Be Ye Holy

 

1 Peter 1:15-16: “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy.''”

 

Because the Spirit of the Living God dwells within as when we are born again, God the Father expects certain things from us.  He expects us to obey His commandments and walk in His Ways.

 

Deuteronomy. 12:24: “"Observe and obey all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.”

 

This verse plainly tells us for things to go well with us and our children that we have to walk in God’s Ways. The decisions that you make today not only affect you but your children.  The lifestyle you choose to live marks your life and those around you.  It is not just about you, no matter what you may think. It is about you and those around you, at home, at work and at play. As believers we cannot “go our merry way” doing what we want, acting the way we want and making decisions based on the world’s definition of  what is good or bad.

 

Our opening Scripture in 1Peter 1:15-16 tells us to be holy as God is holy.  This means we are to think and act in a certain way. The word holy means to be separate, set apart, to live and model our lives after the life of Christ, not those around us.  We are to dedicate our lives to living the way God’s Word tells us, not the world around us. We are to think and act in a certain way.  The way God thinks and acts!

 

Romans 6:6: “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

 

One translation says that we would no longer serve sin!  Did you realize that before you were born again, you served sin, walked in sin and lived in sin.

Praise God, Jesus delivered us from that sinful life at the Cross.  We no longer have to be slaves to sin, we choose to walk in the newness of life!

 

Romans 6:4: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

 

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

 

Everything is new in Christ, all old things have passed away, we are to walk in the newness of life.   “Ok, so how do we do this?”  Is this what you are thinking as you read this?  I pray it is, I  pray you are asking how do I live a life of holiness that is pleasing to God?

Several writers of the New Testament tell us how to achieve this.  But first I want to look at what Jesus says about the life we are to live.

 

John 14:13: “"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

 

Matthew 15:31: “So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”

 

Luke 4:15: “And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.”

 

These few Scriptures give us a reference to the life of Jesus.  In John 14:13, Jesus tells us that whatever we pray and ask for will be done. Why?  So that the Father may be glorified!  Everything we do, say or think should glorify God!

 

In the last two verses we see that whatever Jesus did, the people saw it and glorified God for it.  Whether it was the mute speaking, the lame walking, or just teaching in the synagogues, whatever it was, the people recognized it for what it was.  A lifestyle that glorified God and they gave God all the glory! They realized at that time, that what Jesus did was directly from God and worshipped Him for it.

 

So how do we live a lifestyle that glorifies God?

1 Corinthians 6:17-20: “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?   For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.”

 

We are to flee or run away from sexual immorality.  That is a powerful statement.  Our body is the temple of the Living God, He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit.  When you are having adulterous affairs, living with someone outside of marriage or having casual sex with someone you are grieving the Holy Spirit that dwells in you.  In other words, you are breaking God’s heart!  We are to glorify God in our body, not defile it with sinful acts. When we poison our bodies with drugs or alcohol, we are defiling the temple of the Living God. We are breaking God’s heart!  The same is true for smoking cigarettes, marijuana or eating unhealthy food constantly.  We are responsible for the condition of God’s Holy Temple, our body.   Have you ever stopped to consider that?  I pray now that you do.

 

1 Corinthians 10:14: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

 

This again is a powerful statement.  What is idolatry.  It is anything that you put before God and your relationship with His Son, Jesus.  It takes many forms, becoming involved with other religions such as Hinduism, or Buddhism.  Becoming involved with the occult.

(This can be as simple as watching a television show that promotes the occult such as “Charmed”, “Buffy the vampire slayer” or others.  These shows seem innocent entertainment but they are not, they constantly feed your spirit ungodly things!)

 

It can be putting your job, your relationship with you spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend, before your relationship with God the Father. It can be choosing to sleep late on a Sunday morning rather than going to church.  It can be choosing to go to a concert with friends rather than going to church on Wednesday or spending time reading the Word.

I urge you to look at your life, what are your idols?  Identify them, and ask God to forgive you for idolatry and start putting God first in your life.

 

1Timothy 1:18-19,2:1-3 : “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,  having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,… Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,”

 

Living a life of holiness involves waging good warfare. We wage warfare in the Kingdom of God through prayer; powerful intercessory prayer!  Did you even realize that you are to pray for the leaders of this country?  We are to pray for our leaders from the President, (no matter who holds the office), to our local mayor and councilman.  Are you doing this?

 

If you look at the above verses, God tells us why we are to do this.  So that we can lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  If we want our lives to be peaceful, prosperous and safe, then we need to be praying for our leaders, praying for them to be Godly men, who have given their lives to the Lord.  Men who hear the voice of God, who listen to that Voice and obey it!  That they will be surrounded by Godly men to advise them and that they will act on that Godly advice.  This not only applies to our current President, but also to the Congressman that represent you!  And to our local officials and state officials.

 

As a believer you need to realize that it is God the Father, The King of Kings  and Lord of Lord's that keeps this nation powerful and prosperous and as born again believers we need to choose God and His Ways and walk in them!  This is true in your personal life, how you conduct yourself at work or what you choose to do in your leisure time. The nation of Israel was led into captivity because of their disobedience.  The United States of America parallels the nation of Israel, in that we are the only other nation in history that was established on Godly beliefs and principles.  If we continue to abandon  these beliefs and principles we will reap the ungodly actions we have sown.  If you are a believer, than you should not worry about the economy. God is your source, not your job, not the government.

 

Deuteronomy. 8:18: “"And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

 

2Timothey 3:1-5: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

 

I ask you today, who do you spend your time with? Do you spend time with lovers of themselves, lovers of money, people without self-control, unholy?  Or do you spend time with Godly people, who strive to glorify God in all they do?

 

I urge you today to take a good hard look at the choices you have made in your life.  Do they glorify God, do they make people see God in your life?  If not, reevaluate your life, and from this day forth – “choose to be holy even as God is holy!”    Pray this short prayer:

Father God, I ask you to forgive me of idolatry. Forgive me for not putting You first in my life. Lord I pray for this nation, forgive us for turning away from you, forgive us for our ungodly laws and actions.  Father, I dedicate my life to living for you that my life may glorify you in all I do and say.  Help me to walk in the newness of life,

In Jesus name I pray.   Amen.

 

If you truly want to know for sure that you are a child of God, then I would like to invite you to earnestly pray this prayer.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, “…and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”   (Jn.6:37), 

So I know You won’t cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it.  You said in your Word,   "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.''     (Ro. 10:13).

I am calling on Your name,  So I know You have saved me now, You also said, “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.”     (Ro.10:9,10).

 

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, “… with the heart one believes to righteousness…” and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),

 

And I am saved!  Thank You, Lord!  I can now truthfully say,  I see myself as a born again child of God!   

Glory to God!!  Amen.