Be Holy… Be Like My Son.

1Pet 1:16

Be filled with the H Spirit (Eph 5:18)… Christ-like, holy, fruitful.

The Scriptural standard for Christ’s disciples is holiness… impossible in the flesh.

All our self-efforts to be holy & walk in His light are doomed to failure.

Christ in you, living His life in & thru you is your only hope. (Col 1:27)

Trials & trouble that lead to brokenness, weakness, & failure are good… they are the “tools” God uses to mold us into the image of His Son. (Rm 8:28-29)

Are you being renewed by the H Spirit? (Titus 3:5)

The American church is largely lukewarm & fruitless, yet many churchgoers are deceived & consider themselves good soil though they don’t measure up to NT standards. 

Don’t assume you are good soil (Mt 13:23)… examine yourself. (2Cor 13:5)

Has your relationship with Christ actually changed the way you live?

God’s plan for you is to make you righteous… like His Son.

Many believe it is possible to accept Christ without forsaking the world. (Ja 4:4; 1Jn 2:15)

When God declares a man justified, He instantly sets out to make him righteous.

Justification & transformation cannot be separated. (Titus 3:5)

All too often, the American church today does not expect a converted man to be transformed… as a result, churches are filled with substandard Christians.

Many assume that salvation is possible without repentance… that they can be saved without being molded into the righteousness of Christ. 

Revival is, among other things, a return to biblical truth that real faith invariably produces holiness of heart & righteousness of life.

This holiness & righteousness are gifts of God… a new heart. (Eze 36:26; Gal 2:20)

If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation… the new (heart) has come. (2Cor 5:17)

To be like Christ is the ultimate aim of Christian life. (Rm 8:29; 2Cor 3:18)

Do you know Jesus… who do you say He is? (Mt 16:15)

Being lukewarm is a symptom… the root cause is that we have a grossly inaccurate view of God. (Isa 55:8-9)

Is your God great? Does He know every thought, word, deed?

Who do you say I am? (Mt 16:15)… eternally important question.

What is God like? His character? His attributes?

God is holy; eternal; all-knowing & everywhere present; all-powerful; just & righteous; love; all-wise; infinite; & unchanging. 

We must set our eyes & hearts on Christ & His cross… He is very big, powerful, wise, & sovereign & he loves you… you can rest & trust in Him.

How great is your God… can you trust Him in trouble?

Christians are promised trouble (Jn 16:33)… an opportunity to trust & glorify God. 

Suffering & trials are necessary… He uses them for His purpose & your good! (Rm 8:28; Gen 50:20)

We who follow our crucified Lord are not here to make a pleasant thing of life… we are called to suffering… to follow our Lord. (Mt 10:37-39)

We love ease, comfort, possessions, & worldly treasures, & we often run away from a life that is even remotely like Christ’s.

God’s goal for you in 2009… to become more like His Son (Rm 8:29), & to do the work He has prepared in advance for you to do. (Eph 2:10)

Is that where you are headed in 2009… regardless of the cost?

Spiritual warfare is about God’s reputation… will you trust & honor Him in all circumstances… even faith-shaking trouble? (Job)

In God’s presence, Job would speak no more. He had known about God, but now he experienced (my eyes have seen) God & he had no questions. (Job 40:3-5; 42:5)

There is a great difference between knowing about God (indirect & informal), & intimate, personal & experiential knowing (seeing) God. 

Thru God ordained affliction & pain, Job had at last seen (close & personal) God. 

When we see God, we become nothing & God becomes everything.

Do you know Him? Do you say with Paul, “I want to know Christ…”? (Phil 3:10)

Have you moved from religion to relationship… to knowing Christ?

God knew us before He made us (Jer 1:4-5), He promises to always remain with us (Heb 13:5), & He loves us & desires for us to love Him.

The fact that a holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, & just God loves us is nothing short of astonishing.

Amazing truth… the Creator of the Universe sees us as His inheritance. (Eph 1:18)

Do you really know & believe that God loves you, individually, personally, & intimately?

Who is man that God is mindful of him… yet God knows & loves you. (Ps 8:3)

He knows your name (Jn 10) & He has loving plans, purpose for you. (Jer 29:11)

                                                                                                                                              01-18-09