Tags
1 John 1:6-7, 1 Peter 1:13-21, Be not conformed to this world, Be ye holy as HE is holy, Be YE Transformed, Being an influence for Jesus!, Colossians 1:12-14, From the heart--out of the mouth., Holiness is not like the world., Isaiah 55:6-9, Jeremiah 17:9-10, Living For Jesus, Matthew 12:34-36, Matthew 15:17-20, Psalm 139:23-24, Psalm 141:3-4, Romans 12:1-3, The Beauty of Holiness., What's coming out of YOUR mouth?
The Beauty Of Holiness??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #369
What is holiness? Technically, the word means to be set apart, but I want us to look at what God calls us, those of us who claim to be Christians, believers, followers of Jesus, to be, different! Not oddball, but different from the world—which will make us look like ‘oddballs’ to the world.
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind,
be sober,
and hope to the end
for the grace that is to be brought unto you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children,
not fashioning yourselves
according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 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…
….18 Forasmuch as ye know
that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,
as silver and gold,
from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained
before the foundation of the world,
but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God,
that raised him up from the dead,
and gave him glory;
that your faith and hope
might be in God.” Portions of 1 Peter 1:13-21
Peter reminds us that we have been redeemed, bought back from the penalty of our own sin. Sin is the issue, but when we are born again, we are transformed, changed from the old man to the new person of God’s transforming grace. Paul describes this to the Colossian believers. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
“Giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us
from the power of darkness,
and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption
through his blood,
even the forgiveness of sins:” Colossians 1:12-14
We have been changed, and God hath put His Spirit, The Holy Spirit, within us as He promised, and His Spirit empowers us to live holy lives. My flesh ever fails, but by God’s Spirit, power, and direction, we are enabled to walk victorious lives before a lost and dying world. But when we join in the world’s flesh-driven desires, it will never lead us up, but rather it will drag us down and ruin our lives, our witness and our testimony before the world! It’s not what we are called to do. Paul told the Colossians believers that God has, “delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”! It’s all about the transforming, regenerating power of Jesus’ blood, by His death, burial and resurrection that gives us power to overcome! We can live victoriously—yes, we will stumble and fall, for we are human, but as we walk “in the light, as He is in the light” we will find spiritual victory and success by His grace—translated into HIS kingdom….
While there are many voices who claim to speak for Jesus, we are to measure what we hear by the Word of God, not our own will, words and ways. God makes it clear that we are not our own ‘god’; but many sure do spend a lot of energy thinking they are.
“Seek ye the LORD
while he may be found,
call ye upon him
while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the LORD,
and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God,
for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts
are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways
my ways,
saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways
higher than your ways,
and my thoughts
than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:6-9
My question for us today is, are we measuring our life by God’s standard or the world’s? Are we holy? Jesus said what comes out of our mouth is a reflection of what is in our heart. What is our speech revealing to the world; are we just mimicking what we hear around us or are we reflecting the holiness of the Lord that we claim to serve and follow.
“Do not ye yet understand,
that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth
goeth into the belly,
and is cast out into the draught?
18 But those things which proceed
out of the mouth
come forth from the heart;
and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed
evil thoughts,
murders,
adulteries,
fornications,
thefts,
false witness,
blasphemies:
20 These are the things
which defile a man:
but to eat with unwashen hands
defileth not a man.” Matthew 15:17-20
“O generation of vipers,
how can ye, being evil,
speak good things?
for out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man
out of the good treasure of the heart
bringeth forth good things:
and an evil man
out of the evil treasure
bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you,
That every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof
in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:34-36
Jesus reminds us that our words do matter. What is coming out of your mouth? Mine? Are they from a transformed heart, or a corrupt one? I must admit that I am sorely grieved at the language that I hear all around me—people using words that are vulgar, hurtful, vile and often using and taking The Lord’s name in vain. What comes out of our mouth reveals our heart, even when we don’t want it to. It takes a lot of prayer, commitment and devotion to stay on track, the Psalmist says it better than I can.
“Set a watch, O LORD,
before my mouth;
keep the door of my lips.
4 Incline not my heart
to any evil thing,
to practise wicked works
with men that work iniquity:
and let me not
eat of their dainties.” Psalm 141:3-4
“Search me, O God,
and know my heart:
try me,
and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked:
who can know it?
10 I the LORD search the heart,
I try the reins,
even to give every man
according to his ways,
and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10
In closing this evening, I share Paul’s great admonition to we who belong to Jesus, to be living sacrifices to our Lord Jesus! May we renew our minds continually to bring glory to our Lord and lift him up in honor before the darkness around us.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies
a living sacrifice,
holy,
acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed
to this world:
but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove
what is that good,
and acceptable,
and perfect,
will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me,
to every man that is among you,
not to think of himself
more highly than he ought to think;
but to think soberly,
according as God
hath dealt to every man
the measure of faith.” Romans 12:1-3
May we truly “be not conformed” but live holy lives. How do we do that? Paul answers for us, we are to “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”! Not just cleaning up our act but displaying a life transformed by Jesus and His Word!
“If we say that we have fellowship with him,
and walk in darkness,
we lie,
and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:6-7
Amen & Amen!!!
Bible Ballistics 