Have You Washed Your Hands?
I wonder how many extra times you have washed your hands over these past weeks. People, words and pictures have warned us of the essentialness to wash our hands thoroughly and often.
My parents words have rung in my ears from the past “Have you washed your hands ready for dinner?”
Off course the answer was always “Yes” whether true at the time or not, but this phrase from the Bible in Psalm 24 verse 4; “The one who has clean hands and a pure heart” has continually been on my mind through these weeks and has a significant spiritual meaning to it. It relates to the desire that God has for each one of us and is followed by two questions to us all.
“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?”
“Who may stand in his holy place?”
The answer comes back; “The one who has clean hands and a pure heart”, which leads us to ask the question; “Whom or what determines the acceptable person?”
The verse continues giving the ‘how’ we can become acceptable; “Those who do not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.”
This phrase is not restricted only to idols of gold, silver, stone or buildings, but to anything or anyone who comes before our relationship with God and having Him first in our lives. It could be work, family, friends, money, drink, gambling, drugs, possessions or any attitude such as arrogance, pride, ambition or jealousy.
Such things and attitudes prevent us from entering into and “Receiving the blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Saviour” Psalm 24 verse 5.
The blessing and vindication comes to us only through God’s love which He so profoundly revealed to us through the giving of His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross bearing the punishment for our sin. We can never ever enter God’s presence, His holy place heaven, unless we have been accepted by Him. This is done only through answering His call to repent and receive cleansing of our hands and hearts from sin which is by faith and trust in His Son Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.
True repentance and change in our attitude towards God allows us then to ascend to ‘His Holy Place’.
God honours your answer to his call, whatever that may be, never be in any doubt about that. Your answer will signify whether you yourself want to ‘ascend the mountain of the Lord and stand in His, God’s holy place’, heaven or not.
Do you want your hands to be washed??
Apocolypse – Now??
Most have heard of or seen the ‘Apocolypse’ films, but I wonder how many know the real significance.
The Book of Revelation chapter 6 speaks of seven seals being opened by Jesus. The first four seals relate to coloured horses and riders; White signifies clean, pure, just and approvable and life through the gospel; Red signifies war; Black famine and Grey death. Each has influence on the other.
The red horse goes out declaring war and bloodshed amongst nations and within nations through internal revolutions and governmental power struggles.
The black horse follows, bringing the results of war, famine, hunger, destitution, sickness and decease.
The grey horse follows the colour as life drains from us, bringing heartache, pain, distress and death.
These three horses work together simultaneously, destructively unto death and are the enemies of the white horse and rider.
The white horse symbolizes the preaching of the Gospel; the good news message which is clean, pure, just and approvable in the eyes of both man and God, bringing hope, life and peace.
God’s character, desire and will for man are expressed through the giving of his Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sin; John chapter 3 verse 16 “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”.
Easter has passed us by this year due to the virus, but this verse is for any who will heed its message and put their faith and trust in Jesus.
50 days after Easter comes Pentecost when the disciple Peter preached to the people about Jesus whom they had crucified and who had died for their sins and ours.
The people cried out “What must we do to be saved”.
Peter’s reply, “Repent each one of you and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit.”
Accepting these truths brings eternal life with Jesus Christ and peace into our lives. Whatever we face in this world; expectedly or the recent very unexpected, proves life is not in our hands. Jesus is the conqueror, the white horse rider who has the victory over these three enemies. Accepting His offer of salvation brings assurance that our lives are safe forever when given into his loving care.
Life is a continuous four-horse race of War, Famine, Death; without God or Life with God through Jesus Christ. Those who willingly and truly call upon Jesus for salvation will be heard and saved.
God bless all who read and accept this message.
Sandra Carpenter
Tel 619 453 283
On behalf of Puerto Lumbreras Christian Fellowship