purified (Leviticus 8:15And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.
See All...). He also commanded that His servants be purified (Ezra 6:20For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
See All...). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul confirmed the continuation of this theme by saying that “pureness” approved him as a minister of God (2 Corinthians 6:4-6 [4] But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, [5] In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; [6] By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
See All...). God still requires those who serve to strive to live pure and holy lives. Impurities hinder the Lord’s effectiveness in our lives though we may not be aware of the hindrance.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): You would not want to eat from a bowl with dirt in it. You would wash the bowl first. The Bible compares our hearts to vessels and containers. Our hearts need to be clean so God will want to use us to help others (2 Timothy 2:20-21 [20] But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. [21] If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
  See All...).
• (For everyone): Do you desire to serve the Lord? Do you want to please Him? Do you strive to live a life that is free from the corruptions of this world so that you might better serve Him?
• How should we, as servants of the Lord, strive for purity in our daily walk with the Lord? How can this increase the Lord’s effectiveness in our lives?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to give you a desire to serve Him in purity.
• Ask God to show you the things that displease Him.

HYMN

I Bring My Sins To Thee

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