I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Exodus 39-40.

    Once all of the work on the Tabernacle, its furnishings, and the priestly outfits had been completed, Moses inspected them to see that they complied with the instructions he had received from God. Then Moses received specific instructions about the order for setting up and consecrating the Tabernacle and the priests (Aaron and hi sons). There is a distinct logic here. God instructs Moses to begin from the inside and work his way out. In the same way, as we strive to bring our lives in line with God’s will for us, we should start from the inside and work our way out.

    We need to allow the Holy Spirit to make changes to our heart (to our thoughts and attitudes), then allow those changes to be made manifest in our outward appearance and behavior. This is the opposite of what we too often encourage new believers to do. We ask them to change their outward appearance and behavior in the hope that it will make changes to their inward thoughts and attitudes. Change which reflects changes which God has made to our hearts, to our attitudes and beliefs, will show those around us God’s love in a way that a superficial change can never accomplish. It is too easy to change our outward behavior in a way that mimics godly behavior without actually changing our beliefs and attitudes. Unbelievers will quickly see through such a change and recognize us for the hypocrites we are.