Today in the Word for August 5-9
Today in The Word
Monday Aug 5, 2019
Do you think holiness is possible? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Matthew Kelly in his book “The Biggest Lie in the History of the World” claims that the biggest lie that a Christian tells himself is that holiness is not possible. Maybe it is possible for Billy Graham and Mother Theresa, but not for me. Scripture has this to say in I Peter 1:14 -16:
“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.””
Peter is quoting the Old Testament—Leviticus 11 and 19 to be precise with a clear message from God. He calls us to be holy. If he expects us to no longer conform to the life we had before we became Christ-followers, his expectation must be accomplishable. We lie to ourselves when we say that holiness is not possible. If God calls us to holiness, then it is by definition of God’s fair character that we can become more holy.
And that’s the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana. We are holding kids’ clubs all week in town in cooperation with Child Evangelism Fellowship. Bring or send your kids for a fun 90 minutes of song, Bible story and games to: JC Park at 9 am, or the CPC at 11 am, or the corner of Conley and Idaho on the west side at 2 pm.
Today in The Word
Tuesday Aug 6, 2019
Is holiness possible, and what does holiness look like? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. I Peter 1:22-23 and 2:1 read:
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again…through the living and enduring word of God…Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”
Some folks misunderstand holiness as simply a list of “Do not’s” Peter lists some things to ‘not do’ in these verses, but listen to how he begins. He states that obeying the truth of the Word of God will result in a deep, sincere, heart-felt love for others. And the natural result of such a love is avoidance of any action that would hurt others—for example, malice, envy, or slander.
The main point of holiness in these verses is the positive action of loving each other deeply. And then we would not consider hurting people that we have decided to love. To put it in a sentence:
Obeying the truth of God’s Word leads to a deep love so we will not harm each other. That is a very good definition of holiness.
And that’s the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana. We are holding kids’ clubs all week in town in cooperation with Child Evangelism Fellowship. Bring or send your kids for a fun 90 minutes of song, Bible story and games to: JC Park at 9 am, or the CPC at 11 am, or the corner of Conley and Idaho on the west side at 2 pm.
Today in the Word
Wednesday Aug 7, 2019
How do we become more holy as a follower of Jesus? Colossians 3:5-12 reads in part:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality…lust, evil desires and greed…You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of…rage, malice, slander…Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self…and have put on the new self…”
Holiness then, develops from clothing yourself, or ‘putting on’ the attributes of love, and putting to death, or ‘taking off’ our old lifestyle that hurts others. We can make a choice to put on and take off a jacket. And so, we make a choice to wear God’s love, and also make a choice to take off old habits that hurt others.
Holiness is a choice that any Christ-follower can make. But it is most certainly a choice. What do you and I want to put on? And what do you and I want to cast aside?
And that’s the Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly. Join our Wednesday adult Bible Study at 6:30 for more of the Word.
Today in the Word
Thursday Aug 8, 2019
When we are faced with a choice and we are trying to decide whether it is the right thing to do, what would help us decide? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. In I Corinthians 6:12 Paul tells his quite messed up church in Corinth:
“” I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything” – but I will not be mastered by anything.”
Paul is quoting that church’s false belief that because they are already saved, they can live any way they want. He offers a two-question test of our actions to help us decide what to do. First, we can ask ‘Is it beneficial’? Or, will taking this action do anyone any good? If no one is likely to benefit, including ourselves, or even more serious, if someone is likely to be hurt by our actions, we have our answer. We ought not to do it.
His second question is, ‘Is it likely to master me’? Many actions in this world are evil precisely because they tend to enslave us. An addiction to meth overtakes our decision-making until we will do anything and compromise any scruple in order to get to our next high. Using meth will master us. So, we ought not to do it.
However, many things have a tendency to master us. Are we going to keep doing them hoping we won’t fall into a compulsion or addiction, or should we practice holiness and ask the two questions before we act: Is it beneficial? And Is it likely to master me?
And that is the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly. Kid’s clubs continue at 9 am at JC Park, at 11 am on the CPC lawn and at 2 pm on the corner of Conley and Idaho.
Today in the Word
Friday Aug 10, 2019
Do you think that holiness means we are to stay away from the world? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Jesus gives us a clear answer about the heart of holiness in a prayer he prays in John 17:15-18:
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one…Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.”
Jesus does not think holiness is removal from the world—like a monk entering a monastery. Instead he specifically says he will not pray to take us out of the world. He will pray that we will be protected from the evil one’s deception.
In fact, Jesus says he is sending us into the world—on purpose! Holy living is not just about benefiting us. At its root, holy living is to be a testimony to the world. As we live less selfishly and freer of compulsion and addiction, those around us can be drawn to ask us how we are so different from the world.
In other words, we need to be holy so that we might change the world! Holiness shines a light in the dark, rather than runs from the dark.
And that’s the Word. Stop by for a hot dog at 6 at the church on the corner of 5th and Montana tonight, and listen to the songs and biblical memory verses that kids have been learning at the kid’s clubs we have been holding around town all week. It will be fun!