Created for Holiness! (Part 7 of 7)

Hello Friends!

Welcome Back! Let’s conclude our exploration of the eternally important topic for the Christian Church today… HOLINESS!

Created for Holiness! (Part 7 of 7)

The Beauty of Humility

This is a beauty that cannot be duplicated in any other way. Not with shining youth, diamonds, clothing or make-up – but only by falling at the feet of Jesus Christ. You might say, “Well, I’m not Moses. He was special.” True. However, let me remind you of the words of our Savior:

 

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he – Matthew 11:11

You see, according to Jesus, John was greater even than Moses. Yet, as members of the Kingdom, we Christians can be greater than he – we have our Master’s own Word on that. That is our potential!

 

We MUST lower ourselves in worship to RISE to HIS EXPECTATION!

 

Our nation – and the Body of Jesus Christ – are in crisis like never before. We must stand on the mighty promises of Jesus Christ and reach out to Him in faith and humble worship. Crying out for our congregations, America and the nation of Israel, we need to present ourselves before the Throne of Grace through the Almighty Holy Spirit lifting up our prayers up to heaven! 

 

In closing:

Remember, king David cried in humility and faith before fighting Goliath – the blasphemer of the Lord’s Mighty Name: 

 

Is there not a cause? – 1 Samuel 17:29

True worship means surrender through extreme faith! This is WAR dear friends!

Thank you for reading this series! May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

Blessings!

Shane <><

Off Course

1. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.” Exodus 6

God takes the credit here, but he's stating that not only will pharaoh let the Israelites go, but that pharaoh will drive them out of Egypt.  That's quite a turnaround!  There's a saying my mom said often to me growing up, "If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans."

Very true.

I planned to never get married or have kids.  I'm married and have one son.  I planned to get an engineering degree.  I got an accounting degree.  I planned to move out of Michigan as soon as I could.  I first got a job in Ann Arbor, and then after a few years my husband and I bought a house in Michigan.  Now, these were only the more recent and realistic plans.  If you would have asked me when I was younger, you would have gotten totally different ideas of what my future plans were.  The point is, circumstances change, and we need to accept these changes.  We all have free will, but God will put things in front of us that will cause our plans to change and veer off the course we had set.  

Pharaoh wanted to keep the Israelites in his service for as long as he was alive.  Yet he ends up kicking them out (and later regretting the decision).  Did circumstances change?  Absolutely.  Did he feel that there was no way out and no better option? Probably.  

All those bumps in the road are directly from God.  He's not doing it to spite you, he's doing it to help you to see the course he set for you.

Threatening God

Do you know people who say they don’t believe in God because He hasn’t proved Himself to them? Do they expect God to prove Himself according to their own terms?

Even during Jesus’ life, many people wanted Him to prove He was God according to their own terms.

Matthew 27:38-44      ³⁸ Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” ⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴² “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Jesus and God aren’t subject to our demands. They are our Creator and not the other way around. God can protect His own reputation however He chooses. God isn’t compelled to react to a human’s threat or bargain. 

The next time you and I hear someone threaten God or try to bargain with Him, what are some questions we could lovingly ask them without getting defensive or argumentative?

Some I thought of are to ask them if they even want to believe. If so, are they willing to look at the proof God has already given? If not, maybe it’s best we end the conversation for the time being. We can continue to pray for them and let them know that we are available should they sincerely want to consider the proofs of God in the future.

We’ll look at some of God’s unimaginable and supernatural proofs in the coming weeks!

Bad News & Good News

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

There’s good news, and then there’s bad news.  What’s bad news?  Remains of a twenty year old who disappeared in a small town community are found.  Ten different states report a mysterious virus that affects children, and they expect it to spread nationwide.  Football player is kicked off the team after video shows him striking his wife.  Children killed in their apartment home in what appears to be a gang related incident.  These are ‘bad’ news headlines from over the weekend.  Is there any wonder why people have grown so critical of the world we live in?  Why would anyone want to live in a world like this?  As Christians, one might wonder why would God put us here in such a place?  It is important that we remember that while the world we live in is not heaven, we are given this wonderful opportunity to share the message of Jesus Christ to others in this broken world.

The Good News of Jesus Christ is still the overwhelming message in a fallen world.  There are plenty things to complain about, and there are numerous worries which occupy our thoughts.  They chip away at our spiritual goodness to attempt disconnecting us from God.  However, the message of Jesus Christ is one that is encouraging, life changing, and reinvigorating.  We follow Him for He has overcome death and everything that the world could dish out.  The Good News is a reminder of who we belong to, and assurance amidst the constant negative messages the world sends.

Knowing Jesus Christ means to have peace when all those about you have chaos and comfort even in the most trying circumstances.  This is not a secret to be kept to ourselves.  It is to be shared to give others hope when all seems lost.  It is to remind them that there is God who loves and protects them.  For all the troublesome things that occur, we are to take heart because Jesus Christ has overcome all of it; past, present, and future.  How can you allow Jesus Christ to give you peace?  My prayer is that when we are inundated with bad news, we take heart in the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Amen.