"Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 20:7
Consecrate yourselves. Simply put, this is our responsibility to show ourselves holy. That means we are to make the choices and adjustments to bring our lives in alignment with God's instruction.
Be holy. If our understanding of being holy is completely up to God, do we even have a responsibility? If being holy is all God’s responsibility, why would He tell us to BE holy?
The Hebrew word for "holy" means: to be unique and pure in moral qualities; to possess certain essential divine qualities; to be dedicated to God for service; to belong to God.
Personally, you and I make the choice for what we believe to be acceptable. We also make the choice for what we will compromise. When our choices compromise or disobey God's instruction, it is called sin. God provides the Bible for us to know what is acceptable to Him; therefore, we must be IN His word to know what standards we must choose and then be responsible to make those choices and adjustments. To ignore His instruction is to choose to be unholy.
We are to possess essential divine qualities. These are God's qualities given to us at salvation. Why are they essential? First, they serve as evidence that you are His child. Second, you cannot move toward holiness without these divine qualities. While we may be in possession of these essential divine qualities, you and I choose to allow the Holy Spirit to work out these qualities in our day to day lives.
To be dedicated to God for service. To be dedicated means to be of first priority. That means my calendar, and my day to day choices, will reflect my priorities. To choose ANYTHING over service to God is to exchange God for something else as first priority. If you do not consider God as first priority - you have already determined your priority.
To belong to God. This does not represent your knowledge about God, but your relationship with God. You are His child, made in His image and intended to reflect His image. Each day, and in each activity, you will choose to live like the world or you will choose to live like a resident of Heaven and a Child of the King.
If we genuinely believe God gave His Son and His Son gave His life so we may be children of God, we will show ourselves HOLY (Consecrate ourselves). By what authority must we take these actions? God declares He is Yahweh Elohim! The Lord your God!
We have a responsibility in our holiness - choose to honor God.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Who is in charge?
You have seen it. You may have even been party to it.
The scene: minding my own business, in the parking lot of the local super store. I hear a woman screaming. As I look around, I see an adult running between the cars. Beyond being a little startled, and a tad uncomfortable - she had my attention (and the attention of a few dozen potential shoppers).
What would compel her to behave in such a way?
Then I understood.
A toddler was running between the parked cars and the mother was frantic. Stop! Stop! Come back here! Any loving parent would do the same. Scream. Chase. Yell. Apprehend. Scream again. Secure.
Who is the authority? No doubt - the parent. But in this situation, who was in charge? The child! Legally, the adult is the responsible authority, but in rebellion to the parent's instructions (and pleas and threats), the child is in charge until he is brought back under the control of the parent.
Now, who is the authority in your life? Ultimately, God is the supreme authority - whether you believe in Him, or not. If you are a Christian, you have already surrendered to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But, who is in charge?
We talk a good game. We attend worship when something else does not take precedence. We serve when we can. We give. We pray. We read the Bible. We call Him our Father and declare ourselves His children.
But, who is in charge?
There appears to be a disconnect between what we say we believe and what we say we believe with our lives. If we are not following the Lord's instructions as recorded in the Bible, we are living by our own rules and "in charge". Psalm 23 records some powerful claims for God's children: I will not lack, I will rest, I will be restored, I will fear no evil, I will be comforted, and I will be blessed.
The truth is simple. In the same way a running toddler cannot experience the benefit and protection of a loving parent, I cannot experience the protection and provision of my Heavenly Father if I am running from Him! Therefore, I must recognize Him as the authority in my life AND allow Him to be in charge of my day to day life.
Who is in charge in your life?
"The LORD is my shepherd (my "in charge" authority); I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1
The scene: minding my own business, in the parking lot of the local super store. I hear a woman screaming. As I look around, I see an adult running between the cars. Beyond being a little startled, and a tad uncomfortable - she had my attention (and the attention of a few dozen potential shoppers).
What would compel her to behave in such a way?
Then I understood.
A toddler was running between the parked cars and the mother was frantic. Stop! Stop! Come back here! Any loving parent would do the same. Scream. Chase. Yell. Apprehend. Scream again. Secure.
Who is the authority? No doubt - the parent. But in this situation, who was in charge? The child! Legally, the adult is the responsible authority, but in rebellion to the parent's instructions (and pleas and threats), the child is in charge until he is brought back under the control of the parent.
Now, who is the authority in your life? Ultimately, God is the supreme authority - whether you believe in Him, or not. If you are a Christian, you have already surrendered to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But, who is in charge?
We talk a good game. We attend worship when something else does not take precedence. We serve when we can. We give. We pray. We read the Bible. We call Him our Father and declare ourselves His children.
But, who is in charge?
There appears to be a disconnect between what we say we believe and what we say we believe with our lives. If we are not following the Lord's instructions as recorded in the Bible, we are living by our own rules and "in charge". Psalm 23 records some powerful claims for God's children: I will not lack, I will rest, I will be restored, I will fear no evil, I will be comforted, and I will be blessed.
The truth is simple. In the same way a running toddler cannot experience the benefit and protection of a loving parent, I cannot experience the protection and provision of my Heavenly Father if I am running from Him! Therefore, I must recognize Him as the authority in my life AND allow Him to be in charge of my day to day life.
Who is in charge in your life?
"The LORD is my shepherd (my "in charge" authority); I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1
Sunday, May 15, 2016
4 steps
"There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer." (Exodus 15:25-26)
Scripture says, “God tested them”. This Hebrew word means to show you how to follow the rule – learning its true nature. Here are four steps God uses to show us how to follow His way.
1. Diligently listen.
While there are many voices available today, there is only one in which you must diligently listen.
There is one that will not lead you astray.
There is one that will draw you closer to God.
There are commentaries, books, blogs, devotions, videos, preachers and evangelists by the thousands - but none can replace your time with the Lord and you hearing from Him personally.
(Some of us need to repent of listening to everyone else but God!)
2. Do right.
Not by your estimation and not in your strength. You are to do right in His eyes.
To do right is to be morally innocent and proper according to His standard.
What is God’s standard? Holiness. (1 Peter 1:16).
That is a standard that we cannot possibly achieve within ourselves, so what must we do?
We admit our weakness,
fall at His feet,
stop doing what we hear Him rebuke,
start doing what we hear Him correct
and keep walking in step with Him.
(Some of us need to repent of rationalizing our behavior and excusing ourselves from living out what God commands.)
3. Give ear.
This is more than just listening, it implies hearing and responding appropriately to His Word. Hearing what? God’s truth.
If you have surrendered to His authority, you have also submitted to His instruction.
If you have not surrendered to His authority, you are intentionally rebelling against the one, true, living God and will experience eternal judgment.
(Some of us need to repent of control.)
4. Keep statutes.
To keep is to watch over, preserve and maintain His prescriptions for living. Which ones must we keep? ALL of them! How will we keep them?
By ensuring they are not being compromised in our lives.
By following His prescription for our lives.
By transmitting the prescription for right living to others through our daily walk with Him.
With Him, we can live His way with His direction by His power. Four steps. Are you walking in step ith Him?
Scripture says, “God tested them”. This Hebrew word means to show you how to follow the rule – learning its true nature. Here are four steps God uses to show us how to follow His way.
1. Diligently listen.
While there are many voices available today, there is only one in which you must diligently listen.
There is one that will not lead you astray.
There is one that will draw you closer to God.
There are commentaries, books, blogs, devotions, videos, preachers and evangelists by the thousands - but none can replace your time with the Lord and you hearing from Him personally.
(Some of us need to repent of listening to everyone else but God!)
2. Do right.
Not by your estimation and not in your strength. You are to do right in His eyes.
To do right is to be morally innocent and proper according to His standard.
What is God’s standard? Holiness. (1 Peter 1:16).
That is a standard that we cannot possibly achieve within ourselves, so what must we do?
We admit our weakness,
fall at His feet,
stop doing what we hear Him rebuke,
start doing what we hear Him correct
and keep walking in step with Him.
(Some of us need to repent of rationalizing our behavior and excusing ourselves from living out what God commands.)
3. Give ear.
This is more than just listening, it implies hearing and responding appropriately to His Word. Hearing what? God’s truth.
If you have surrendered to His authority, you have also submitted to His instruction.
If you have not surrendered to His authority, you are intentionally rebelling against the one, true, living God and will experience eternal judgment.
(Some of us need to repent of control.)
4. Keep statutes.
To keep is to watch over, preserve and maintain His prescriptions for living. Which ones must we keep? ALL of them! How will we keep them?
By ensuring they are not being compromised in our lives.
By following His prescription for our lives.
By transmitting the prescription for right living to others through our daily walk with Him.
With Him, we can live His way with His direction by His power. Four steps. Are you walking in step ith Him?
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Strength in Weariness
Isaiah 40:29-30 "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;"
Here we find a major truth we must all hear and know about ourselves:
We will be faint and grow weary.
We will fall EXHAUSTED.
Knowing this to be true, how shall we respond? Take more vitamins? Work out? Get more sleep? That may help for a moment, but the fact remains YOU AND I ARE FAINT AND HAVE NO MIGHT! The very things that weigh us down are weighing us down because we are carrying them.
So, what shall we do?
Depend on the One who is dependable! Lean on the one who does not faint or grow weary.
If we will faithfully trust Him with our burdens, what will the Lord do?
He will give you power! Do you think God intends to increase YOUR power, that which has already grown faint, or do you believe God intends to give you His power that never diminishes? Which would you rather have?
As He gives you His power, He provides you with His potential in your life.
So, you will either rely on yours and grow weary or rely on His and walk in His power.
For the one who has no might, He will increase your strength!
Your "might" is the ability to control the environment and those around you. (No one has might)
Notice, in difficult circumstances, God does not increase your ability to control the situation or the people causing you pain - God gives you strength instead.
Strength is a force that has potency to accomplish its intended purposes.
Did you hear that? In your weariness, He does not snatch you away to a place of comfort,
nor does He let you control the situation!
He strengthens you to accomplish His will through the situation!
May He be glorified through our weariness!
Here we find a major truth we must all hear and know about ourselves:
We will be faint and grow weary.
We will fall EXHAUSTED.
Knowing this to be true, how shall we respond? Take more vitamins? Work out? Get more sleep? That may help for a moment, but the fact remains YOU AND I ARE FAINT AND HAVE NO MIGHT! The very things that weigh us down are weighing us down because we are carrying them.
So, what shall we do?
Depend on the One who is dependable! Lean on the one who does not faint or grow weary.
If we will faithfully trust Him with our burdens, what will the Lord do?
He will give you power! Do you think God intends to increase YOUR power, that which has already grown faint, or do you believe God intends to give you His power that never diminishes? Which would you rather have?
As He gives you His power, He provides you with His potential in your life.
So, you will either rely on yours and grow weary or rely on His and walk in His power.
For the one who has no might, He will increase your strength!
Your "might" is the ability to control the environment and those around you. (No one has might)
Notice, in difficult circumstances, God does not increase your ability to control the situation or the people causing you pain - God gives you strength instead.
Strength is a force that has potency to accomplish its intended purposes.
Did you hear that? In your weariness, He does not snatch you away to a place of comfort,
nor does He let you control the situation!
He strengthens you to accomplish His will through the situation!
May He be glorified through our weariness!
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