(Isaiah 1:16-18, Isaiah 6:1-7; Hebrews 12:1-15, Psalms 15; Psalms 24:3-6; Psalms 96:9)
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness… (Psalms 96:9).
In this week POINT OF FOCUS the Holy Spirit is revealing the truth of living in the beauty of God. He is leading us into the dwelling in the beauty of our God. This is a message no human being is qualified to minister, except by the Holy Spirit. No one is good enough (Matthew 19:17) to teach others this sacred attribute (Holiness) of the triple holy (holy, holy, holy) God (Isaiah 6:3). When prophet Isaiah beheld the Lord’s beauty of holiness, without anyone condemning him (Isaiah 6:5) he cried out lamenting how unholy and unworthy he was. Same thing made Moses trembled in awe (Exodus 35:5-8). From human perspective, this is how unimaginably holy God is and how unworthy we are before His holiness (Proverbs 20:9). Nevertheless, we thank Him for His amazing grace, unconditional love and inestimable mercy that have brought this to us. And May it do His will and achieve His purpose for which He has sent it to us, in Jesus name.
Holiness is the beauty of God. How beautiful our lives are to God depend on how holy we are before Him. This also determines how much of Him we can see. The Bible says, …the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8). What will make our lives, homes and churches beautiful and attractive to God is not about how best we can work for Him. What will attract God to His place in us and will put us into our place in Him is purity of heart. It is someone with holy life that can behold the beauty of the Lord. No unholy eyes can behold the Lord in the beauty of His holiness. As the west is far from the east so is unholy live far and separated from God. What the unholy eyes can behold in God is the terror of judgement. Iniquity cannot behold the beauty of the Lord.
Does He want to intimidate or overwhelm us with this? No, He does not. In fact, how He wants to always come to us as He fellowshipped with Adam in the garden of Eden! His call for this fellowship fills the Bible cover to cover, continues till this time and will still continue till we can see Him. How greatly He cherishes people with “clean hands” and pure heart (Psalms 24:3-6).
However, please we must know this, holiness is not by works lest we begin to glory in our individual holiness. Holiness is not a thing for competition against one another. Again, it is not for us to rejoice over those souls battling with unholy lives but it is for us to encourage and intercede for them. However, if not by works how then can we obtain it? It is by faith (solely) in Jesus’ works of grace. Having made it known to us that this holiness (unrighteousness) is not ours but it is God’s and given to us by grace through Jesus our Lord. Now, can we key in to the grace of God that makes us to be Holy and worthy? Yes. But before then we need willingness and obedience. The Lord our God’s instruction on this is found in Isaiah 1:19, “If ye be willing and obedient…”
The journey of holy lives begins from our willingness. If we are willing to be for the Lord. If we are willing to turn from our unholy ways to the holy way. If we are willing to continue with the holy way the Lord has put our feet on. If we are willing for the Lord to fill us with the Holy Spirit who will lead us to truth and obedience. Then obedience is made possible by grace given in Jesus Christ our Lord. We will only be able to claim and make this grace function for us by faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
How do we now pursue a holy life? For this, the Holy Spirit is leading us again to Isaiah 1:16,17.
Wash you, make you clean
If there must be a need to be clean. Then we must first be aware of the unholy state of our lives and admit them as our responsibility. There is also always a need to consciously confess our sins to Jesus Christ; sins done in the secret and those done in the open. Then we plead for the washing in the blood of Jesus our Redeemer.
put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes
Take note of all your wrongdoings (in the awareness that they are all before our Lord, take a bold step in Christ and against all these named wrongdoings. Reject them. Your taking them away from your live is taking them away from the eyes of He who watches over you (Hebrew 4:13)
CEASE TO DO EVIL
The authority of God Almighty says “cease to do evil”. There is no greater authority that can stop us from doing evil like God’s authourity. We should not just take this as instructions but as a command (decree). Key into the greatest authority that spoke this, say it to yourself that “my Lord has commanded me to cease from doing evil and it is final, yes, I cease from doing evil in Jesus name”.
LEARN TO DO WELL
Let us become a purpose driven student of the Word of God. Studying it to find out what is good (well) in Christ Jesus and LEARN to start doing them. This is the task for all students of the Bible. This is a call to strive to be a fruitful student of the Bible. Not every Bible reader is a student, some are just fans of the Bible. They read it with keen interest for knowledge just as a sport lover would watch the game to know and walk away. We should not stop at studying to know the word but we should go further to studying to do what it says (certainly it is the will of God). We should not just study to know the will of God but we should study to do the will of God.
seek judgment
By the leading of the Holy Spirit see to it that the good thing is done in truth, fairness and love. Claiming truth without love can amount to wickedness. Though, our truthfulness is not meant to be compromised, it must be fair and with the genuine love of Christ Jesus.
relieve the oppressed (Isaiah 35:3,4)
We should relieve the oppressed. We should help others. We should give to those in need. If you cannot give, encourage. If you cannot encourage them, put them in your prayers. Do not oppress anyone, in anyway. Do not mock them.
All this is important, if we would leave in the beauty of holiness of our Lord. Then our lives will be beautiful and attractive to Him. A life in the beauty of the Lord is a life of His holiness. Holiness is the beauty of the Lord.
Will you strive for a life in the beauty of (His) holiness?
Prayer Points
1) Holy Spirit, pour into me the willingness and obedience for truth and holiness, in Jesus name.
2) Every attribute of the devil that have marred my beauty before You, blood of Jesus wash it away.
3) I can only claim all these immense works of grace by faith, increase my faith oh Lord Jesus.
4) Lord Jesus, let my family and church worship you in Your beauty of holiness (Psalms 96:9).
5) Father, do not let me and my loved ones fall from grace, in Jesus name.
