CLEANSING BLOODSpeaker: Sis. Evangeline Paul Dhinakaran Gist: The blood of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit alone can help us to overcome these obstacles. The necessity for being cleansed is explained in 2 Timothy 2:21. However, one cannot purge oneself of their sins. Therefore, the bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:4 that each one should control his or her own body in order to be holy and thereby become a vessel of honor. The Bible says in Matthew: 26:41, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Normally, the spirit desires to do good but the weakness of the flesh prevents the good from being done. That is why the Bible says the spirit is willing to be at peace but the body is weak and does not cooperate. It is possible to keep oneself holy and pure through the process of being cleansed by the Holy Spirit.
In this world, there are so many problems and temptations as clearly stated in 1 John 2:16. There is lust of flesh, lust of eyes and the pride of life. The blood of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit alone can help us to overcome these obstacles.
Once a preacher and his assistant travelled by train to reach a certain place where they had to minister God's word. Both of them were seated adjacently in the train. Suddenly a drunkard, came and forcefully pushed himself betwixt both of them and settled down. The preacher was pushed to the right and his assistant to the left with the drunkard in between them.
A foul smell emanated from the drunkard even as he opened his mouth. The preacher and his assistant patiently sat there putting up with the odd behaviour of that drunkard. The clock ticked off even as the train kept moving and the drunkard began to fall asleep. As the train whizzed on, the drunkard kept swaying to the left and the right shoulder of the preacher and his assistant alternatively. With the passage of time, their patience reached a saturation point and when they could bear no longer, words came out from both of them as poisoned arrows. The preacher sputtered, "Oh, this filthy donkey!" The assistant preacher remarked, "Oh, he is a stinking stray dog!" Much to their amazement, the drunkard in between both of them suddenly got up and stated, "Oh how true it is! I am indeed sitting between a filthy donkey and a stinking stray dog." The preacher and his assistant were shocked at those words. Then they realized that being ministers of God's word they should not have addressed a man like that. The same words they used to describe another fellow passenger came back to them. They felt bad for their folly and continued their travel.
In the same way, dearly beloved, we also some times let our temper go out of control and the temptations try to gain control of us while we live in this world. But remember that the Lord wants to make us a vessel of honor.
That is why the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:28, "and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are."
Normally our clothes are washed with water and soap. Then it is starched. Today God also wants to cleanse us with His precious blood that was shed for you and me on the Cross of Calvary. The Bible says, "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7. Today shall we humbly ask the Lord Jesus Christ to purge us from our sins so that we may become holy and pure and thereby be declared as vessels of honour.
Prayer
Loving Lord Jesus Christ,
I thank You for the sin cleaning blood which was shed on the Cross of Calvary. Unworthy as I am I come to the Throne of Grace seeking Your mercy to purge me of my sins so that I may be made holy and pure and be declared as a vessel of honour. Protect me as the apple of Your eye and let Your divine peace surround me always.
Amen |