Filth

Filth in the dictionary is simply defined as "disgusting dirt."

Colossians 3:5-10 says, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."

I worked on a farm in Middleville throughout high school and one of the jobs I was assigned to do was haul manure...filth. We got rid of the old bedding for the cows that was full of waste and urine. We then replaced it with new straw that the cows could bed in.
Had we not removed that stuff, not only would the cows be uncomfortable but the filth would continue to build up.

In our spiritual lives we have filth as well (as the above verse indicates). Everyone of us has some kind of filth in our lives. Whether that's of the sexual nature, the jealous nature, maybe your angry or like to swear, whatever it is, Paul says, put it off. Get rid of it.
Matthew 6:24 says, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

Jesus speaks of money here, but it can be applied to any of the above that Paul is talking about as well. The Israelites in the Old Testament were told over and over again, get rid of your idols, tear down your Asherah poles. This seems to be something that has been a problem since the fall.

So what is your filth? What are the things that you put in place of God?
God wants our full attention our entire hearts and until we are willing to give it all to him, we will continue to be a manure spreader of filth.

As we approach this weekend and focus on Jesus' death and resurrection, may we remember that Jesus didn't die on that cross for nothing. God sent Him to die for our filth because He loves us! (Look at 1 John 3) Jesus living without filth was the substitution to take care of our filth.
Praise God We Serve A Risen Savior!