ANSWER THE CALL OR HANG UP!

BEFORE we begin, I just want to Thank You all for taking the time to read what I got to say. It is a privilege and my honour to have y'all take time out of your day for me, a stranger. However, if you are here to bother me about my grammar, take you badge somewhere else. I will get lazy at some point and horribly mess up "Your & You're"...get over it, there will be TYPO'S aplenty! So lets begin:

 

 

 

Answer the Call to Holiness! 

Today we are going to take a look at one of the more difficult aspects of Christian living, and that is the call to Holiness. 

Holiness in today's world is looked down on. It's actual considered to be a weakness. "Little goodie two shoes, oh holier than thou"and so on.

See it's kind of funny, people don't mind you going to church,that's an okay thing. Even worldly people think its good to go to church. Everyone should have a hobby. However, when you start to change your ways... Oh Lord! When you allow the Holy Spirit to start cleaning you up, inside and out, then your playing a whole new ball game! Now you are a Bible thumper, zealot, dogmatic bigot. You will probably lose your old friend's and your family may push away from you. You may end up being more lonelier then you ever where before...I have to say this, the reality is this,  the closer you get to God, the further away your old life goes. It's part of being born again. 

 

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
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Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.

For at least the last 30 yrs of my life, I can remember multiple pastors saying over and over "GOD'S CALLING HIS PEOPLE TO HOLINESS! " 30 years! This isn't something new, God had been calling His people to live HIS WAY since the beginning!

Lev 11:44-45, when God was giving the laws to Moses He said "Here is the reason: I am the LORD your Good, you must live Holy lives. Be holy because I am Holy."

1 Peter 1:13-21

¹³ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
¹⁴ As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
¹⁵ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
¹⁷ And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
¹⁸ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
²⁰ Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
²¹ Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Faith in God plays a huge roll in Holiness.  See it is through our Faith we are saved. We were made the Righteousness of God in Christ!  See, unlike God's choosen people the Jews, we gained God's approval by faith. We were not under the Mosaic law, so we didn't have to measure up, we just believed in faith in Jesus. That alone is sufficient to make us righteous and put us on the path to holiness. He measured up more then we could ever even dare to conceive.

Holiness and righteousness are partners together. 

Righteousness is a right relationship with God through the sacrifice of Jesus, in faith.  

Romans 1:16-17 -The gospel is the power of God for salvation because a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. 

To receive this gift of righteousness is to be justified -found innocent- by faith! And those who receive the gift then are to live as righteous people, devoted to the service of what God declares to be right. 

WE ARE IN A WAR!

Do you realize you are in a war? I know our natural eyes only see everyday living like kids playing at a park, parents talking over coffee.  Folks going to work. Life proceeding as normal,  it's all sunshine and rainbows...but it what you don't see is the Spirit realm. In the Spirit there is a constant war that has been raging since the fall. Good vs evil in the most epic death match the world had never seen! The Battles that are fought between the forces of light and darkness are for the souls of every single person who has ever walked the face of the earth. And sadly,  the Kingdom of Light has not always been victorious.  The darkness has swallowed far too many souls. 

The CIA put out an interesting number.  On an average day -whatever they consider average,  there are 150k known deaths in a single day and 350k known births. 

I Wonder how many of those 150k were saved.  How many people died today and were ushered into hell to spend an eternity separate from God.  I wonder how many stood before the gates of hell and said "I knew the truth but I didn't want to listen, I scoffed at Jesus! Or, I thought I had more time."

How many believers went to Glory today only to realize someone they loved didn't make it?

How about this. How many of us missed the opportunity to share the gospel to someone but didn't and they passed on to eternity?  

I missed the opportunity...I had a coworker who got sick real quickly, died within months of being diagnosed with cancer. I saw her in the hospital, but never once did I even think to tell her about Jesus. Never once did I think to pray for her healing. I was young, indifferent and completely self centered. I wonder to this day if someone told her the truth that I failed to tell her.

Friends,  I personally believe that my daughter's generation will be the one to Usher Christ in! Time is short, hell is real and we have a job to do!!!  I aim to be present at that time to see the King of Glory come in! But if I go by way of the grave, I'm not going to mess up like I did with my friend! After all God said in Genesis 6 the days of man will be 120 yrs! I got the time and to preach might as well use it!

We are in some of the last battles, we got to be ready!

In the final hour of World War 2, the Germans even though they knew they had surrendered,  their leader dead, the Allies on their door steps, still managed to kill a couple of our men! Why? Personally, I believe that the men let there guard down. They assumed that since the Germans were defeated, they could be at ease.

Eph 6:10-19 tells us we got to be ready, we got to put our armour on!

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

We don't wrestle against flesh and blood! No way! We fight demons! And we already won! See when someone is attacking you, it's not them, it's the devil in them that is using them, (their mouths, fingers) to throw their arrows at you. That is why you have the authority as a believer in Christ Jesus to bind that devil from using your friend/family member against you! You don't even have to be in the same room! There is no distance in the spirit, bind that devil from spewing it's filth at you in Jesus Name!

 

We are fighting a defeated foe! But many believers fail to realize this. When the devil roars, they tremble and many fall.  But the question we got to all is why.  Why is it so easy for the devil to pick us off?

Matt 24:10 - ¹⁰ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

 

1 Tim 4:1 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

They believe the teachings of demons.  Can you think of the top of your head and demonic teachings that is being taught? I can think of a few right off the bat.

 

Don't ever kid yourself people, just because people twisted the laws of men to says sin is okay doesn't mean squat to God. His Word is final - not yours.

I went to a church not so long ago, a very charismatic pentecostal type church. I was amazed at how many young people were there. It was great! Until they spoke...Frankly, if I was blind didn't know I was in a church, I wouldn't have guessed it from the speaking. See, one of the youth pastors I am assuming, a lady about my age was talking with 2 young girls who apparently weren't legal age to drink. One of them had a birthday coming up, making her that ripe old age of 18. The conversation started by the older lady went something like, "well you still have 3 years before you can legally drink". To which the birthday girl replied, "oh no, it's okay, my parents are going to buy me beer for my party." 

I sat dumbfounded. I was seriously taken back by the conversation that started from the older woman. She was encouraging alcohol. Now to some people, that's not a big deal...after all "everyone drinks". And lets not forget that we need to throw Jesus' first miracle in here, water into wine... Friends, as a former drinker I can speak freely on this topic, and this is what I have to say, what an epic twist of scripture! Jesus may have turned the water into wine, but no where did it say He got hammered, which is generally the rule when young kids start drinking, because it's just sooooooooooooooooo cooooooooooooooool to spend your night putting your face where other peoples butts go. Yeah...fun fun fun.

In our society or young people have the highest rate of depression and suicide than any other generation before them. The feel hopeless. We shouldn't be teaching our kids to get drunk and loose, we should be teaching them how to live for Christ Jesus, who would give them lives beyond compare if they would only seek Him first.

My oldest brother was killed in a DUI accident. He was 18, a passenger sitting in the middle of the backseat of the car when the driver slammed head on into a telephone pole because he was so drunk he couldn't see straight. My brother and a 16yr old girl died that night. The driver lived on.

We have to stop allowing the devil to have free reign with our kids! They don't have the life experience we have and their Foundations are weak! The Church has been twisting Gods Word for years to suit our needs and justify our behaviour for far too long. Even the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon when he was alive noted how weak and spineless Christians had become. We got lazy. We became lukewarm.

Rev 3:16 ¹⁶ So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

It's time folks that this sleeping giant, the Church needs a good tasering! Get off the fence! It's time to get HOLY!

WHAT IN HELL DO YOU REALLY NEED?

Jesse Duplantis (my fav preacher and ya I know y'all hate him, get over it) said once "What in Hell do you really need?!" Seriously, think about it. What does this world really have to offer you?

Eph 5:15 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children 

 

Stop imitating the world! What does it have to offer you?

Drinking till you puke? Oh great fun there. Multiple sex partners...russian roulette with a loaded gun...clap, clap, itch, itch. All fun and games till someone gets hurt or a nasty rash/disease.

Be ye holy for I am holy!

 What about Romans 8:31 There is therefore, now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. So that means I can still party, live the way I want! Do what I want...

Really? What in hell do you realy need?

I want to challenge everyone right now. I want to challenge all of you not to use scripture to justify worldly behaviors but to use it to crucify your flesh! I want to challenge you to walk the walk and talk the talk!

Gal 5:24 ²⁴ And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

The more you allow God to clean you out, the easier it is to put away those childish wordly things away.

Holiness is alot easiest to accomplish than perfection. You are making the choice to seperate yourself from the things of this world and focus on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith!

Temptation may be strong But God! God is stronger! These temptations are commonplace,  we know them already. They are just flesh temptations! The devil can only tempt you in the flesh.

Matthew 16:13 - And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 

1 Chronicles 4:10- ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

 

The bible tells us to ask God to Keep us from Evil. It's mention roughly 30 times in one way or another. Jesus gave us outs all the time. And He told us time and again, your not of this world, don't be like them, seek ME first!

John 15:19¹⁹ If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

 

John 17: 15-17 ¹⁵ I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.¹⁷ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

 

John 8:31-32 ³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

TRUTH: 

Opposite of homosexuality is Holiness

Opposite of addictions is Holiness

Opposite to strife is Holiness 

Opposite to self centered living is HOLINESS

Holiness is the opposite of a sin filled life. 

Friends hear this, and recieve this: You must daily make the effort to put yourself in submission to God. 

 

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

 

HUMBLE YOURSELF! You got to do this yourself. You have to constantly fight your WORLD RULED MIND into submission to a WORD RULED MIND. What's more important, a few minutes of pleasure or a life time of Jesus?

The longer you give into your flesh the harder it is to put down.  The flesh is crafty and wants what it wants!

My mom smoked from age 12-46 out of her 65 yr life. She tried to quit numerous times. But would always start back up for some reason or another. She fought that temptation hard. UNTIL one day she got a revelation! She had just bought a new pack of smoke and a new lighter and as we all were driving down the highway back home, she got the deliverance from smoking that she'd been praying for! She looked at that fresh white stick of tobacco and said to it out loud "You don't control me!" and toss that sucker and his buddies and the light out the window and never touched another cigarette ever again. Heck the smell of it, which she use to like made her nauseous.

Finally, she put her desire down and her Spirit rose over her flesh!

BE YE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY!

There are awesome benefits to working your way along the path to holiness! It's not as boring as you may think. Sure, you may end up loosing interest in some things after awhile, but you find so much more. Following Jesus becomes so fulfilling and all consuming, stupid things just don't matter. I use to go out and party, but I never really enjoyed it. I always felt like something was missing. I don't like the "feeling" of a bar anymore. I go to pubs every so often to eat...the food is awesome! But I can't be bothered to hang out all night with a bunch of hissy women and horny men!

Gal 5:22-24

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
²⁴ And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

When my mom died in 2004, I faced my worst nightmare and fear head on. I loved my mom dearly. She was my world. She was also my Pastor. But when she died, I thought for sure I was going to curl up in a ball and die soon after her. Even my cats mourned her! But when I went to the actual funeral, it was weird. I have never in all my life ever felt the kind of peace and indescribable joy that I felt there. I was sad my mom had left this crappy world, but I was not overwhelmed. I had peace in my Spirit. I knew I didn't have to worry about her, I knew she was in Heaven, I knew that everything was going to work out fine. Because Jesus was there with me. He never left me and even to this day, His presence is a very real thing in my life.

See, Holiness isn't hard. Perfection is, but Holiness is simple, all you have to do is just shift your focus on the things that please God, that lead you to Him. Your really not missing out on anything!  Get into His word daily, read it for yourself,  find out what God has to say about you. Ask Him to reveal to you the areas in your life that need a good scrubbing out. 

You don't have to give up anything really. You just change what you think is important. See, if you ask my daughter and husband what I value most in my personal life they will tell you Jesus. He comes before anyone and anything. Why? Because I shifted my focus off pleasing me to focusing on what pleases God, and what He desires for me. His ways are so much more fulfilling then mine. They just jive so much better than anything I could contrive for myself. He blesses me so richly it's amazing! Simply amazing!

Let me close with this final quote from my favourite Cajun, Jesse Duplantis "There has got to be a time when you love Jesus more than you love sin. There has to come a time when you hold his face dear; when it's worth more to you than some worldly fling!"

 

It's time to make your affections known. Will you finally answer His persistent loving call? Be ye holy as I am Holy saith the Lord...or go on with your worldly life...your call.