Strive for holiness...

As you mature in Christ by spending time in the word and in prayer, you get to experience a glimpse of God’s holiness! We can never get a full picture I believe because it will blow our minds away! I say this because everyday God reveals Himself in a more extraordinarily different way and this causes my famished spirit to cry out for more of Him, more of His holiness! (Blessed are the poor in spirit,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Math.5:3)

My everyday confession, with an unchanging humble attitude I die daily!  We can never be familiar with God! One would think that because they have prayed two hours non-stop in the morning, they don’t need to pray all day! Truth is, the more you pray, the more you need to pray! Hearing the Word once on a Sunday morning at church wont be enough to carry you through the entire day! Well it could, depending on how hungry you are! The more you read and hear the Word, the more you need to read and hear the Word! Do not get satisfied or content with the dimension you are currently in!

How hungry are you? Are you hungry enough to desolate yourself from certain things, activities, and certain people? Are you hungry enough to starve the flesh and feed the spirit? Are you hungry enough to leave your comfortable bed in the middle of the night to spend time in God’s presence? Are you hungry enough to refrain from social networks and media just to be alone with God? Here’s the deal: If I don’t make time to pray for two hours, then I won’t make time to watch a two hour movie! If I don’t make time to read and meditate on my Word then I wont make time to eat, sleep, or chat on social networks! It’s all about getting your priorities right! You could be content with where you are, it’s okay, nobody’s going to force you to become holy or fully comprehend the holiness of God, but understand this, there’s more to God than what you have already acquired thus far! The only way you can ever find out, is when you stretch your spirit to hunger for more of God!

“I've made up my mind, no compromise, I will live for You! Because of the Cross and what it cost, I will go for You!” Now let me focus on the second part of this praise song we sing at CRC! “Because of the Cross and what it cost, I will go for You!” It was raining heavily one Sunday morning and as I was getting ready for church and with a grumpy attitude I asked God to please stop the rain because He knows that it’s church time! The Holy Spirit asked, “So what if it doesn’t stop raining, would you still go to church?” When the Holy Spirit asks such questions you know that you don’t have a chance! I ran to the bus stop through the rain and by the time I got in the bus I was soaking wet! Love and respect God this much: If He so wishes that it rains in a church day, then so be it! The fact of the matter is that nothing should ever suppress your hunger for change and holiness! No amount of rain should keep you in bed when you are supposed to be in church! If you can attend two services a day, do so! Make use of every opportunity you get to be in God’s presence because He will elevate you to the level where He is, from glory to glory!

“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God…” Leviticus 20:7

There are three things that you need to be on the lookout for on your quest for holiness! Your actions, your thoughts and…BOREDOM! 

Actions!

I used to own a fake Face book profile! You know, a profile where I added all my haters, my ex-boo’s , all the girls who were “stealing” my boo’s, and it used to be a source of entertainment when I was bored! One morning the Holy Spirit told me to deactivate the account but I didn’t take Him seriously because…what’s the big fuss about a profile anyway! On that same morning He had placed a message in my heart to type for my blog! I sat for such a long time with my pen and a blank paper but could put nothing down!  The message was throbbing in my heart and I thought that this was a test from the devil so I walked all the way to campus, trying to prove my determination, with the hope that as soon as I sit in front of the computer screen ideas will start flowing! In front of the computer…still blank and the urgency of the message got stronger and stronger! Frustrated I decided to go to the bathroom, knelt and cried out to God, “Oh Lord you’ve put a message in my heart! Help me write it down! Look at me God, I am even keeling in a public bathroom to show you how serious I am!” The Holy Spirit just said, “Get up child, sit on your toilet seat, and deactivate your fake face book account!” There’s no point kneeling if you are not going to obey! God doesn’t want you to act holy, He wants you to be holy inside out! What is so holy about owning a fake profile where you get entertained by seeing others being hurt by your past lovers? Your actions must correlate with what’s in your heart, if you are going to kneel, kneel with sincerity not because you want to look holy before the Lord! People might see your actions, but God knows your heart! And let me tell you, after deactivating that account, I was able to continue writing effectively for my sweet King! 

Thoughts!

Holiness is a choice…I have reached a point where I don’t get bugged by sexual thoughts anymore praise God! I am telling you now, it is possible! (For with God nothing shall be impossible! Luke 1:37). I realize that it was not as hard as I always imagined it to be! I just had to make a couple of choices and stick to them! I will not flirt on social networks, I will not allow memories from the past linger in my mind, I will not watch certain TV programs, I just wont allow anything to be a stumbling blocking in my pursuit of holiness! Remember works and our own effort won’t get us holy, but as you discipline your flesh you allow the grace of God to flow efficiently in your area of weakness! (Let this mind be in you, the mind of Christ! Phil2:5). One day I came across something that triggered a sexual thought and as soon as I was aware of what was in my mind, I literally beat myself so hard on my check! This flesh has got to be disciplined even if it means inflicting pain! God crucify my flesh, I don’t care how painful it is! No stain should mess your holiness! Thinking about sex will take you backwards because well, thinking it is just the same as doing it! Rather recite scripture, meditate on it, and think of God’s goodness! Constantly renew your mind, I will not entertain immoral thoughts I will only think of things which are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and things of virtue!(See Phil 4:8). Holiness is simply a choice! 

Boredom!

It is vital for any born again Christian to avoid boredom at all costs! In fact, never allow yourself to get bored! Bored people don’t have a life, they flirt on social networks all day, they watch pornography and inappropriate programs, they entertain immoral thoughts, they masturbate all day, they get drunk every day of their lives! They simply don’t have a life and you Christian have a life, and your life is found in the Word of God! Read about your life in the Word! “Read the Word! Consume the Word until it consumes you! Believe the Word! And then act on the Word!” Smith Wigglesworth! A Christian can who is striving for holiness can never get bored because they have the Word to consume and prayers to make!  Your life will have to revolve around these two, the Word and prayer; you cannot be part of the popular crowed! You cannot waste time doing irrelevant things! Dare to press in friend, ordinary Christians cannot posses God’s holiness!  It takes someone who will say, I've made up my mind, no compromise, I will live for You! Because of the Cross and what it cost, I will go for You! We were never called to do anything easy so be ready to pay the price! Strive to be at that certain place where Moses was…The Holy of Holies!