First Things First

 Scripture:

“The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭12‬:‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

When Nehemiah was ready for the dedication of the city or Jerusalem and the wall they had built, the priests came to restore worship and order to the city. The priests and the Levites first purified themselves, then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. There is an order when we serve God. Self must be purified before we can help others.

Application:

In the back of my mind I can hear joy mother telling me “You can’t clean dishes with a dirty dish rag,” The item doing the cleaning must be clean or it can’t be effective in cleaning other things. Sometimes when I clean my motorcycle, I pick up a rag that has been used before and it smears instead of cleans. As a minister, my life has to be clean before I can help clean others. God works through pure vessels. I must keep my walk with God fresh and my heart pure so that He can flow through me untainted by other things.

Prayer:

Father, cleanse me and purify my heart. Let my hands be clean from any wrongdoing and let my heart be pure. Let Your river of life flow through me unhindered by the pollution of this world. Cleanse my mind, my heart, and my life from anything that would stop up the river of Your Spirit. Let me be clean and then pour Your Spirit through me.

Yours Forever,

Jeff