Ephesians 5:26, “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the word.”

The seventh gate is…

THE WATER GATE (Nehemiah 3:26)

The water gate speaks to us of Jesus Christ who is the Word and also the precious Word of God that has been written for us. Water washes us and makes us clean. This is how Christ cleanses us, by washing us with the water of His word that He speaks to us. Jesus said, “Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3)

Working in the home and in the yard we get dirty each day, and of course we have to clean ourselves up. But we also get dirty in our spiritual lives. Maybe we get soiled with a bad temper. Or perhaps we gather bad attitudes of grumpiness, complaining and negativity. We get contaminated by the deceptions around us in society. Now we are dirty? We need a clean up. What do we do? We need the Word of God to wash us.  If we go for long periods of time without filling our minds with the Word of God the grime piles up. We become very messy and dirty on the inside. We need daily cleansings of the Word.

After the blood was shed at the brazen altar, the next piece of furniture in the tabernacle was the brazen laver where they washed. Everything in the tabernacle was a type for our Christian walk today. This tells us that after we have been born again and washed by the blood of Jesus, we must daily wash at the laver of the Word of God to keep clean. (Exodus 30:17-21; Psalm 119:9 and John 17:17)

I am reminded of the night Jesus spent with his disciples before his death. After supper He took off his robe and began to wash his disciples’ feet. But Peter protested, “You shall never wash my feet!”

Jesus answered, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.”

Peter replied extravagantly, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

Then Jesus explained to him, “He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over.” (John 13:1-17)

In other words, you don’t have to be regenerated all over again. All you have to do is let the Word of God wash you. Read a little of the Word before you start the day. Place Bibles in strategic places in your home – on your table, where you sit to nurse your baby, in the bathroom. Grab a little Word here and there throughout the day.

The evening meal is an important time of washing for the whole family. Everyone washes their hands before coming to the meal table. We also need to wash our spirits from all the contamination of the day. Do not leave the family meal table until you have Family Devotions together. Hopefully, your husband will read the Word of God to you all. If he is not home, you can read it to your family. Then pray together.

Plan your day well so that you can have the evening meal ready when your husband walks in the door. If you don’t, he will gravitate to the TV and he’ll be stuck! Plus, he’ll add more contamination to his mind and heart to what he has already received out in the world during the day. But if you have an enticing meal ready, sit down together to eat, fellowship together, and then read the Word of God together at the end of the meal, the grime of the day will wash off through the cleansing of the Word. You will be amazed at the difference in the atmosphere of your home for the rest of the evening. Make it a habit in your home. Make this a strong gate in your home.

Proclaim the Word of God in your gates. Hold up the banner of truth in your gates. Make the Word of God the precedent for everything you do. Ezra read the Word of God to all the people, including the children, at the Water Gate. (Nehemiah 8:1-3). You can also write the Word of God in strategic places in your home. Write in bold colorful letters Scriptures that are appropriate for your children. Change them once they have memorized them. Deuteronomy 6:9 tells us to “Write them on the door-posts of your house and on your gates.”

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Lord, I thank you that your word has been purified seven times. It is so pure that it has the power to wash me and keep me clean. Please help me to fill my mind, my heart and my home with your precious cleansing Word. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION: