Holy

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Revelation 3:4 Are Your Clothes Dirty?

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. Revelation 3:4

Everyone expects clothing that is put on to be clean and presentable. Once the clothing gets soiled, they are expected to get cleaned before using again.

In many businesses, the workers are expected to dress in business attire that is clean. They work in an environment that does not usually get a person’s clothing dirty. If their clothing gets soiled, they have to change their clothing or else they are in danger of losing their position.

John tells the church of Sardis that some have not soiled their clothing because of their deeds done. Those people will walk with God, dressed in white because they are worthy.

God expects people to do various types of work for His kingdom. All of these works focus on building up His kingdom. When a person is doing what God has called him to do, he will not get his clothing dirty with the things of the world.

This fallen world is full of sin and sinful activities. The world strives hard to get the believer to follow their ways and get his clothing dirty with sin.

In every situation, God has provided a way out of stepping into sin and getting soiled. Sadly many believers are like little children in that they love to get into the mud and cover themselves with it. They want to look just like the world, covered in sin. Instead of resisting temptation, they walk into it soiling their souls.

The believer who chooses to follow God, will run away from the mud of sin. He will keep himself clean by resisting temptation and clothing himself with the righteousness that Jesus provides. At that point, he will be worthy of God.

As a believer you must be willing to look at yourself and see if you have soiled your clothing with sin. When Jesus had forgiven you, He gave you a robe of pure white righteousness.

Do not allow yourself to walk in the ways of the world and get those clothes dirty with sin. Keep yourself pure and holy before God, so that you will be considered worthy before God.

Be alive and victorious in Jesus, remaining in clean clothing, not sin-soiled clothing.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will know the forgiveness of sin Jesus offers; that you will keep your soul clean of sinful activities; that you will follow God with all of your heart; and that your deeds will honor God.

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2 Peter 3:11 What Kind Of Person Are You?

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 2 Peter 3:11

One common thought among many people around the world is to eat, drink and be merry today because tomorrow you will die. Most people will only live for the moment with no regard or thoughts about tomorrow and even less about eternity.

Worldly “successful” people are those who kept in mind their goal for their future each day. They focused on doing something today with tomorrow in mind. However, most do not give a moment’s thought about eternity.

Peter just described how God would destroy the world in the end. With that in mind he asks what kind of people they should be. He tells them that they should live holy and godly lives.

One thing that should set the believer apart from the rest of the world is that he has a focus upon eternity, not just the here and now. In order to have life in that eternity, one must also have his focus upon God.

God has given the directions on how to live life in order to get life for eternity. The process is simple–live a holy and godly life. In other words do what God has said to do.

The first step in this is accepting what Jesus had done on the cross. Doing this wipes away all wrongs. Then one must put on the righteousness of Jesus, not his own. And finally, do what God calls him to do. Doing these three things will cause a person live a holy and godly life.

Too many in the church believe in Christ, but refuse to live a holy life. They want the best of both worlds and in the end will lose everything.

Only you can examine your life closely and determine how you are living your life from the inside out. Fruit will bear witness as to whether you are striving to live the holy life God called you to live or not.

Although it may be painful right now to live a holy life, in the end you will gain eternity.

Live your life for God with the gift of eternity that He has promised you. Allow His Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide you in how to live that life. Be set apart knowing that Jesus is returning to bring you to heaven for eternity.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will live as God has called you to live; that your life will be a holy life, separated unto God; that the world will see that you live for God; and that you will hear the Holy Spirit guiding your thoughts, words and actions.

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2 Timothy 1:9 Holy For His Purpose

He has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 2 Timothy 1:9

As people grow up and begin to leave school and home, they want to know their purpose in this life. They strive to find out why they are there and what they are to do.

In the process of searching for this answer, many will seek guidance and help from any and every one, with very few filters to block out bad advice.

Paul reminds Timothy that they are saved and called to live a holy life because of God’s own purpose and grace.

When Adam and Eve chose to sin and fall away from God, God did not have to provide a way of salvation from the fall into sin. He provided that salvation out of His great love and grace upon man.

As He provides the needed salvation, He is also willing to guide a person as to how he should live his life. The life God calls each believer to live is one that is holy, separated from the world and sin. This new way of living has nothing to do with what the believer had done, but because of His purpose.

God wants every person to live the best life possible. In order to have that life, one must turn from all sin and be holy as God is holy. When one is living a holy life, it is a representation of who God is. It reveals His perfect love that is at work in the life of the believer. Seeing this perfect love will draw others to Jesus, building His kingdom.

If you are seeking the purpose for your life, look to God. Your purpose starts with being holy as He is holy. This begins with repentance of all sins and turning away from sin. Turning away from sin is not legalism, but love for God and for others.

As you choose to live for God and turn from sin, God can do great works in and through you in order to build His kingdom.

Your purpose in this life is to live for God and build His kingdom. Do not shrink back from what God has called you to do and be.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will turn towards God and away from all sin; that God will strengthen you to be holy as He is holy; that you will find your purpose in God; that you will know His amazing grace and love; and that you will pass on God’s grace and love to others.

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1 Thessalonians 3:13 A Strong Heart

May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. 1 Thessalonians 3:13

In order for a person to live a good, long and healthy life, he must have a good heart. Having a good heart is achieved by eating and exercising properly.

One has to have the blood flow going through his body with power and strength to live a healthy life. Not doing these things will result in a poor heart, which in turn can cause an early death.

Paul prays that God would strengthen the hearts of the people, so that they will be blameless and holy in God’s presence.

The entire purpose of Jesus coming to the earth and dying upon the cross is to make people holy and blameless before God. It was to take a corrupt, selfish dead heart out of a person and give him a new, living and strong heart for God.

It is in the heart that the desires of a person rise up. Until Jesus works in a person, his heart is weak and falls to temptation to sin. A person’s desires are for selfishness and sin.

Just as with exercising physically will strengthen the heart, exercising one’s faith will also strengthen his heart. Getting on the treadmill of life and refusing to slow down and step into sin will strengthen the heart. Exercising the heart daily with studying God’s word and prayer will strengthen one’s heart and faith.

The strong heart will follow hard after God and refuse to go back to sin. It will be able to say no to the temptations that comes its way, keeping one’s self pure and blameless before God.

Each day you have to make a choice as to whether you will exercise or not. It is your choice to have a strong or weak heart and body. As a believer in Jesus, you must allow God to strengthen your heart to learn to follow after Him more and more.

Allow all of your desires to be the same desires as those of God, rather than for self and sin. God will use His word and time with you in prayer to strengthen your heart so that you will not sin against Him.

How strong is your heart?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will allow God to change your heart; that you will seek to do what God desires of you; that you will allow the Holy Spirit to guide you away from all sin; and that you will be pure and blameless before God in all that you say, think or do.