Author: ChristianHolinessDaily

… You Did It To Me

August 20, 2016 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

I was eighteen or nineteen, naive, to say the least. I flew down the interstate, coming from St. Louis in a twenty year old Galaxy 500, on the way to Kansas. This was a big car that would comfortably hold six people, more in a squeeze. Just past Fort Leonard Wood, I saw a hitchhiker. I always picked up hitchhikers, and this day was no different.

He was older than me, maybe thirty, and traveling alone with a large bag. He climbed in the back seat and shut the door. Just as I put the car in drive, the door opened again.

“Scoot over, friend.” A young soldier on leave climbed in. Then another. Then another. Within seconds, my car was crammed with soldiers heading to Springfield, Mo for a few days recreation. Nine of us. Seven soldiers, a random hitchhiker, and me. There was barely room for me to steer.

I don’t remember everything we talked about, but I do remember we talked. I remember looking in the mirror and thinking how out of place the hitchhiker looked among the soldiers. I remember asking where the soldiers had come from. When I pulled over, I had seen but one person on the side of the road for a mile in any direction, the random hitchhiker.

Yet, there they were, crammed in as if mine was the only car on the interstate that could or would haul them a hundred miles west.

The soldiers wanted off on the north side of town. The hitchhiker wanted to go with me all the way to Kansas. When I dropped the soldiers at East Kearney St., though, they insisted the hitchhiker get out with them.

“I don’t mind taking him with me to Kansas,” I said.

“No, he’s getting out,” said one of the men while the others practically dragged the hitchhiker out of my car.

“You should be careful who you pick up,” said a soldier, ducking at my window, smiling.

I have thought about that day many times in the past thirty some years. I have concluded that God sent those soldiers to me to protect me from… I wonder what they protected me from. I have often wondered if they were angels that looked like soldiers. I wonder if the lone hitchhiker was a serial killer. Who knows?

It’s likely that everyone were just what they seemed, a down on his luck drifter and seven eager soldiers. Still… I wonder.

I do know this. When we help those in need, whether it’s feeding the hungry, giving to the poor, helping widows and orphans, visiting the sick and imprisoned, it is like we are taking care of God, himself. Maybe that day, God also took care of me.

‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

My challenge today: help someone; make a difference in someone’s life.

Not by Might

August 19, 2016 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

Q. Aren’t you simply teaching Lordship Salvation?

– James

A. Good question, James. Thank you. If you define Lordship Salvation in the traditional sense, then no. Absolutely not. Lordship Salvation, as the term has been used in my lifetime, means that one must prove himself or herself to earn salvation. In other words, Lordship Salvation teaches that salvation is accomplished by our works. This is in clear conflict with the Bible. This is following the Law to work our way into heaven. If even just one man or woman could do this, then Christ’s sacrifice was unnecessary. We could all just worship William or Sally or whoever accomplished such a feat.

Salvation is obtained only by grace through faith, lest anyone should boast.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

– Ephesians 2:8-9

God didn’t rescue us from sin and death with only the promise of eternal life. Our deliverance begins at salvation and continues to work in us our entire lives. This work of the Holy Spirit is known as sanctification and it brings us to victory over sin. Our divergence at salvation also leads us into a living relationship with our Savior that compels us to do good works. Look at the next verse in Ephesians.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

– Ephesians 2:10

Christ calls us to follow him. He calls us to repentance. He calls us to share in His victory over SIN and death. He compels us through His love and his example (and His commands) to be holy.

One cannot obtain salvation through good works, but one who truly develops a relationship with God will make Him Lord and do the good works that He shows us to do.

THE SELF WE WERE INTENDED TO BE

August 18, 2016 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

Our lives here on earth pale in comparison to what we were intended to be. Our lives are corrupted by sin, detoured by our own free-will, and perhaps even tortured by devils. The life of the rare saint, one who is entirely striving to please God, reveals but a glimmer of the life that is in store for us after this life.

There’s an old joke about a Sunday school teacher who asks her students if they want to go to heaven. Everyone raise their hands but little Tommy. The teacher asks why he doesn’t want to go to heaven, he responds, “I do. I just thought you meant right now.”

Most of my life, I felt that way. I wanted to go to heaven, but not yet. When I was a child, my Sunday school teacher was also my first and second grade school teacher, Mrs. Alice Ada Orrell. I thought she was ancient, but she was only about 60. She taught nearly 20 more years after teaching me. She played piano when called upon, organized Vacation Bible School, and was always ready to testify when given the opportunity. I remember many times she testified that she was ready to “go home.” She meant that if she were to die that very day, she would be happy, for the life that awaited her on the other side would be far superior to this life, weighed down by the burdens and cares of this world.

I didn’t understand that then. I do now. I am ready. I am ready end the battle against sin and death. I am ready to be done with health issues. I am sick of the struggle of wondering where my next meal is coming from, and wondering if I will make enough money to pay my bills next month. I am sick of the aches and pains of an aging and abused body. I am ready to go home, and ready to be the person God intended me to be.

That’s not to say that I will be discontent to stick around until God calls me home, even if it is many years in the future. My prayer is for God to continue to sanctify me, lead me into holiness, and allow me to continue to feel His presence on a daily basis. Still, I let Him know that I am ready.

The Apostle Peter tells us that Christ has prepared us a new life in heaven…

according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:3-5

Are you ready? We never know when we will be called home.