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PURITY IS NECESSARY FOR

TRUE WORSHIP

READ

“8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.9 They came to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel and from all Judah and Benjamin and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem.10 And they gave it to the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord. And the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord gave it for repairing and restoring the house.11 They gave it to the carpenters and the builders to buy quarried stone, and timber for binders and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let go to ruin.12 And the men did the work faithfully. Over them were set Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to have oversight. The Levites, all who were skillful with instruments of music,13 were over the burden-bearers and directed all who did work in every kind of service, and some of the Levites were scribes and officials and gatekeepers.”

-2 Chronicles 34:8-13

THINK

Matthew Henry points out that “Orders are given by the king for the repair of the temple, v. 8. When he had purged the house of the corruptions of it he began to fit it up for the services that were to be performed in it. Thus we must do by the spiritual temple of the heart, get it cleansed from the pollutions of sin, and then renewed, so as to be transformed into the image of God.” How will having a pure heart affect your worship?

Seeking God throughout the week will have a definite impact on your worship on Sundays/Wednesdays. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

God moves in the churches/lives that are marked by repentance and holiness. This is because holiness matters to God. Knowing this truth, how should we seek to see God move in our life/church?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

These people were avid worshippers; they had just missed the point and began to worship other gods. Revival happens when the people inside the church get serious about their own purity

Pray that we will be more concerned about worshipping God with our lives all the time rather than just on Sundays.

Pray that we will be more concerned with worshipping God with our lives than the kind of music

DO

Taking the truth of revival starting in our churches rather than with people outside the world, take a look at how you worship in the church setting. What needs to change/stay the same?

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FLEE SIN, CLING TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

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“1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.

6 So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.
Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge.9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,12 she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house,14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house."16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,17 and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me.18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house."

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me," his anger was kindled.20 And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.”

- Genesis 38:1-23

THINK

How much easier do you think it would have been for Joseph to just have slept with Potiphar’s wife? Couldn’t we make a case that it’s better to just do that which keeps you out of the most danger? Why instead do you think that Joseph fled the temptations?

2 Timothy 2:22 tells us to “flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” He is telling us here that it’s better to run than to try and stand strong in the face of temptation. When righteousness is your priority do you think it’s easier to humble yourself and run? Why or why not?

Look at the first six words of verse 21. In the midst of being punished for pursuing righteousness God was with Joseph. Does that comfort you? Encourage?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

The hard part of fleeing temptation is that we are drawn to the lure of sin. The answer to that is to be constantly focused on God and seeking His holiness.

Pray that God will keep you from sacrificing long term righteousness for immediate, short term, pleasure.

Ask God to transform you into picture of righteousness, one that reflects Christ and refuses to be sucked into sin.

DO

Take a look at your relationships (Friends, family, boyfriend/girlfriend), is there a difficulty standing up under temptation? Are they leading you towards holiness or keeping you from it? If they aren’t how can you flee that temptation? 

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GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR REPUTATION

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“1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss.3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.4 Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.5 Then these men said, "We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God."

6 Then these presidents and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, "O King Darius, live forever!7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked."9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, "O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?" The king answered and said, "The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked."13 Then they answered and said before the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed."

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!"17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"21 Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever!22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm."23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: "Peace be multiplied to you.

26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for he is the living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be to the end.
27  He delivers and rescues;
he works signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions."

28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”

-Daniel 6:1-28

THINK

Today’s passage is yet another “Sunday School” story that you probably learned when you were little, but don’t let that cause you to miss out on what God wants us to see in the this text. Take a look at what got Daniel convicted by the king. Not so much the actual act but the fact that they could count on him doing what (verse 10,11)? What does that model for us today?

They knew that Daniel was going to seek God at this particular place and time each day. In fact it’s his integrity that gets him thrown to the lions. Now keeping in mind that the king does not worship the Lord look at his response to the punishment Daniel is to receive. What is it? Do you see how Daniel’s following of God’s righteousness impacted the life of the pagan king? What hope should this give us for the role that righteousness should play in our lives?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

Look at verse 16, and then at 26-27 see how Daniel’s righteous living transformed the king. The Righteousness of God is more important than our reputation. In fact the righteousness of God will form for us a new reputation.

Pray that the righteousness of God will be more important to us than our reputation among our friends, families, and coworkers.

Pray that our consistent seeking of God will establish a new reputation of integrity and holiness

DO

Stop for a minute and genuinely think about whose opinion matters the most to you. Take a moment and ask the Lord to bring you to repentance for not being most concerned about God’s opinion, and then ask Him to help shape you into someone of righteousness.

Download the guide here