DCLM Sincere Milk 10 February 2022 — Cleanse your heart

TOPIC: CLEANSE YOUR HEART

BIBLE TEXT: LEVETICUS 14:1-8

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:

3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;

4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:

6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.

KEY VERSE: “And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days” (Leveticus 14:8).

MESSAGE:

Hyssop is a plant said to have cleansing properties. Hyssop’s twig were used for sprinkling in ancient Jewish rites of purification. It was particularly used by the Israelites to cleanse and purify their homes from leprosy. In the Old Testament law, anyone who had leprosy would be banished from the land till he or she recovered, afterwards his or her house would be closed down for seven days and cleansed from the leprosy in order not to infect others. Just as leprosy starts from the house and spreads around, so also sin starts from the heart and spreads to every part of the body if not repented of. We should also understand that sin separates one from God.

Cleansing has to begin from the heart. Just as the Israelites used hyssop to cleanse the house from leprosy, this time the precious blood of Jesus has been provided for our cleansing. The blood of animals as in the Old Testament can no more make atonement for sin. God sent His only begotten Son to die for the remission of our sins. All we need is to go to God in prayers, confessing our sins to Him and ask for pardon and cleansing through the blood of Jesus. Nothing cleanses our hearts like the blood of Jesus. Come to Jesus for your heart cleansing today!

PRAYER: Lord, come and dwell in me and cleanse my heart from sin.

FURTHER READING: Hebrews 10:18-22

GOSPEL REALM: STEPS TO SALVATION
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)