Scripture

Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it…So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

~Matthew 10:29-31 NLT{selected}

Quote

The gospel awakes an intent resentment because it reveals that I am unholy; but it also awakens an intense craving to be holy.

~Oswald Chambers {My Utmost, Sept. 1}

Joe David sent me a new version of AMAZING GRACE. I don’t know who the artist is but he has changed some of the notes and it is beautiful. As I listened, I heard something I had not payed attention to before and I have heard the song thousands of times.“It was grace that taught my heart to fear {God} and grace my fears relieved.” We have pain relievers and stress relievers but what about a fear reliever! We have one and it is called GRACE. If not for the grace of God, I would live in constant fear of death and hell. Apart from His amazing grace, unspeakable horror would haunt me all the days of my life and would dwell in the house of the damned forever. Thank you LORD for amazing grace. I was thinking about this amazing grace when I read Chambers entry for September 1 which is about holiness.

At one time holiness really frightened me because I associated it with the strange antics of the pentecostal movement. Preachers screaming at the top of their lungs, jumping pews, handling snakes and speaking in tongues. I’ve been in a couple of services where I was scared to death and I was praying for the service to end so I could get away. Of course I have learned since that this kind of behavior is crazy, not holy. Now that I understand what holiness is, I want to be holy. Jesus is the perfect example: He was holy and happy. He had perfect integrity. He lived a transparent life. He was always the same no matter where you saw Him. Although I have the craving to be holy, it seems to be an impossible dream. I neither feel holy or holier. When I examine my life, I don’t see much improvement. One thing is for sure, holiness is a gift of grace: only Christ can make us holy. This is our only shot, if He doesn’t make us holy, we are not going to be holy.

I also read Psalm 45 yesterday which talks about a royal wedding and the bride being adorned to meet the groom {king}. Who gets this perspective queen adorned for the wedding? Well, one thing is certain, it is not her! No, she sits while a team works on her. Someone is working on the hair and others on the makeup. Who knows, they may even do her nails. So I want to be holy. I want to be presentable to the King but there is no possible way that I can make myself holy. The good news is: Christ, by the power of His love and grace, makes us holy. Holiness is a gift. You see holiness and humility walk hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. No holiness–no true humility. If we are proud, we are not holy. If we are holy, we are not proud.

Extra

For you working folks, and for the kids, I know Friday is a special day and I hope you have a good one. LORD willing, I plan to attend Orville Collins COLS. Orville is actually kin to Seth, Lara and Lexi: their grandmother is his first cousin. Orville had a Job experience. He has suffered for many years from a stroke, a brain bleed and the latest was cancer. His final battle is over. Life is a series of test and the final exam is physical death. Orville has passed his final exam. Orville was a Morgan Baptist pastor. He came out of Central Park and pastored Autumn Wood and Oak Park.

I hope you have a great weekend: thanks for reading the blog.