…it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” —1 Peter 1:16
We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life. We are not destined to happiness, nor to health, but to holiness. Today we have far too many desires and interests, and our lives are being consumed and wasted by them. Many of them may be right, noble, and good, and may later be fulfilled, but in the meantime God must cause their importance to us to decrease. The only thing that truly matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.
Do I believe I need to be holy? Do I believe that God can come into me and make me holy? If through your preaching you convince me that I am unholy, I then resent your preaching. The preaching of the gospel awakens an intense resentment because it is designed to reveal my unholiness, but it also awakens an intense yearning and desire within me. God has only one intended destiny for mankind— holiness. His only goal is to produce saints. God is not some eternal blessing-machine for people to use, and He did not come to save us out of pity— He came to save us because He created us to be holy. Atonement through the Cross of Christ means that God can put me back into perfect oneness with Himself through the death of Jesus Christ, without a trace of anything coming between us any longer.
Never tolerate, because of sympathy for yourself or for others, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means absolute purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind— placing every detail of your life under the scrutiny of God Himself. Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God has given me that is being exhibited in my life.
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Journal DJR
Good morning Lord, Today some thinking that I have considered for a long time came again to the fore. We were discussing Wayne Dyer, who recently passed away and his teachings. The idea was that by aligning ourselves with correct thinking we can control our circumstances and “be blessed.” This thinking has some attractiveness, If looked at as merely a tool, correct thinking certainly seems to generate better results than “stinking thinking.” Can these teachings be looked at simply as tools in the tool kit for us to work our way thru life with? Or is there a problem with considering them that way. Chambers said, “The only thing that truly matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.”
There you have it. Relationship with me is the goal and needs to be kept as primary. The problem with using the mental and spiritual tool kits that do indeed contain some truth, is that they can lead you away from your first love and your top priority. Here’s the priority…
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Notice that these other things come second, as by products of seeking relationship first. All those things that people seek, peace, joy, serenity, even prosperity need to be by products of what you “Seek first” which is found in relationship with me.
The tools and spiritual laws are there, just like gravity. Sowing and reaping is obvious. But keep first things first. Relationship with me. Then you can safely use the tools in the tool kit. Without relationship with me, you can be led to worship the tool kit. That’s the difference. You cannot have a relationship with a tool kit. What I offer is a relationship first of all. That can be a litmus for teachers and what they are teaching: Do they have a personal relationship with a person (me) and does using their tools lead the learner to a personal relationship with me? If not, you are on dangerous ground. Keep me and our relationship primary and you will be safe.
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