Experiencing the Holiness of God
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." - Isaiah 6:6-7
Holiness.
What image does that word conjure up in your mind? My earliest image of holiness is standing in a little country church. I was maybe five years old, staring straight ahead with my brothers all stiff and stale, my shirt and tie choking the life out of me. In the same row were my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, each gripping the pew in front of them till their knuckles turned white. They sang "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty" at the top of their lungs with a medieval organ backing their trio.
For me, God's holiness was connected with the clock ever so slowly ticking out the remaining minutes of the monotonous message while I squirmed on the hard seat longing to be free from constraint. Do you relate in some way to that picture?
Possibly you think of holiness as a list of rules to freeze freedom and crush creativity. Maybe you have known some people who claimed to be fired up about holiness but there's nothing appealing about their legalistic lifestyle or plastic perspective on living a God-centered life.
That's not God's holiness. No human standard of goodness or man-made regulation of righteousness could ever substitute for a fearful and wonderful encounter with the living God. A true glimpse of His holiness rocks your world to the core. In fact, we are only prepared to comprehend the grace of God when we have understood His infinite holiness and our incredible sinfulness. Any presentation of the gospel which leaves out that truth is incomplete. It's the holiness of God that casts us upon His mercy.
Try to remember that next time you are tempted to gloss over a sin in your life. "Well, it's not that bad." Or "everyone understands." Refuse that rationalization. Allow God to grip your heart with this truth and you'll find you have no more patience for your own lame excuses!
God allowed the prophet Isaiah to peek into His heavenly throne room and glimpse His holiness like no human has ever done. And Isaiah was seriously laid out by what he saw. Isaiah's vision of this scene above the ceiling (see Isaiah 6) is one we desperately, desperately need in the church today. Why? Because it blows away the comfortable, manageable God we've fashioned for ourselves. It reminds us how small we are and how great He is. So great in fact, that He is unapproachable except in the ways He has prescribed.
Isaiah, overcome with his own sinfulness before God's holiness, experienced the grace and mercy that flows from His throne. Picture the scene in Isaiah 6:6-7.
So this infinitely holy, immeasurable, unalterable, unfathomable God says, "I've cleansed you for holiness." Think of that. "I want you to be like Me--holy. I've done what you could not do so you would have this incredible opportunity to be holy--now go for it."
I began this devotional sharing the distorted perception I had of God's holiness as a child. I had to learn that God's holiness is not some abstract character trait to be admired like a fine painting or an antique car. God's holiness draws us to purity. What God forbids as sin He does because He knows us. Every time God says "don't," what He really means is "don't hurt yourself." When we choose to sin we choose to suffer. All the pain and suffering in our world is the result of humanity rejecting this call to holiness. But you can accept it today. You can embrace the reality of God's transforming work unto genuine, lasting joy-producing holiness.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
REFRESHMENTS FOR WEARY TRAVELERS
A depressed, dejected Elijah staggers off into the wilderness. He collapses under a broom tree, one of the few sources of shade in the baked desert region. Steeped in a gloomy spirit, he asks God to end his life. How did this happen?
Ahab was king of Israel—a spurious monarch more interested in pleasing his foreign-born wife, Jezebel, than following the will of God. Jezebel attempted to outlaw worship of God in Israel, and she might have succeeded but for Elijah—a bold prophet of God. Elijah forced a contest between the Baal gods of Jezebel’s homeland and the God of Israel. In a dramatic display of power (1 Kings 18), God emerged victorious over the rival gods, and Elijah, one would think, was vindicated for serving the one true God. Instead, an enraged Jezebel put a price on Elijah’s head, forcing his flight to Beersheba for safety.
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat." He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you." He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. (1 Kings 19:1–9) (NRS)
Sometimes our lowest moments come after a great victory. Everything should be better, we think, but nothing really changes.
Lying under the broom tree, depressed, wanting to die, Elijah fell asleep. When depression strikes us, we want to withdraw and sleep life away. We’re exhausted and tempted to fade into nonexistence. But God doesn’t allow it. An angel came and nudged Elijah, showing gifts of water and bread. Elijah ate a bit, but the depression was great and he fell back to sleep. This is one tenacious angel! She knocks him over and says firmly “Get up! Eat! Or else the journey will be too great for you.” Elijah obeys; he consumes the food and drink and embarks on the next leg of his journey.
I once heard a country preacher on the radio say, “When you’re at the end of your rope, let go, and your feet will rest on the Rock of Jesus.” In the throes of despair, Jesus comes to us bearing gifts of refreshment and renewal. Elijah was not offered a smorgasbord of delights that would have kept him forever in the desert. God gave him just enough for the next stage of the journey. Likewise God is able to pull us out of our own murky pits and give us just what we need to continue the journey to something better.
God used an angel to deliver the refreshing gifts to Elijah. “Angel” (“messenger” in Hebrew) can refer to either a human or spiritual being carrying out a mission for God. Have you ever thought God may be calling you to be an angel for a person wandering in the desert? Open your eyes to see a wanderer in a spiritual wasteland who needs gifts of God’s love and encouragement. Be an angel for the Lord!
Lord, as you have refreshed me in my desert wanderings, so send me now with your gifts of love and encouragement to those in need of your refreshment! Amen.
A depressed, dejected Elijah staggers off into the wilderness. He collapses under a broom tree, one of the few sources of shade in the baked desert region. Steeped in a gloomy spirit, he asks God to end his life. How did this happen?
Ahab was king of Israel—a spurious monarch more interested in pleasing his foreign-born wife, Jezebel, than following the will of God. Jezebel attempted to outlaw worship of God in Israel, and she might have succeeded but for Elijah—a bold prophet of God. Elijah forced a contest between the Baal gods of Jezebel’s homeland and the God of Israel. In a dramatic display of power (1 Kings 18), God emerged victorious over the rival gods, and Elijah, one would think, was vindicated for serving the one true God. Instead, an enraged Jezebel put a price on Elijah’s head, forcing his flight to Beersheba for safety.
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat." He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you." He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. (1 Kings 19:1–9) (NRS)
Sometimes our lowest moments come after a great victory. Everything should be better, we think, but nothing really changes.
Lying under the broom tree, depressed, wanting to die, Elijah fell asleep. When depression strikes us, we want to withdraw and sleep life away. We’re exhausted and tempted to fade into nonexistence. But God doesn’t allow it. An angel came and nudged Elijah, showing gifts of water and bread. Elijah ate a bit, but the depression was great and he fell back to sleep. This is one tenacious angel! She knocks him over and says firmly “Get up! Eat! Or else the journey will be too great for you.” Elijah obeys; he consumes the food and drink and embarks on the next leg of his journey.
I once heard a country preacher on the radio say, “When you’re at the end of your rope, let go, and your feet will rest on the Rock of Jesus.” In the throes of despair, Jesus comes to us bearing gifts of refreshment and renewal. Elijah was not offered a smorgasbord of delights that would have kept him forever in the desert. God gave him just enough for the next stage of the journey. Likewise God is able to pull us out of our own murky pits and give us just what we need to continue the journey to something better.
God used an angel to deliver the refreshing gifts to Elijah. “Angel” (“messenger” in Hebrew) can refer to either a human or spiritual being carrying out a mission for God. Have you ever thought God may be calling you to be an angel for a person wandering in the desert? Open your eyes to see a wanderer in a spiritual wasteland who needs gifts of God’s love and encouragement. Be an angel for the Lord!
Lord, as you have refreshed me in my desert wanderings, so send me now with your gifts of love and encouragement to those in need of your refreshment! Amen.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
CHRISTIAN LIFE IN THE LONG RUN
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Heb. 12:1–3)
The Christian life is not a sprint. It is long distance, a marathon—and the run requires patience and perseverance. In his coaching passage in Hebrews, Paul's word for perseverance, in its root, is the same word used to express endurance in Matthew 10,". . . he that endures to the end shall be saved." The beautiful passage in 1 Corinthians 13 employs the same word to say that love endures all things. So whether with God—the vertical relationship of our lives—or in the horizontal relationships with our friends, husbands and wives, parents and children, we are advised to pace ourselves, to persevere and endure.
How do we endure? A day at a time. Patience doesn't arrive prepackaged and complete. We must appropriate it over and over again, morning by morning, day by day, throughout life. One of the greatest and most popular prayers of the 20th Century is used by Alcoholics Anonymous and was originally written by Reinhold Niebuhr. Beautiful, marvelous, profoundly real, "The Serenity Prayer" has at its heart the cross and resurrection of Christ:
God, grant me the serenity to accept those things I cannot change, the courage to change those things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
It also speaks the theme of endurance—"living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time . . ." which upends our compulsive lives.
This brings us to verse three and Paul's final point: Patience has been modeled for us. By whom? By the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world. How can we comprehend Christ's suffering and patience? Simply by knowing Him. In The Revelation, the Christ who is to come shows us his scars. He forever is the wounded healer. Suffering is at His heart. His triumph comes through his suffering. And He calls us to be like him. "Consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself . . ."
How do we acquire patience and perseverance? Only one way: We look to Christ. We keep our eyes on the grief of the cross and the glory of His resurrection and triumph. We keep looking day after day as often as we need. We just keep looking to Christ.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Heb. 12:1–3)
The Christian life is not a sprint. It is long distance, a marathon—and the run requires patience and perseverance. In his coaching passage in Hebrews, Paul's word for perseverance, in its root, is the same word used to express endurance in Matthew 10,". . . he that endures to the end shall be saved." The beautiful passage in 1 Corinthians 13 employs the same word to say that love endures all things. So whether with God—the vertical relationship of our lives—or in the horizontal relationships with our friends, husbands and wives, parents and children, we are advised to pace ourselves, to persevere and endure.
How do we endure? A day at a time. Patience doesn't arrive prepackaged and complete. We must appropriate it over and over again, morning by morning, day by day, throughout life. One of the greatest and most popular prayers of the 20th Century is used by Alcoholics Anonymous and was originally written by Reinhold Niebuhr. Beautiful, marvelous, profoundly real, "The Serenity Prayer" has at its heart the cross and resurrection of Christ:
God, grant me the serenity to accept those things I cannot change, the courage to change those things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
It also speaks the theme of endurance—"living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time . . ." which upends our compulsive lives.
This brings us to verse three and Paul's final point: Patience has been modeled for us. By whom? By the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world. How can we comprehend Christ's suffering and patience? Simply by knowing Him. In The Revelation, the Christ who is to come shows us his scars. He forever is the wounded healer. Suffering is at His heart. His triumph comes through his suffering. And He calls us to be like him. "Consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself . . ."
How do we acquire patience and perseverance? Only one way: We look to Christ. We keep our eyes on the grief of the cross and the glory of His resurrection and triumph. We keep looking day after day as often as we need. We just keep looking to Christ.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Faith Is a Verb
“Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. . . . And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” - Matthew 13:54-58
One time in the Gospels it says that Jesus couldn’t do much in a town “because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58). Wouldn’t that be an awful thing to have said about your home, about your family, about you? Jesus couldn’t do much in or through you because you just didn’t believe Him. Lord, why don’t You do more in our church? Could it be because of people’s unbelief? Why do you make good things happen so often in my friend’s life, but not in mine? Could it be because your friend believes God more?
Faith is the key. God’s promises are activated by faith. Faith is not passive—it’s an action verb. Don’t say, “Well, I’m just waiting over here. Maybe God will work; maybe He won’t.” What are you doing about it? “Well, not much,” you say.
It’s like the sick guy who needs to get better but doesn’t go to the doctor. That’s foolishness. You’ve got to do what you can.
Or like the girl who is looking for a husband but never goes to the Single Adult meetings at church. She just sits down in her basement praying for her man to show up. “My husband will have to find me here.” Yeah, that’s not a great plan. Do what you can!
Like the person who’s filled with concerns and wants to have hope but has never read the Bible.
It’s God's promises that give us hope. How many Scriptural promises do you know? How many promises have you memorized? How many are on the tip of your tongue? Not a lot? Well, no wonder you’re filled with anxiety! No wonder you don’t have any hope! You’re not holding onto anything.
Get your heart around some of the exceedingly great and precious promises of God! Hold on to what God has said in His Word. Someday you’re going to be in a difficult situation and the enemy will try to pull you down, but you’ve got God’s Word hidden in your heart. His words will flood you with courage and fill your life with faith.
“God helps those who help themselves” is not in the Bible but it is a biblical concept. Faith has to be active to be real. Remember the guy in 2 Kings 5 who had leprosy and God told him he had to go dip in the river? In faith, he had to do what he could. Like the woman in poverty in 2 Kings 4 who had to collect containers to hold all that oil God was giving her—she did what she could. Like a warrior heading into battle—he has to pick up his weapon.
Put some action behind what you believe and watch God work.
“Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. . . . And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” - Matthew 13:54-58
One time in the Gospels it says that Jesus couldn’t do much in a town “because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58). Wouldn’t that be an awful thing to have said about your home, about your family, about you? Jesus couldn’t do much in or through you because you just didn’t believe Him. Lord, why don’t You do more in our church? Could it be because of people’s unbelief? Why do you make good things happen so often in my friend’s life, but not in mine? Could it be because your friend believes God more?
Faith is the key. God’s promises are activated by faith. Faith is not passive—it’s an action verb. Don’t say, “Well, I’m just waiting over here. Maybe God will work; maybe He won’t.” What are you doing about it? “Well, not much,” you say.
It’s like the sick guy who needs to get better but doesn’t go to the doctor. That’s foolishness. You’ve got to do what you can.
Or like the girl who is looking for a husband but never goes to the Single Adult meetings at church. She just sits down in her basement praying for her man to show up. “My husband will have to find me here.” Yeah, that’s not a great plan. Do what you can!
Like the person who’s filled with concerns and wants to have hope but has never read the Bible.
It’s God's promises that give us hope. How many Scriptural promises do you know? How many promises have you memorized? How many are on the tip of your tongue? Not a lot? Well, no wonder you’re filled with anxiety! No wonder you don’t have any hope! You’re not holding onto anything.
Get your heart around some of the exceedingly great and precious promises of God! Hold on to what God has said in His Word. Someday you’re going to be in a difficult situation and the enemy will try to pull you down, but you’ve got God’s Word hidden in your heart. His words will flood you with courage and fill your life with faith.
“God helps those who help themselves” is not in the Bible but it is a biblical concept. Faith has to be active to be real. Remember the guy in 2 Kings 5 who had leprosy and God told him he had to go dip in the river? In faith, he had to do what he could. Like the woman in poverty in 2 Kings 4 who had to collect containers to hold all that oil God was giving her—she did what she could. Like a warrior heading into battle—he has to pick up his weapon.
Put some action behind what you believe and watch God work.
Friday, September 3, 2010
T.H.I.N.K. Before You Talk
… with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…. -- Ephesians 4:2
You and I need to give careful consideration to how we engage our culture on behalf of Christ.
That’s why I want to share with you a little acrostic that will help you “T.H.I.N.K” before you speak. Try using this simple little outline. It will help you present the Gospel in a positive manner.
“T” stands for True. Before you speak and offer criticism of someone’s ideas or behaviors, make sure that what you’re saying is true. Don’t mistake spiritual discernment for merely opinion, innuendo, slander, or gossip. Are you addressing a true spiritual issue?
“H” stands for Helpful. Ask yourself if the words you’re offering are helpful. Don’t judge, but seek to build up an individual rather than tearing them down.
“I” stands for Inspiring. Be uplifting and point others toward what the Scripture says about Christ, his love, and restoration.
“N” stands for Necessary. Don’t be a fault-finder regarding matters of little importance. Ask yourself if it’s really necessary to take action and what’s at stake.
“K” stands for Kind. Be kind and humble in your approach. We’re to get the speck out of our eye before addressing the faults of others. In other words, get your own life right before attempting to deal with someone else.
BE UPLIFTING AND POINT OTHERS TOWARD WHAT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS ABOUT CHRIST, HIS LOVE, AND RESTORATION.
VISIT DR. SALVADOR OTHER WEBSITE HERE
… with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…. -- Ephesians 4:2
You and I need to give careful consideration to how we engage our culture on behalf of Christ.
That’s why I want to share with you a little acrostic that will help you “T.H.I.N.K” before you speak. Try using this simple little outline. It will help you present the Gospel in a positive manner.
“T” stands for True. Before you speak and offer criticism of someone’s ideas or behaviors, make sure that what you’re saying is true. Don’t mistake spiritual discernment for merely opinion, innuendo, slander, or gossip. Are you addressing a true spiritual issue?
“H” stands for Helpful. Ask yourself if the words you’re offering are helpful. Don’t judge, but seek to build up an individual rather than tearing them down.
“I” stands for Inspiring. Be uplifting and point others toward what the Scripture says about Christ, his love, and restoration.
“N” stands for Necessary. Don’t be a fault-finder regarding matters of little importance. Ask yourself if it’s really necessary to take action and what’s at stake.
“K” stands for Kind. Be kind and humble in your approach. We’re to get the speck out of our eye before addressing the faults of others. In other words, get your own life right before attempting to deal with someone else.
BE UPLIFTING AND POINT OTHERS TOWARD WHAT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS ABOUT CHRIST, HIS LOVE, AND RESTORATION.
VISIT DR. SALVADOR OTHER WEBSITE HERE
Thursday, September 2, 2010
TURN VULNERABILITY INTO VICTORY
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
--Mark 14:38
Jesus was tempted in every way possible, but He never gave in. Not once! This means you and I, as believers in Christ, can also experience that kind of victory.
The reason why is because He has given us the power to overcome temptation just like He did through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Remember that temptation is the seduction to fulfill a God-given desire in a God-forbidden way. And sometimes the reason it is important to face temptation is so that we learn absolute dependence on God.
Be prepared: When you are moving forward in your walk with the Lord, be ready for the temptation Satan will throw your way. And know that in any potentially sinful situation, God will offer you a way of escape!
Sin may gratify momentarily, but it never satisfies. If you submit to the will of God, stay grounded in His Word, seek to live a life of worship, and recognize temptation, then you will be able to dodge Satan’s lies every time. You CAN turn every temptation into a triumph and vulnerability into victory for Jesus Christ.
IN ANY POTENTIALLY SINFUL SITUATION, GOD WILL OFFER YOU A WAY OF ESCAPE!
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
--Mark 14:38
Jesus was tempted in every way possible, but He never gave in. Not once! This means you and I, as believers in Christ, can also experience that kind of victory.
The reason why is because He has given us the power to overcome temptation just like He did through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Remember that temptation is the seduction to fulfill a God-given desire in a God-forbidden way. And sometimes the reason it is important to face temptation is so that we learn absolute dependence on God.
Be prepared: When you are moving forward in your walk with the Lord, be ready for the temptation Satan will throw your way. And know that in any potentially sinful situation, God will offer you a way of escape!
Sin may gratify momentarily, but it never satisfies. If you submit to the will of God, stay grounded in His Word, seek to live a life of worship, and recognize temptation, then you will be able to dodge Satan’s lies every time. You CAN turn every temptation into a triumph and vulnerability into victory for Jesus Christ.
IN ANY POTENTIALLY SINFUL SITUATION, GOD WILL OFFER YOU A WAY OF ESCAPE!
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