--- title: "Letting God Clean the Inside First | The Tree Church" url: https://thetree.church/blog/2025/11/26/letting-god-clean-the-inside-first description: "Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  Reading: Matthew 23:25–28; Psalm 51:1–12 Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be atten..." lang: en --- 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130✦ Main Service: Sunday 9 & 11am✦ Movement Youth Sunday 5:30pm✦ Lancaster & Logan, Ohio✦ 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130✦ Main Service: Sunday 9 & 11am✦ Movement Youth Sunday 5:30pm✦ Lancaster & Logan, Ohio✦ Blog (https://thetree.church/blog) Take 20: https://thetree.church/blog/category/take-20 # Letting God Clean the Inside First November 26th, 2025 by Tree Church Everyday Image: Letting God Clean the Inside First (https://base44.app/api/apps/6ac2bb755fa612c2228960ca/files/mp/public/6ac2bb755fa612c2228960ca/bc52e6f5d_18228690_1024x1024_2500.jpg) Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time. Reading: **Matthew 23:25–28; Psalm 51:1–12** Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read. After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life. ** Jesus exposed the danger of polishing the outside while neglecting the heart. God desires integrity—a life where the inside and outside match. David models the posture of a repentant heart: honest, humble, and hungry for renewal. Transformation doesn’t start with behavior modification but with surrender. God cleans from the inside out, restoring joy and renewing the spirit.** Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer… 1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you). 2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: **“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Shine Your light into hidden places and transform me from the inside out.”** 3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today. **Take Action:** 1. Confess one hidden struggle to God—name it specifically. 2. Choose one spiritual practice (worship, Scripture, accountability) to help nurture inner integrity. Posted in Take 20 (https://thetree.church/blog/category/take-20)Following Jesus (https://thetree.church/blog/tag/following-jesus)Integrity (https://thetree.church/blog/tag/integrity)Renewal (https://thetree.church/blog/tag/renewal)