Because He is Holy and He is the LORD.

The Lord also said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”

Leviticus 19:1-2 NLT

I think I mentioned we're reading the Bible in chronological order this year. It's been very eye-opening, but also a little stressful. I'm glad that we only have a few days left in the book of Leviticus... However, God being Who He is, He has placed the perfect amount of encouragement in the midst of laying down the law (for which I am extremely grateful). The other part of that is we must come with our hearts and minds open and focused to receive His Word or we might not see the nuggets.

When I was younger, our Promise for Today used to strike fear into my heart because I didn’t fully understand what holy was, I just knew I wasn’t it. But when I came to realize that it is being set apart for God, consecrating my life – formally declaring that my life is to be lived for God - I could breathe without fear of being forever condemned to hell. And then I was further strengthened when in Chapter 20 the same God who instructs us to set ourselves apart to be holy also declares that He is the Lord who MAKES us holy. What a loving God…

Leviticus 20:7-8 NLT, "So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy."

Back to Ch 19: 9-10

I ADORE the heart of God to always provide for those who lack monetary means. 9 “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. 10 It is the same with your grape crop—do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God."

Teaching us to be givers and to be generous as He is. And ALWAYS reminding us in each regulation that He is the LORD and the inference is that we are to be like Him in all HIS ways.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for Your Word. We pray as the Bible Recap teaches us to pray. Please give us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Let any knowledge we gain help us to love You and others more and let us not be puffed up. Daily as we read Your Word, help us see something new about You that we've never seen before. Correct any lies we may have believed about You and please correct any misunderstandings. Direct our steps, according to Your Word. We want to know You better and love You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder - Holy to the Lord

They made the plate, the sacred emblem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.
Exodus 39:30 NLT

In Exodus, it's all about the exact measurements of the moving tabernacle and the amazingly incredible craftsmanship where "They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of skilled hands." (Exodus 39:3). Strands of actual gold! Think about THAT for a moment - if only from a crafter's point of view!

Anyway, in the 39th chapter, this particular phrase jumped out at me - HOLY TO THE LORD. (It was for the turban that Aaron would wear when serving his priestly duties in the tabernacle.) And immediately, I thought of the verse in 1st Peter, "You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." The preceding verses explain that priests are those who obey God's Word.

So then, we who obey God's Word are royal priests, God's very own possession. As such, we are called to be HOLY TO THE LORD. The question then is two-fold. 1) Are we serving God in this capacity and 2) Are we living our lives as holy to the Lord?

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for calling us to be Your own possession. Make us ever mindful of learning to live holy as You are holy, only by Your mercy and Your grace. We want to live Holy to You, Lord, so that we can show others Your goodness. Help us, O God! In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

There Is a Way Out

So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
1st Peter 1:13-16 NLT

When we start talking about love in Scripture, we are quick to point out there are 3 distinctly different types of love: eros (physical), phileo (or Philo – friend) and agape - the love that is revealed through Jesus Christ. Agape is the love that is there no matter what you do for me (eros) or who you are to me (phileo). It’s what we should aspire to – how we should do it – It is Godly.

However, more often than not, I hear many cite Peter’s response to Christ in John 21:15-17, [Christ asks if Peter loves (agape) Him and Peter replies he does love (phileo) Him] and then they use that as an excuse for their lack of love (agape) one for another. I only mention it because it seems apparent that we, as human beings, are always looking for the reserve, the safety net, the “good enough” clause - in other words - a way out.

“You must be holy because I am holy.” I immediately thought of Peter’s response regarding love, and wondered if holy really meant holy – Godly holy – on His level holy. I don’t like to think that I was looking for a way out; however, looking for a way to lower the bar is still looking for a way out…

Hagios is the Greek word used in our text today. But now you must be hagios in everything you do, just as God who chose you is hagios. For the Scriptures say, “You must be hagios because I am hagios.”  This quality of holy, according to Strong’s, “as attributed to God, is often presented in a way which involves Divine demands upon the conduct of believers.”

Being a saint is not an attainment, it is a condition – a state of being - which God in grace calls us to be. 1st Timothy 1:9 reads, "For God saved us and called us to live a holy (hagios) life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus."  We, as believers, are called to sanctify ourselves – to set ourselves apart – removing OURSELVES from all corruption, forsaking sin, and living a holy manner of life.

I found it interesting and very convicting to learn that the exact same word that we are to be - hagios – is the exact same Greek word used for the Holy One, the Holy Spirit, the Holy place, the Holy of Holies… No distinction, no clauses. No way out, as we know it…

So how do we do it?  WE don’t! We can't, except by the grace of God, 1st Corinthians 10:13 NLT assures us, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."

He WILL show us a way out… His Word, not mine.

Prayer:

Father,
            We want to be holy as You are holy. Help us to realize that the only way out is by following You. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Choosing Holy

But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:10b-14 NLT

I met a friend for supper recently. Great girl - a LOT of fun. A Christian. She is working her way through some tough times, and doing a good job, too. She vented just a little about what she'd LIKE to do in a certain situation (and justifiably so in the flesh) but almost before she finished her own sentence, she half-grinned and said, "I know it's not the Christian thing to do." And as I laughed, she remarked, "But it sure would feel good." 

For the last 60 years, we've grown up in an era of "If it feels good, do it!" And we have heartily embraced it. No boundaries - nothing to fence us in. So much so that if something doesn't feel good, we just don't want to do it. We don't think we have to do it, and generally, there's a good chance that we're not going to do it. 

When my alarm went off this morning, I did not want to get up to go do what I had to do. I did not feel like it. I wanted to stay in bed... but I got up and made myself go take care of business. My flesh had already kicked in with hours I've worked vs. PTO hours, but I also knew I had a full workload waiting for me and...well, you know how it goes, so I disciplined myself to get ready and report for duty. Did I want to? No. I love my job, and the people I work with, but I wanted to crawl back into bed. THAT's what would have felt good... but it would NOT have been the right thing to do.

Every day, we're faced with decisions that have the same kind of outcome - doing what feels good or doing what is right and it all boils down to discipline. Back to the holy thing... we have to work at it. It would be easier on my flesh to do whatever I want to do rather than expend myself for something or someone else, but we're to "work at living a holy life."

We can't lead someone down a path that we've never walked. What good is knowledge or even wisdom if we haven't the discipline to walk it out? Does it feel good? Not always. But there is a Christ part of us on the inside that rejoices in doing something simply because it is right! That's what Jesus did. And we're to be like Him. 

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord... [emphasis mine]

So, even when we don't feel like it. Even when we don't want to...

Prayer:

Father,
           We want to see You, Lord. We want to be with You. We want to do the right thing. Help us to not forget that without You, nothing is good OR right. Give us clean hands and pure hearts, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Psalm 111 The Good Life

Hallelujah!I give thanks to God with everything I’ve got - Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation.

Psalm 111:1 The Message

God’s works are so great, worth a lifetime of study—endless enjoyment! Splendor and beauty mark his craft; His generosity never gives out. His miracles are his memorial - This God of Grace, this God of Love.

He gave food to those who fear him, He remembered to keep his ancient promise. He proved to his people that he could do what he said: Hand them the nations on a platter - a gift!
He manufactures truth and justice; All his products are guaranteed to last - Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof.

All that he makes and does is honest and true: He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his Covenant kept forever. He’s so personal and holy, worthy of our respect. The good life begins in the fear of God - Do that and you’ll know the blessing of God.

His Hallelujah lasts forever! (Psalm 111:2-10 The Message)

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You that everything You make and do is honest and true. Everything You are is more than we can think or imagine and totally pure and holy! We cannot begin to plumb the depths of Your measureless Love and Grace. Keep us ever mindful of it all. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - What Do I Know?

[The Lord speaking] Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?

Isaiah 50:2 NKJV

I thought I had a pretty good grasp of how big God is - you know, the Creator of the Universe, speaking the worlds into existence, the whole nine yards... until I realized that if I really had a grasp on who God is, and what He is, and how He is large and in charge, then I would just say, "Yes, Lord" and be done with it (whatever it may be) on Earth as it is in Heaven. Instant follower. Instant obedience. Instantly compliant. Instant servant's heart...but I don't...and I think I may be safe in saying that I'm not the only one who doesn't. I'm not making excuses for me nor am I casting dispersion on anyone else...this is just a reality check to put ME back in proper perspective.

As I listen once again to the song, "What Do I Know of Holy?" by Addison Road, I am struck by the Truth of the lyrics. And as the words wash over my soul, I humble my heart before the greatness of our God. It is in humility that wisdom comes. Proverbs 11:2 reads, Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. What do I know unless the Lord teaches me?

Prayer:

Father,

          According to Your Word, in Ephesians 3, Now all glory to You, who is able, through Your mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to You in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS-bRarAZ2g

Friends' Favorites - Holey, Wholly, Holy

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. 

Colossians 1:19-23a NLT

Have you ever paused to reflect on holy? On what it is and how it applies to your life? When I think of holy, I think of pure, undefiled, perfect... none of which are naturally included in the list of top ten adjectives I would use to describe me. (I know I can get an 'Amen' on that - I don't even have to ask for one.)

I am so humbled when I stop to think that the God of the Universe sent His perfect and perfectly holy Son to die in my stead, to pay the price for MY sin, so that I could stand - stand, mind you! - in the presence of the Almighty God, holy and blameless, without a single fault. It is almost unbelievable, but for Grace.

When I was thinking about Holy! Holy! Holy! this morning and about how it applied to my life, I thought of it more like Holey! Wholly! Holy! Most of us start our walk of faith holey... Holes in our hearts where hurts blew through. Gaping holes in our love toward each other because of lack of trust. Then we ask Jesus into our hearts and He fills us - makes us whole again. So because of Him our holey can serve Him wholly...and stand holy and blameless before Him. What a mighty God we serve!

Prayer:

Father,
           Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord God Almighty, You are perfect in power, in love and purity. And we humbly bow before You, Lord, to worship and adore You. In Jesus' Name we pray, the One who made it possible. Amen

Perfectly Perfected

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
1st Peter 5:10 NKJV

The New Living Translation reads, In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus...

Jentezen Franklin says in his book Love Like You've Never Been Hurt that "to be kind is to be holy." Not the end-all, be-all of holy, but definitely one attribute of it, and we are called to be holy because God is holy (1st Peter 1:15-17).

It's easy to be kind when all is right in our world - people who love you, your health is good, the bills are paid, there's food enough on the table. For many, if even one of these is removed, kindness may go right out the door. 

John MacArthur writes, 

Christians are to live with the understanding that God’s purposes realized in the future require some pain in the present. While the believer is being personally attacked by the enemy, he is being personally perfected by the Lord, as the next phrase attests: perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle. These 4 words all speak of strength and resoluteness. God is working through the Christian’s struggles to produce strength of character.

What we need to remember is that it's after the suffering that the God of all grace will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us.

Prayer:

Father, 
           Thank You for Your many kindnesses toward us - innumerable, immeasurable, fathomless. We want to be like You. To love as You love. To be holy as You are holy. Give us the grace to endure so that after the suffering, You will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Making It Happen

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
1st Thessalonians 5:23-24 NLT

Have you ever struggled with trying to live a holy life? Sometimes, I feel as though I could be the poster child for Romans 7:18-19, For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

However, our Promise for Today is a great comfort to me because in and of myself, I had no idea how I would ever fulfill 1st Peter 1:16, to Be holy as I am holy. But thank God, we don't have to do anything in and of ourselves (not that we could)! In His great love, God has made provision for everything He requires of us, including holy.

Be encouraged!! God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

Prayer:

Father,
             You are an amazing God! We will shout for joy to You, O LORD. We will worship You with gladness; and come before You with joyful songs. It is You who made us, and we are Yours; we are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. We will enter Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise; we will give thanks to You and praise Your name. For You are good and Your love endures forever; Your faithfulness continues through all generations. Make us holy in every way. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Let's Be Reasonable

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Romans 12:1 NKJV

I had a conversation with a friend who mentioned the struggles he is experiencing with a particular project and how it seemed to be ongoing. He presented it laughingly, but it was obvious he wanted some relief. He said his wife told him God was developing patience in his life like He did with Peter. His response was, "I told her, Peter didn't have to deal with this..."

I quipped, "You're right, he didn't. But he was inverted and crucified, so I guess we could get an upside-down crucifixion arranged for you, if you think that would be easier to deal with." Let's just say I'm not the author of the book, How to Win Friends and Influence People.

According to our Scripture for today, we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice... Wait a minute. Doesn't sacrifice include fire and burning meat? Let's face it. We all like grilling, but not if WE are the sacrifice. When God puts me to the test and I make a comment like my friend made, my sister asks, "Hmmm... do I smell barbecue? Something's burning..." Clearly, SHE is not the author, either, of How to Win Friends and Influence People.

The Bible tells us we are to be holy and acceptable to God. How? How do we do that - holy AND acceptable? Scripture tells us in Romans 14:17-18, ... for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Notice this is not a multiple choice statement. It does not read righteousness OR peace OR joy in the Holy Spirit. It's a package deal. Holy AND acceptable! Righteousness AND peace AND joy in the Holy Spirit! How in the world do we do that?!?

By the mercies of God. Now, THAT's reasonable...

Prayer:

Father,
           By Your mercies, which are new every morning, we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto You, which is our reasonable service. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

* Can You Relate

Quick, God, I need your helping hand! The last decent person just went down, All the friends I depended on gone. Everyone talks in lie language; Lies slide off their oily lips. They doubletalk with forked tongues. Slice their lips off their faces! Pull the braggart tongues from their mouths! I'm tired of hearing, "We can talk anyone into anything! Our lips manage the world." Into the hovels of the poor, Into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks: "I've had enough; I'm on my way to heal the ache in the heart of the wretched."
God's words are pure words, Pure silver words refined seven times in the fires of his word-kiln, Pure on earth as well as in heaven. God, keep us safe from their lies, From the wicked who stalk us with lies, From the wicked who collect honors for their wonderful lies.

Psalm 12 The Message

If I didn't know better, I'd think King David had been listening to talk radio and the politicians of his day. Slice their lips off their faces! Pull the braggart tongues from their mouths! Boy, howdy - I can relate to that feeling! I don't want to offend anyone, but I have to admit, there are many times throughout the Psalms that I can relate to the general theme of "Kill 'em all - let God sort 'em out."

However, just when I've worked myself into a self-righteous lather, in my heart of hearts I hear, "His mercy endures forever" and "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy" and I read how God built the mercy seat for us in the holiest because of His great love for us...

And it's then that I want to relate to David in a whole new Light. I related to him in his sin and flesh nature, but I want to be just like him in his role (as the Lord Himself described) as a man after God's own heart. Can you relate?

Prayer:

Father,

        I pray Your Word in Psalm 5, But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Holy to the Lord +

They made the plate, the sacred emblem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: holy to the Lord.

Exodus 39:30 NLT

I'm in Exodus for the Old Testament portion of my reading today. It's all about the exact measurements of the moving tabernacle and the amazingly incredible craftsmanship where "They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of skilled hands." (Exodus 39:3). Think about THAT for a moment - if only from a crafter's point of view! 

Anyway, in this 39th chapter, this particular phrase jumped out at me - holy to the Lord. (It was for the turban that Aaron would wear when serving his duties as priest in the tabernacle.) And immediately, I thought of the verse found in 1st Peter, You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. The preceding verses explain that these priests are those who obey God's Word. 

So then, we who obey God's Word are royal priests, God's very own possession. As such, we are called to be holy to the Lord. The question then is two-fold. Are we serving God in this capacity and are we living our lives as holy to the Lord?

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for calling us to be Your own possession. Make us ever mindful of learning to live holy as You are holy, only by Your mercy and Your grace. We want to live Holy to You, Lord, so that we can show others Your goodness. Help us, O God! In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

* A Way Out

So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

1^st Peter 1:13-16 NLT

When we start talking about love in Scripture, we are quick to point out there are 3 distinctly different types of love: eros  (physical), phileo (or Philo – friend) and agape - the love that is revealed through Jesus Christ. Agape is the love that is there no matter what you do for me (eros) or who you are to me (phileo). It’s what we should aspire to – how we should do it – It is Godly.

However, more often than not, I hear many cite Peter’s response to Christ in John 21:15-17, [Christ asks if Peter loves (agape) Him and Peter replies he does love (phileo) Him] and then they use it as an excuse for their lack of love (agape) one for another. I only mention that because it seems apparent that we, as human beings, are always looking for the reserve, the safety net, the “good enough” clause - in other words - a way out.

“You must be holy because I am holy.” I immediately thought of Peter’s response regarding love, and wondered if holy really meant holy – Godly holy – on His level holy. I don’t like to think that I was looking for a way out; however, looking for a way to lower the bar is still looking for a way out…

Hagios is the Greek word used in our text today. But now you must be hagios in everything you do, just as God who chose you is hagios. For the Scriptures say, “You must be hagios because I am hagios.”  This quality of holy, according to Strong’s, “as attributed to God, is often presented in a way which involves Divine demands upon the conduct of believers.”

Being a saint is not an attainment, it is a condition – a state of being  - which God in grace calls us to be. 1st Timothy 1:9 reads, For God saved us and called us to live a holy (hagios) life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.  We, as believers, are called to sanctify ourselves – to set ourselves apart – removing OURSELVES from all corruption, forsaking sin, and living a holy manner of life.

I found it interesting and very convicting to learn that the exact same word that we are to be - hagios – is the exact same Greek word used for the Holy One, the Holy Spirit, the Holy place, the Holy of Holies… No distinction, no clauses. No way out, as we know it… 

So how do we do it? WE don’t! We can't, except by the grace of God, 1^st Corinthians 10:13 NLT assures us, The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

He WILL show you a way out…

Prayer:

Father,

             We want to be holy as You are holy. Help us to realize that the only way out is by following You.  In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen