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Holiness
Hello all. I wanted to start this week by inviting everyone to come out to our Annual “Harvest Fest” and “Faces of Hell” Drama/Maze we have every Halloween at Victory Outreach Houston on October 29-31 starting each night at 7:00 p.m. Victory Outreach Houston is located at 18 ½ Veenstra off Airline and Tidwell. For directions or more information you can email me or my brother Gabe or call the church at 713-742-9000. If you’re in the Houston area, come on by and I’ll see you there.
This past weekend my Pastor Ernie Lopez was speaking about “Holiness”. He used an example that kind of got stuck in my head. He was saying that when he goes into the kitchen to get something to drink, he’ll pick up a glass and look it over real good before he pours anything in it. If the glass looks dirty, he’ll either pick up another one or end up rinsing that one out or cleaning it. It made me laugh, because I’m the exact same way. You won’t see me drinking from a dirty glass.
He used that illustration to show that just like we don’t like drinking out of dirty glasses, God doesn’t like using dirty vessels either. He’s looking to use those vessels that are pure and holy. He’s looking for those that come to Him with a clean heart.
2 Timothy 2:20-21 says, “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”
1 Peter 1:15-16 says, “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
God has called us out of darkness. He has taken us into His marvelous light. He’s cleansed us and purged us and cleaned us up. He’s given us a new life. We no longer live under the bondage of sin. We are free from all the chains that used to bind us. We now have to walk in that freedom. We now have to be that “holy nation” He’s called us to be.
The Bible says that God is looking for “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
Now, I know none of us are perfect. I know I’m far from it. Our glasses tend to get a little dirty from time to time. That is why it is so important that we go to our God and ask Him to clean us up. If we want to be used by Him, we have to be pure.
When we do fall short and find ourselves messing up though, we need to repent and come back to God. I long for that relationship that David had with God. He made mistakes from time to time, but the Bible calls him a man after God’s own heart. He knew how to get ahold of God. He knew that when he failed, He could always go back to God and ask for forgiveness.
David writes in Psalm 51:8-11, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”
I know God has called me and chosen me and that is why it is important that I strive for “Holiness”. I find myself praying, “God sanctify me. Let me come before you pure and holy. Wash me, make me whole and let me worship you with a clean heart. I don’t want to find myself disqualified. I don’t want my life to be tainted with sin. Take away anything that is not pleasing to You. Let me be a living sacrifice to You.”
That’s our challenge, to strive for “Holiness”. God’s calling His church to be one without spot or blemish. He’s calling you to be that chosen generation, that royal priesthood, that holy nation. Take some time this week to go before Him and ask Him to wash clean those dirty spots so that He can fill your cup and let it overflow.
w/muchluv,
geno
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