DO YOU BELIEVE THAT GODLINESS LEADS TO CLEANLINESS?

SCRIPTURE:
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all 
our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up 
like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.  
(Isaiah 64:6)

MEDITATION:
All of man’s problems can be attributed to one thing – sin.
Sin keeps us from appearing clean and righteous before God.
Sin causes us to be filthy and unclean before Him.

We may think that our acts of righteousness fully cleanse us, but they don't.
Performing righteous acts is a good thing, 
but they cannot cleanse us from our sins.
The scriptures make it abundantly clear that our "best" righteous acts
cannot prevent us from appearing impure before God. 
The Bible teaches that all our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God. 
There is absolutely no possibility that we can manufacture a righteousness, 
holiness, or goodness that will satisfy God. 

Our own lives may seem at times to be morally good and decent; but
in comparison to the holiness and the purity of God, we are defiled and filthy. 
In spite of our sins and moral uncleanness God loves us. 
He decided to provide righteousness for us. 
That is the reason He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross.

When you were young, did your parents ever tell you 
to stay away from another kid because he or she was “no good”?
In the sight of God, we are all “no good”.
But aren’t you glad that He doesn’t avoid us as a result?
Instead, He has a desire to make us good through the blood of His Son.

ACTION:
Are you wrongly focused on 
trying to perform righteous acts in order to gain God’s favor?
If so, it is time to change your focus 
and seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness.

Jesus said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, 
and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

The Psalmist said, “I seek you with all my heart; 
do not let me stray from your commands.” (Psalm 119:10)

Joshua said, “But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law 
that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to 
walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and 
to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Joshua 22:5)

You can see the common thread in all three of these quotes.
When we seek Him first, 
we will perform righteous acts as a by-product of focusing on God.
We will also be filled with the fruit of the Spirit, which is-
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, 
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such 
things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me an opportunity to have 
my sins covered so that I will appear clean before You. Help me to 
be rightly focused on seeking You and Your righteousness, so that 
the fruit of the Spirit in me will be on full display for all to see. Teach 
me the importance of allowing these fruits to flourish in my life as an 
act of righteousness. Thank You, Jesus, for what You did for all of us, 
to provide us with an opportunity to appear clean before our Heavenly 
Father.”