Holiness
The holy light of Jesus wants to shine brightly in our hearts.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Hebrews 4:15, Psalm 138:2, Psalm 98:1, Psalm 43:3, Psalm 5:7, Ephesians 1:4, Psalm 29:2
Jesus Christ is more than a prophet, a teacher, or a good man. He is the God-man, tempted in all points as we, but without sin. He is God incarnate…Immanuel, God with us…the Word become flesh…the only begotten of the Father…that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
One of the great miracles of God is to form His life within us. Only He can take an unholy person, cleanse and forgive that person, and empower that person to live a holy life. Holiness is to our spirits what good health is to our bodies. Holiness is healthiness. It is the song within us that declares, “It is well with my soul.”
Holiness is beauty. It is the beauty of God’s character seen in the face of Jesus Christ. Holiness is love. It is the cup of the Lord’s blessing of goodness, kindness, gentleness and love being poured into our empty vessels. We become healthy because He is healthy…we become beautiful because He is beautiful…We become loving because He is love.
Lord, thank You that everything about You is good, pure, and right. Thank You that Your way is true and righteous altogether. I want to follow You in truth, and make straight paths for my feet. I rejoice in Your cleansing, Your renewing, and Your healing presence within me.
Redemption
Jesus died to redeem us to God.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
Luke 1:68, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 1:18, 1 Peter 1:19, Romans 3:24, 1 Corinthians 1:30,Ephesians 1:7
We needed a redeemer, someone who would buy us back from the ownership of sin and Satan over our lives. Jesus Christ is the only one who could redeem us back to God. There was only one price that could be paid to deliver us, and that was the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. He who knew no sin was made sin for us.
The story is told of a young boy who made a beautiful sailboat out of wood. When he finished creating the boat he took it to a nearby lake to sail. The boy was thrilled with his creation and placed it proudly in the water. The boat was all the boy had hoped it would be. All was well until a strong gust of wind blew the boat out of the boy’s reach and out into the lake. In a few moments the boat was lost.
Several weeks later, as the boy passed a toy store, he noticed a sailboat in the window. Upon closer examination the boy discovered it was his boat. “That’s my boat in your window,” the boy said to the store owner, “and I’d like it back.”
“I’m sorry,” said the store owner, “but I own the boat now. If you want it you’ll have to buy it.”
When the boy found out the price for the boat he went home and sold all he had to buy the boat back. After returning to the store with the full payment, the boy took the boat to his heart and said, “Little boat you are twice mine. I made you, and I bought you.”
And because Jesus made us and redeemed us, we are twice the Lord’s.
Lord, I know that I am not my own and that You have bought me with the price of Your own blood. I do want to glorify You. Thank You that I am Your property and that Satan has no claim on me.
I rejoice in the freedom I have in Jesus Christ. How blessed I am that You love me so much that You gave all you had to buy me back from the slavery of sin.
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This post is part of a series called The Joy of Being Forgiven. The original posts can be found here, and here.
There are three main reasons for this series:
- To help those who are burdened by sin to enter into the joy of being forgiven.
- To remind those who have been forgiven to live each day in thankfulness for the gift of His forgiveness and the joy it has brought your heart.
- To provide for those who know the joy of being forgiven, a way for them to share the message of God’s forgiveness with others.
Click the links below to read previous posts in this series..
Loved with Everlasting Love/Darkness
Guilt
Repentance
Grace
Change
Strength
Please feel free to print out these postings or share them online as the Lord may lead you.