kindsfater
Member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2006
- Messages
- 142
Hi again! It's been awhile but I just wanted to post an email that I sent out to family and friends today. I believe this is the right place for it...after all we are called to be in the world but not OF the world.
Romans 12:1-2 says:
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world...
Precious family and friends~
I just wanted to send a word reminding all of us that we have been called to be holy before the Lord God Almighty! Last week was a great week of fasting and prayer for our church. The television I fasted from during the day while home alone all last week remains off this week because I hunger to draw closer to the Lord. I do not want the “static” to come between me and the Lord. I want to hear His voice!
I am the Lord you God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.
Leviticus 11:44
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.”
1 Peter 1:15-16
Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates the body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
“A good Christian…should look upon every part of his life as a matter of holiness because it is to be offered unto God.” William A. Law
We desire a mighty move of God and outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our lives, our families, our churches, our nation and the world but we want to play “Let’s Make A Deal” with God. We say, “But Lord, I go to church every time the doors are open! I bow my head when it’s time to pray and sing the songs right along with everyone else! I tithe my ten percent, give offerings for missionaries, and do ‘good works’ for the church and my community! Isn’t that enough?!”
According to the scripture above, the answer is no! We are called to practice holiness in EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES, not just those parts that are convenient and don’t interfere with the desires of our flesh. Being a Christian should not be something that begins when we walk through the doors of our church only to end when we walk back out of them. It’s not something that we can compartmentalize neatly to fit into the rest of our busy lives and personal agendas. Following Christ is not a Sunday and Wednesday thing….it’s an EVERY DAY thing! It’s not a way of life…it must BE OUR LIVES!
Jesus Christ died a horrific death so that we wouldn’t have to suffer the just punishment of hell we so rightly deserve for our sins. He gave his life for ours. Won’t you give your life for Him?
Let’s take time today to pray and ask the Lord to show us things in our lives that may be hindering us from being holy before the Lord (music we listen to, the TV shows/movies we watch, books we read, where/how we spend our money, how we spend our leisure time, how we talk to/about others, how we treat others, etc.).
This is a word for me as much as anyone. I have wasted much money, time and energy on things/activities that I know the Lord would/does not consider holy by any stretch of the imagination. Like our brother at church said…I (have) could probably justify many of the “things” in my life but in light of God’s word…
Philippians 4:8
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Colossians 3:17
17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
…the truth is these things have no place in my life if I truly desire to follow Christ. The Lord is making changes in my life and it is only by His power that these changes can be made.
Please pray for me! I struggle with my flesh every day! I have to crucify my flesh every day because my flesh wants to sit down in front of the TV and watch shows or movies that don’t offer anything that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy much less holy! The Word says to speak ill of no man yet I catch myself doing that daily…even just thinking bad thoughts about someone when I know that the Lord can hear me whether anyone else can or not! I struggle with submission and anger and say things to others that I know do not speak of the victorious power of Jesus Christ in my life! It would be easy to make excuses for myself and listen the excuses others make for me as well (“Well, no one is perfect! Jesus was the only person to ever walk the face of their earth blameless!” etc., etc.), but I’m sick of making excuses for letting my flesh win out and following Jesus half-heartedly. We all know what being lukewarm will get us….
Revelation 3:16
16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
I want to see the power of the Holy Spirit at work in my life in a very mighty way…not for me but for others! I want my life to be a living testimony of the power of Jesus Christ to others. When I open my mouth, I want rivers of life to flow out! I want all of this so that I might be used by God in establishing His Kingdom! I want my life to glorify God! I pray that this is your desire too!
In His Love~
Well, anyway, I hope this speaks to someone! I've no desire to argue about what I've posted here...it's my heart's cry!
Romans 12:1-2 says:
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world...
Precious family and friends~
I just wanted to send a word reminding all of us that we have been called to be holy before the Lord God Almighty! Last week was a great week of fasting and prayer for our church. The television I fasted from during the day while home alone all last week remains off this week because I hunger to draw closer to the Lord. I do not want the “static” to come between me and the Lord. I want to hear His voice!
I am the Lord you God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.
Leviticus 11:44
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.”
1 Peter 1:15-16
Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates the body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
“A good Christian…should look upon every part of his life as a matter of holiness because it is to be offered unto God.” William A. Law
We desire a mighty move of God and outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our lives, our families, our churches, our nation and the world but we want to play “Let’s Make A Deal” with God. We say, “But Lord, I go to church every time the doors are open! I bow my head when it’s time to pray and sing the songs right along with everyone else! I tithe my ten percent, give offerings for missionaries, and do ‘good works’ for the church and my community! Isn’t that enough?!”
According to the scripture above, the answer is no! We are called to practice holiness in EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES, not just those parts that are convenient and don’t interfere with the desires of our flesh. Being a Christian should not be something that begins when we walk through the doors of our church only to end when we walk back out of them. It’s not something that we can compartmentalize neatly to fit into the rest of our busy lives and personal agendas. Following Christ is not a Sunday and Wednesday thing….it’s an EVERY DAY thing! It’s not a way of life…it must BE OUR LIVES!
Jesus Christ died a horrific death so that we wouldn’t have to suffer the just punishment of hell we so rightly deserve for our sins. He gave his life for ours. Won’t you give your life for Him?
Let’s take time today to pray and ask the Lord to show us things in our lives that may be hindering us from being holy before the Lord (music we listen to, the TV shows/movies we watch, books we read, where/how we spend our money, how we spend our leisure time, how we talk to/about others, how we treat others, etc.).
This is a word for me as much as anyone. I have wasted much money, time and energy on things/activities that I know the Lord would/does not consider holy by any stretch of the imagination. Like our brother at church said…I (have) could probably justify many of the “things” in my life but in light of God’s word…
Philippians 4:8
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Colossians 3:17
17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
…the truth is these things have no place in my life if I truly desire to follow Christ. The Lord is making changes in my life and it is only by His power that these changes can be made.
Please pray for me! I struggle with my flesh every day! I have to crucify my flesh every day because my flesh wants to sit down in front of the TV and watch shows or movies that don’t offer anything that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy much less holy! The Word says to speak ill of no man yet I catch myself doing that daily…even just thinking bad thoughts about someone when I know that the Lord can hear me whether anyone else can or not! I struggle with submission and anger and say things to others that I know do not speak of the victorious power of Jesus Christ in my life! It would be easy to make excuses for myself and listen the excuses others make for me as well (“Well, no one is perfect! Jesus was the only person to ever walk the face of their earth blameless!” etc., etc.), but I’m sick of making excuses for letting my flesh win out and following Jesus half-heartedly. We all know what being lukewarm will get us….
Revelation 3:16
16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
I want to see the power of the Holy Spirit at work in my life in a very mighty way…not for me but for others! I want my life to be a living testimony of the power of Jesus Christ to others. When I open my mouth, I want rivers of life to flow out! I want all of this so that I might be used by God in establishing His Kingdom! I want my life to glorify God! I pray that this is your desire too!
In His Love~
Well, anyway, I hope this speaks to someone! I've no desire to argue about what I've posted here...it's my heart's cry!
