Holiness

Scripture

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.

~Romans 7:18, NLT

Quote

Thinking about ourselves hinders our usefulness to God.

~Oswald Chambers

Anytime we are fixed on ourselves, the devil is pleased. This egotism will produce one of two things: either self-loathing, self-pity and even depression or the opposite which would be arrogance and conceit. Some people have made holiness their goal and they have attempted to get there by keeping the law or living up to a certain standard. These people tend to be legalistic, judgmental and self-righteous like the Pharisees. True holiness in a product of our abiding in Christ. It comes our of our relationship to HIM. Holiness is not the way to Christ–Christ is the way to holiness. Those who are truly holy are humble. They understand the impossibility of keeping the whole law {James 2:10}. They also understand their desperate need for grace. They know that they can never make themselves holy; this is something only Christ can do. To put it in a nutshell: they focus on Christ, not holiness.

Holiness is a word that use to frighten me and to be honest, I had no desire to be holy. When I came to understand the true nature of holiness, I changed my mind and decided I wanted to be holy. I do not want to be weird; I do not want to be arrogant or self-righteous, but I do want to be holy as Jesus my LORD is holy. Holiness without humility is impossible. Sanctification, which is the process of being made holy, can be painful. It involves suffering and humiliation. Suffering is the refining fire that melts the dross of our incessant egotism. It enlarges the Savior and shrinks the self. We all need the same thing: more Jesus and less self. When we put ourselves first; it hinders our fellowship with Jesus and our ministry to others.

Extra

Beautiful day to me, I love rain. It is great for studying, reading or taking a nap. I know it is hard on construction workers and those who have to work outside. Great weekend. It was great to see Andrea and the kids at church. She said Lincoln was holding his on. Gary and Mary Jo Merkle visited with us yesterday. It is a possibility that Gary might get to fill in for one of the Methodist churches that pulled out of the United Methodist Conference. Don and I talked yesterday and he said the Decatur Daily ran a list. Several Hartselle area churches took a stand for the scriptures and pulled out. This is so refreshing and I thank God for our Methodist brothers who are standing on the word at great cost. These church will grow and prosper. Don was telling me that the vote to come out of the conference had to be a two/thirds majority, not 51%. Some of the churches in Decatur had over 50% wanting to stay with the Bible but did not have the 67%. Any way, the stand our friends have taken is courageous and I applaud them.

DBC had their annual Christmas play last night. It started as a children’t production but has grown far beyond a children’s play. It is a play that involves children but most of the actors were young people and there were adults as well. Hailey, that rhymes with Bailey, is a super star.  Gregg is a natural and Talon didn’t miss a line. The children sang out and all did their lines. It was good. I laughed and cried. It was a moving production directed by our own Shohn Miller.

December is doing exactly as I expected, flying by and I have not been to a Christmas party yet. We haven’t recovered from covid I guess. We need more parties! When we moved to Danville in 1979, the Middle Adult Class which was Jimmy, Hugh, John, Joe Eaton and that group always invited June and I to their Christmas part at ALL STEAK in Cullman. That is where I ate my first orange roll and the first time I drank coffee with a sweetener. O for the good old days.

Have a great week and if you have a party and don’t invite me, may you feel guilty.

1 thought on “Holiness

  1. You know that our Church Cove pulled out of the United Methodist as well as Ashbury which is two of the largest in Huntsville, I am very thankful,.

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