A friend asked me today if I thought there was a lack of personal holiness. My answer was yes. After we ended our conversation I asked myself the question why? I think it's because much of the church no longer has a high view of Scripture. God's Word is the means by which God does His work. By it people are saved, sanctified, equipped, trained, motivated, and given hope. When God's people do not spend time in God's Word, motivation for personal holiness will begin to wane. God does His work of making people more like Christ when His people are in His Word. The Spirit uses the Word, and when rightly understood and applied, we become more and more like Christ.
Make it your priority to get back into the Word if this spiritual discipline has been neglected. It is the only source of truth that convicts of sin, warns of judgment, matures the believer, and purifies and cleanses. And once it becomes a habit again, what may seem at first like a duty will be transformed into great, great joy!
Lamentations 3:22-25- "The LORD's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease. For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion says my soul, therefore I have hope in Him. The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him."
Giving to the Poor
2 months ago
10 comments:
Thanks, Kathy. Great post. // How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. // Ps119
That we would always pursue Him with our whole hearts, right Paul?
(Isn't Paul sweet? Beth is one lucky woman...)
I was reading today in I John 3 this morning, and it was talking about the one who practices righteousness is righteous but the one who practices sin is of the devil. In verse 10 it says, "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother." So often I find myself wondering about the believer I know who is involved in habitual sin...I think it really is much more black and white than that...
It's too easy to excuse sin and say God is forgiving...He does expect us to be practicing righteousness! And when we don't, willfully don't, our actions show were our hearts are...
By the way (off topic), I John 2:28 says "Now abide in Him, little children, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." His coming is not a surprise, but something we are to long for and look for. It's not a surprise and if it were, why would we shrink away...?
Rant for the day...
Kristen
Good rant...I like this..."He does expect us to be practicing righteousness."
Okay Kristen, I do this with everyone, every believer that is, who uses the word "luck" or "lucky". There is no such thing as "luck" for the believer!
And that's my rant for the day...
(...I wonder if blogger will ever come up with smiley face icons...???)
It's an idiom, dear...do you really think I believe in luck?
no...
I suppose you made the face in your profile picture when you read my comment?
(Insert smiley face here...)
I found this definition of an idiom: "a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language"...
It is unnatural for me to say "luck", therefore, Beth, I will say that you are probably one blessed woman...am I right?
(Insert winking, smiley face icon here...)
I am indeed blessed to have my dear Paul...most days anyway (insert winking smiley face here)
Funny thing...I was reading through the comments and when I got to Kristen's saying "It's an idiom dear..." I thought Oh, I've got to post and tell Kathy to read that comment while looking at Kristen's profile pic for the full effect...but you were thinking the same thing! Is that not the most perfect profile pic for her??
Great post by the way. It convicted me. I suppose it goes hand in hand with what Kristen is wanting to focus on this year in Bible study-- making God bigger through our study of the word. The more we know of Him, the more we understand His holiness, His character..the more accurately we are able see ourselves.
When I typed that initially, I was defining "accurately" as being able to see our own sinful patterns and ways, as well as our lowly sinful position and need for a savior...it's when I'm not in the Word that I start to think more highly of myself than I ought, or quite honestly get so busy or dull headed that I don't think much about my sin at all. But as I sat here and read my post again, I was reminded that seeing myself accurately also means seeing just how precious I am to Him and how much He loves me. Both forms of accurate evaluation or view of myself should motivate me to practice righteousness. Right view of Him = Right view of myself = holy living. Right? (insert tired smiley face here...I'm off to bed!)
...Is that not the most perfect profile pic for her??...
Yes!
It's actually one of my favorite pictures of her...
My brother-in-law said some very poignant words one time..."Show me God and I know I am a sinner." If you think about that phrase long enough, it sure makes sense, doesn't it?
Hope you met your organization goal today Beth!
Oh and Beth...I love this verse...Psalm 139:17- "How precious also are Thy thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!"
What privilege we have to be His chosen ones!
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