Live Set Apart—Holiness to the Lord

Live Set Apart—Holiness to the Lord

But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. Psalms 4:3 (KJV)

 

 

   Let’s examine being separate—living lives that are set apart to the Lord.

 

O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged. 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2 Corinthians 6:11-18 (KJV)

 

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV)

 

      Now that we are in Christ and no longer lost, we are changing into the image of Christ. We are separating from our old nature day by day and are being transformed by the renewing of our mind in the Word of God and from glory to glory in Christ! This issue is one of action, my desire and prayer is that you see how the Lord has created us to be separate, set apart to Him and just how essential this is to our Christian lives. It is not a subject to just throw to the side and forget and it is certainly not a small theme in the Bible.

       I am not saying that we are to live a monastic lifestyle in an effort to become Holy: it is unscriptural to completely cut yourself off from contact with the world for your whole life in effort to become Holy. As we mature in Christ, there are aspects of our flesh and our old way of doing things that we need to throw off and cast away. The reason being this: sin separates us from God and whether we like it or not we all have sin that comes up between us and God in the form strongholds, chains, and blindspots even after we’ve come to Christ. Jesus forgives our sin at the instance we accept Him, but some sins remain a problem until they are dealt with through a pruning process. Consequently, we will all come to a point in our growth where there is one thing that we have to deal with and separate from to continue moving forward in Christ. You are called to be not only a Holy People and a Royal Priesthood, but also a Peculiar people to the inhabitants of this world, living as strangers here in reverent Fear of the Lord. As you read, I encourage you to open yourself up to the Holy Spirit’s voice and listen.

 

Read these verses slowly and listen for what the Lord is speaking to you.

 

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:1-2 (KJV)

 

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Corinthians 10:4 (KJV)

 

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:9-12 (KJV)

 

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.

1 Peter 1:15-17 (KJV)

Live Set Apart—Holiness to the Lord

Live Set Apart—Holiness to the Lord

But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. Psalms 4:3 (KJV)

 

 

   Let’s examine being separate—living lives that are set apart to the Lord.

 

O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged. 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2 Corinthians 6:11-18 (KJV)

 

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV)

 

      Now that we are in Christ and no longer lost, we are changing into the image of Christ. We are separating from our old nature day by day and are being transformed by the renewing of our mind in the Word of God and from glory to glory in Christ! This issue is one of action, my desire and prayer is that you see how the Lord has created us to be separate, set apart to Him and just how essential this is to our Christian lives. It is not a subject to just throw to the side and forget and it is certainly not a small theme in the Bible.

       I am not saying that we are to live a monastic lifestyle in an effort to become Holy: it is unscriptural to completely cut yourself off from contact with the world for your whole life in effort to become Holy. As we mature in Christ, there are aspects of our flesh and our old way of doing things that we need to throw off and cast away. The reason being this: sin separates us from God and whether we like it or not we all have sin that comes up between us and God in the form strongholds, chains, and blindspots even after we’ve come to Christ. Jesus forgives our sin at the instance we accept Him, but some sins remain a problem until they are dealt with through a pruning process. Consequently, we will all come to a point in our growth where there is one thing that we have to deal with and separate from to continue moving forward in Christ. You are called to be not only a Holy People and a Royal Priesthood, but also a Peculiar people to the inhabitants of this world, living as strangers here in reverent Fear of the Lord. As you read, I encourage you to open yourself up to the Holy Spirit’s voice and listen.

 

Read these verses slowly and listen for what the Lord is speaking to you.

 

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:1-2 (KJV)

 

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Corinthians 10:4 (KJV)

 

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:9-12 (KJV)

 

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.

1 Peter 1:15-17 (KJV)

 

 

Thought 223: The SOLID Rock, The Sharpening Stone from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 223
The SOLID Rock, The Sharpening Stone

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”      Proverbs 27:17 (KJV)

 People can sharpen each other; but I submit to you is that Christ is sharpening us. . . As we read the Word, we are transformed and as apply what we’ve learned to our lives, we are like a piece of pottery in the Potter’s hands: be shaped and molded into the vessel that He desires.

Another analogy would be this: imagine yourself one day becoming a beautiful sword with precious gems inlaid in the hilt with a shining yet strong blade. All you are right now is a hunk of dirty old medal, and the gems are lying in a pile on a nearby table along with the sword polish across from the furnace. In order to be turned into that beautiful sword you have to be put through extreme fire—and heat!—sometimes to the point of becoming a liquid metal. You have to be beaten into shape and engraved with your Maker’s signature. The dirty, undesirable metals have to be drawn out so that you can become a pure weapon, worthy for your Master to use. It is the same way in our Christian walk, we don’t shine right away; our sword polish hasn’t been worked in enough. We grow brighter each day, yet we never reach the perfection on this earth: the metal we are made of has to pass into death so that the last bit of fire I’m not talking about “purgatory,” I’m talking about our sanctification [the process of becoming holy] on this earth which culminates in glorification [perfection] when we are united with Christ.) can cleanse us as we march over into eternity in Heaven. I’m not talking about purgatory, I’m talking about our sanctification on this earth and our glorification when we are united with Christ.