Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.23 Be Ye Holy, But How???
As we think about this New Year’s Eve and going into 2018, I just want to share a brief word with you today, that I hope will challenge us all to approach this time of new beginnings with a hope and a goal for pleasing God. May that my friends, be our hearts desire for each day—today and into each tomorrow!
“And he said unto them,
It is not for you to know the times
or the seasons,
which the Father
hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power,
after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be witnesses
unto me
both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judaea,
and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part
of the earth.” Acts 1:7-8
Jesus reminded his disciples that they were to wait before they went out—wait for the promised indwelling Holy Spirit! They were to wait and not go in their own power, but to go after they received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and then go forth being “witnesses unto me”! And to be His witnesses, we must walk in the power of HIS Spirit, not our own flesh. That is what enables us to “be” Holy as God calls us to be.
“Then Peter said unto them,
Repent,
and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you,
and to your children,
and to all that are afar off,
even as many
as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:38-39
We can only do God’s work God’s way—by the power of His Holy Spirit. It’s one of the reasons that Paul calls us to “walk in the Spirit” not the flesh, to allow the holiness of God working within us to be seen by the world.
“This I say then,
Walk in the Spirit,
and ye shall not fulfil the lust
of the flesh……….
25 If we live in the Spirit,
let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16 & 25
When we walk in Jesus’ Holy Spirit, we are enabled to be a reflection of God’s holiness and glory before a world of darkness and corruption. It won’t be very popular, but it will be noticed—and it will make a difference, whether we ‘see’ that difference or not! We are to do God’s work as we go from day to day, everywhere we go, in all we do—we are to “be” holy!
“Wherefore, my beloved,
as ye have always obeyed,
not as in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation
with fear
and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you
both to will
and to do
of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13
Paul isn’t calling us to work “for” our salvation, but to “work out” what God has put within us—His Spirit! Just as he told the Galatians, when we will “Walk in the Spirit” and “live in the Spirit” we will be living in God’s power and not our own, and we can join Paul in declaring one of my favorite principles of living out a ‘holy’ life before those around us.
“I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live;
yet not I,
but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live
in the flesh
I live
by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me,
and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
And when we come to live the crucified life, we will find that we are walking and living a life that is pleasing to our God!
“But as he which hath called you
is holy,
so be ye
holy
in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written,
Be ye holy;
for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
Amen and Amen. And in closing I’d like to share some thoughts that I wrote down earlier this year, and they seem to be an appropriate way to bring this year to a close and go forward in hope, confidence and the power of our God, living lives that will make a difference in HIS Kingdom.
Real “Holiness”
isn’t a denomination–
or even a church—
but it is the expression, the manifestation—
of a mind set on Jesus–
of a heart yielded to God—
of a life lived in pursuit of
the pleasure and
the approval of God!
It is a life lived in humble obedience to The One who holds our affection, devotion and gratitude—
Not because we have to —
but because we love God—
and we love making HIM smile! Blanche Brittain 2017
May you have a blessed and Holy New Year pursuing God?
Amen and Amen!