Category: Holiness

Praise the Lord, I Saw the Light!

August 13, 2016 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

In Branson’s Marvel Cave, and many other caves around the world, there is a point at which the tour guide stops and asks everyone to remain perfectly still, and turns off the lights. If you have ever been on such a tour, you know that the darkness envelopes you. It is so thick and impenetrable that it weighs upon you like a shroud.

A few moments later, the guide turns on an insignificant, old fashioned penlight. At that point, one can here multiple sighs of relief, for in a world of utter darkness, the smallest of lights can point the way.

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

– Matthew 5:16

At different points in the Gospel, Jesus says that He is the light (John 8:12), and He says that you and I are the light (Matthew 5:14-16). Both are true statements. When I look back on the state of my mind when I lived in sin, I realize now that there was no light in me. Had God not been merciful, I would have perished and spent eternity cast into utter darkness, in torment, drowning in endless fire. He showed me the Light, and – praise God – I followed that Light.

Now that He lives in me, His light shines through me (no credit to me). My prayer is that those around me may also see the light. I pray that everyone from my family to complete strangers may see something of Jesus in me, something that will compel them to follow the Light of Jesus Christ.

I was a fool to wander and stay

Straight is the gate and narrow’s the way

Now I have traded the wrong for the right

Praise the Lord, I Saw the Light.

– Hank Williams

Daily Devotion for 11 August 2016 – 4 Ways to Help the Toxic Christian

August 11, 2016 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

You have known them, I’m sure; everyone knows a Christian who is toxic. He or she is so negative, so irritable, so hateful, and usually so self-righteous that no one, not even the pastor, can stand to be near them. Every church has at least one person like this. The church I attend does, and we have a congregation of less than 100.

What can you do to help the toxic Christian enjoy life more, and make life more pleasant for those nearby?

Pray for the toxic Christian. Most people like this have become so worn down by the stresses of life that they experience no joy. Pray for this person, that his or her joy will be restored.
Tell him or her that you love them, and give them a hug. I come from a hugging church, one with many huggers. Rita, a good friend is known for her hugs. Last year when we moved our membership to a new church, I was thrilled to meet Joy, a hugger just like Rita. Everyone needs a hug once in a while. Everyone needs to experience Christian love.
Invite him or her to dinner. Get to know the toxic Christian. Perhaps… just maybe, they only became toxic after feeling alienated. Maybe he or she simply needs a friend.
Ask their opinion. By including the toxic Christian in serious conversation, and asking their opinion, you will demonstrate respect. Sometimes, all it takes to melt a heart is love and respect.

Christ tells us that if we believe in Him, then rivers of living water will flow from our hearts. Share that living water with those who thirst most.

Daily Devotion for 10 August 2016 – Self Denial

August 9, 2016 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

The 1970s ushered in a great many changes to Christianity: the Charismatic Movement, the Ecumenical Movement, and the Prosperity Gospel all moved into the spotlight. Before 1970, there was a great deal preached about self-denial and little said about self-esteem. In the mid-eighties, I heard the song, “When He was on the Cross, I was on His mind,” and thinking that this sounded self-centered. I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with this now classic song by The Florida Boys; all I am saying is that I asked myself that question.

It is true that while Jesus was on the cross, He thought about you and me. This is evidence in His prayer for forgiveness of those who crucified Him. My point is that, sometimes, our worship begins to focus on ourselves instead of the great love God expresses towards us in the person of Jesus Christ. At some point, it becomes prideful, and self-centered.

The Word of God consistently calls us to a life of self-denial, and not self-love. Very little is written in the Bible about boosting the ego of Christians, but much is said about avoiding self-love. Instead of loving ourselves, we are to love God, praise God, worship God, and obey God.

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

-2 Timothy 3:2-5

So, how is it that sinful man would ever want to deny himself or herself in order to worship God? There is no human explanation. I can only say that when one hears and comprehends the Word of God, and one experiences the love and acceptance of God, the natural response is to deny self, and instead focus on God. Take a look at the Zacchaeus, tax collector. Here is his response to hearing the loving and accepting words of Christ:

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

He didn’t have to be told to deny himself. His self-denial was in response to repentance, offered in the realization that he was but a filthy sinner staring at a pure and holy God. That should be our response, too. We deny ourselves so that we may fill our hearts with His Spirit, and our minds with His Word.