From the inside out

“From the Inside Out”

2 Chronicles 29:3-16 (MSG) In the first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah, having first repaired the doors of The Temple of God, threw them open to the public.  He assembled the priests and Levites…and said, “Levites, listen!  Consecrate yourselves and consecrate The Temple of God — give this much-defiled place a good housecleaning.  Our ancestors went wrong and lived badly before God, and walked off.  They boarded up the doors, turned out the lights, and canceled all the acts of worship of the God of Israel in the holy Temple.  And because of that, God’s anger flared up and he turned those people into a public exhibit of disaster, a moral history lesson — look and read!  This is why our ancestors were killed, and this is why our wives and sons and daughters were taken prisoner and made slaves.  I have decided to make a covenant with the God of Israel and turn history around… Children, don’t drag your feet in this!  God has chosen you to take your place before him to serve in conducting and leading worship — this is your life work; make sure you do it and do it well!  The Levites stood at attention:  They presented…and consecrated themselves, and set to work cleaning up The Temple of God as the king had directed — as God directed!  The priests started from the inside and worked out; they emptied the place of the accumulation of defiling junk — pagan rubbish that had no business in the holy place…

Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV) Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  

1 John 5:7 (NKJV) For there are three that bear witness in heaven:  The Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

Genesis 1:1-3 (NLT) In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 

Acts 10:38 (NKJV) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Matthew 28:19 (NASB) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (TEV) May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your WHOLE BEING—spirit, soul, and body—free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a physical body.” 

Body — our earthly vessel

Soul — our mind, will, and emotions

Spirit — our connection to God

1 Corinthians 6:17 (AMP) But the one who is united and joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 

Genesis 2:7 (AMP) Then the Lord God formed [that is, created the body of] man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being [an individual complete in body and spirit]. 

Job 33:4 (NIV) The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (NIV) As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. 

Galatians 5:22-25 (ESV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 23 And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NLT) But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead.  (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 

John 20:19-22 (NLT) That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.  Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them!  “Peace be with you,” He said. 20 As He spoke, He showed them the wounds in His hands and His side.  They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again He said, “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.