Smile it is Friday!

As we start the year some of us are trying to establish "Date Night" . This little clip from Covenant Life Church is a great "how NOT to" guide. I will leave it up to you if you want to show your hubby. By the way this a wonderful Church whose Pastor Joshua Harris has written some of the books that were in our Christmas Gift-Giving list and former Pastor is husband to Carolynn Mahaney our first Book Club study.
Please notice we have started the verse memorization on the left column...and we also have opened up the comment link so you may leave your thoughts. Just click on the "comments" link after the post.
Have a great weekend!

http://www.covlifemedia.org/transfer/Ask%20Fred%20Part1-rough.mov

Holiness part 4

I finish today this brief look at Holiness. I did make it my only new year's resolution because I believe if I pursue holiness then I can achieve many other things. I have learned that Holy really means separated and consecrated...it means God has called me and separated me for Himself. I have been called out of the world and into God's kingdom. I also have discovered what holiness looks like...I must love righteousness and hate evil. I must hate the things that God hates and as I looked at Proverbs 6:16-19 the first thing He hates is a "Haughty look". Of course there are many other things listed in Scripture which God hates:
"Lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans...one who spreads strife" V17-19
God also hates ritualistic empty-hearted worship. Isaiah 1:12-14
God hates the act of divorce. Mal 2:16
As RC Sproul puts it in his book "The Holiness of God"

"True transformations comes by gaining a new understanding of God, man and the world. What we are after ultimately is to be conformed to the image of Christ. We are to be like Jesus, though not in the sense that we can ever gain deity. We are not god-men. But our humanity is to mirror and reflect the perfect humanity of Jesus...to be conformed to Jesus we must first begin to think like Jesus. We need 'the mind of Christ'. We need to value the things He values, despise the things He despises...that cannot happen without the mastery of His Word. "

So there it is...to "be Holy just as I am Holy' means I must know Christ and to know Him is to meditate, memorize and saturate myself in His Word. We are not to be like the rest of the world, content to live with a superficial understanding of God. As we grow in holiness we are to be dissatisfied with spiritual milk and hunger for meat! That is where the growth comes from....I move from basic understanding to deep, God-glorifying truths that EXALT God's character. I heard it once said..."The deeper we go in understanding God's Word the higher He goes!" That is so true. But like most people....digging into God's word takes work and discipline. I often let the pleasures of the world rob the happiness of knowing Christ. If there is anything that the Enemy would love to keep us from is God's Word. Often today little value is placed in knowing God's character and mind. Going to church is good for our kids because it teaches them "morals". But can I tell you good morals won't save any of us! It is like Paul tells us in Philippians

"But whatever was to my profit I know consider this loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ" Phil 3:7-8.

Let's ask these hard questions: How much time of the day do we spend studying God's word? How much of our thoughts during the day settle on Christ and His Word? How often do we pray? What are we reading right now? Where is our Bible? Answering these questions can give us all a good insight.
Then can I ask...Do you want more of Him?
Is that your confession? Is it your desire to now Christ in His fullness? Do you long to grow in holiness?
Would you commit to that? Then let's do it together! Encouraging one another towards that goal pleases God.
To help in that, I will be adding each week a verse to memorise. Look for it on the left hand column. Write it down...memorize. Let me know how it affected your thinking. Let's encourage one another. Let's make 2008 a year to draw closer to Christ, know Him better and grow in godliness.
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The survey continues:
I would like to know what you would like to focus on next. Please let me know the subject you are interested in ...
Parenting:1-Disciple for small children.
2-Discipline for teens
3-Devotions time with kids
4-Teaching and modeling purity to our girls
5-Protecting our boys from worldly lust
Women:
1-Proverbs 31 Woman
2-Godly friendships
3-Home missions
E-mail your pick to girlschat@gmail.com

Holiness part 3

Andrew Murray in his book "Path to Holiness" makes this application: "I have only as much faith as I have of the Spirit. This then, is what I most need to live entirely under the influence of the Spirit"
What is it he needs? He needs more faith. In Scripture we see that a God can add to our faith. Jesus added and completed John the Baptist's faith when he was in jail. Jesus sent "word" back to John to cancel his doubts. (Doubt really is unbelief...unbelief is lack of faith) The apostles asked for their faith to be increased. And each time it was increased, it was by the words of Christ. Christ is the Living Word. (We talked about that last month. You can go back to Archives or Past Posts section to the left column and re-read it if you need refreshment)
To live a "spirit filled life" is to live saturated in the Word. That is where our unbelief becomes belief. That is the case for everyone who desires to live a holy life. But it is not as if God has to keep adding everyday more of His Spirit so we may be Holy.
2 Peter 1:3-4 states
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires"
Did you get that in the first sentence? ALL that we need to live a life that is godly and holy has been given to us in Christ. Our response to this great exchange is to live fully appropriating what has been deposited.
I heard a story not to long ago of a man who died alone in his home. No one knew much about him. He died in the poorest of conditions. His home was in shambles. His clothes appeared to not have been washed or changed in months. When police began to try and find his identity they were astonished. Seems to be this man was the son of one of the wealthiest families in California. As police began to research financial records they found he was worth millions! Yet with all that at his disposal, this man chose live a life of a pauper. That is how most of us live...we live as paupers not utilizing the riches of our adoption into God's family. We live meagerly, from struggle to disappointment as we move through this life. But that is not how it should be...we have a great resource to draw everyday from.

Jesus states in John 17:17 "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth"

2 Thess 2:13 "God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth."

The chief means of our sanctification that God uses is His Word. Not only am I to "believe" but I must humble myself in order to be transformed. If I am to "be holy" I must allow the sanctifying work of God's word to take place. My part is to humble myself, submit and BELIEVE the truth. In God's Word I see the truth about me, about the world systems and ways of thinking. I read about God's holiness, righteousness, wrath, judgement and I can clearly see the course of history unfolding. In His Word Christ is revealed as the Son of God, the Redeemer, the King, the One who will judge and reign. In God's Word there is Truth and it is clear, precise. God does not mince words...He does not say one thing and mean another. He reveals it all and my response needs to be humility and belief. Nothing has such an affinity to holiness as a humble spirit. It goes back to what we said yesterday..."He hates haughtiness" Haughtiness and humility can not occupy the same space at the same time. It is impossible for God to rule when "self" is on the throne. Sin and self-love have abiding influence on me. I can not see me for who I truly am and I cannot see God fro who He truly is. Until I look to the Truth can I depose myself and through the word be humbled. It is just when my consciousness of sin and the discovery of how much "self" there is in me that it brings fear. The fear is that I can never on my own be holy. It is right then when The Holy One gives me himself as I abdicate the throne and rightfully and humbly submit to Him. That is holiness.
That is the life I desire in 2008.

Holiness by faith in Jesus,

not the effort of thine own;

sin's dominion crushed and broken

by the power of grace alone.

God's own holiness within thee

His own beauty on thy brow--

this shall be thy pilgrim brightness

and thy blessed portion now.

Francess Ridley Havergal

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Here is a little survey :
I would like to know what you would like to focus on next. Please let me know the subject you are interested in ...
Parenting:
1-Disciple for small children.
2-Discipline for teens
3-Devotions time with kids
4-Teaching and modeling purity to our girls
5-Protecting our boys from worldly lust
Women:
1-Proverbs 31 Woman
2-Godly friendships
3-Home missions

E-mail your pick to girlschat@gmail.com

Holiness part 2

Looking further at this new year's resolution to "Be holy" I am again humbled at the very thought. I know myself....I know those secret emotions, thoughts and desires. I look at all of that and think "I am so far from holiness" "How could I ever..." That's it! I can't...but listen to this
" The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it" 1 Thess. 5:24.
As I am understanding this, there is a sequence:
1-God is Holy.
2-He calls us to be holy.
3: Christ is our provision for holiness.

When we are saved we are given everything we need to live a life of holiness. It is just a disciplined choice, on an hourly basis, to live in the fullness of Christ. That is what the Bible calls "Being filled with the Spirit" Eph. 5:18.
So how would a life filled with the spirit look like? Here are just but a few of the ways:
1--I must love righteousness and hate wickedness. That means what God hates, I must be on His side. I remove myself from earthly allegiance towards heavenly allegiance. When God says in Proverbs 6:16
"There are 6 things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to Him:
Haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers."
Do you find it strange that on the very top of God's list of the things He hates is "haughty eyes"? Why would it not be murder, or blaspheme or adultery? Why would He call out haughtiness? I believe that this one sin alone, is the birthing ground for all else. Haughty here means arrogance and pride. It is the sin which caused Satan to be cast out of heaven...it is the sin that caused Adam and Eve to fall. Haughtiness sets itself up against God...it says "I am my own God" "I direct my path...I will do as I please" Haughtiness sets itself up against others. "I am right!" "I will not submit!" "I am better at this than you!" And haughtiness sets itself up as ruler and king. Haughtiness chooses its own way over anything.
If I am to live a life that is holy...and reflect Christ in me, then here is where I must begin.
Isaiah 66:2 says "This is the one I esteem:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word."
James 4:10 tells us to "humble ourselves before the Lord"
Matthew 23:12 tells us that "whoever humbles himself will be exalted"

Isn't it just like God to take whatever seems contradictory and make it right in His economy? He calls us to humble ourselves so we may be exalted...in our own way of thinking those two words seem contradictory...but in His mind they are in perfect harmony. That is because as we humble ourselves it is Christ in us who exalts us. It is His character that rises up as our haughtiness is broken. This is the greatest of exchange...the lowly for the highest!

So that is my first step in seeking to love a holy life...humble myself before God. Let Christ be exalted in me.
When I desire to lash back...I will choose gentleness and meekness. When I want it done my way...I will chose God's way... quietness and kindness. And trust God with all the outcome. He is sovereign and "will work ALL things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose" Romans 8:28


Tomorrow part 3.
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The survey continues. Please look at the post from yesterday to make your choice. Then e-mail to girlschat@gmail.com

What is Holiness? Part 1

WELCOME BACK EVERYONE! I don't know about you but there is something refreshing and a bit overwhelming about starting a new year. I love that it is a new beginning. I love that I clean out drawers...make new resolutions and get rid of some old stuff. But, at the same time it gets a bit overwhelming. Are you the same way? Have you already failed at a new year's resolution?
We returned January 3 from a week in Colorado. 10 suitcases had to be packed BUT even worse...10 had to be unpacked! Ski jackets had to be washed, ski pants, thermal underwear...(I have to say those of you who may live in cold climates, I don't know how you do it...I was exhausted just getting dressed!) Anyway...all that is now done...suitcases are back in storage, clothes are all neatly stored or back in drawers and it does feel like a new start.

This year, however, I have decided NOT to have any new year resolutions except one. I believe if I can pursue this one it will change my life. I am going to "pursue" holiness...

1 Peter 1:15-16 says "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

Ephesians 1:4 says "He chose us in Him...to be holy and blameless in His sight"

The Greek word for Holy is HAIGOS it means "set apart, sanctified, consecrated. It has a common root HAG-, with HAGNOS which means chase and pure. Its fundamental idea is separation, consecration, devotion to the service of God, sharing in God's purity and abstaining from earth's defilement." Greek Word Study Bible.

This seems like a daunting task...something I can not attain. And that is true...on my own I CAN NOT...but I am "In Christ" and God would never call us to be holy unless that was already attained through Christ. Did you see that?...it is already fullfiled in Christ. It is not as if I have to work my way towards Holiness...I have the fullness of it in Christ. What I must strive for is appropriating His holiness. Louis Sperry Shafer puts it this way, "It is not a matter of acquiring more of the Spirit, but rather the Spirit of God acquiring more of the individual" I must live and submit ALL of me to the powerful influence of His Spirit...That is how I must live...that is holiness.

So my new year's resolution is to yield more of my thoughts, desires, values, motives, goals, priorities and everything else to His ways, His thoughts, priorities etc.

Can I do this? YES! In Christ all of God's promises are Yes!

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Here is a little survey :

I would like to know what you would like to focus on next. Please let me know the subject you are interested in ...

Parenting:

1-Disciple for small children.

2-Discipline for teens

3-Devotions time with kids

4-Teaching and modeling purity to our girls

5-Protecting our boys from worldly lust

Women:

1-Proverbs 31 Woman

2-Godly friendships

3-Home missions

E-mail your pick to girlschat@gmail.com