Monday 16 April 2012

Called to Holiness

Glory to God!

The Lord is increasingly manifesting His presence in our meetings and yesterday we simply moved with the Holy Spirit as He led us. The Father is showing us what His Kingdom is like so that we understand what it means to live the Kingdom life. Yesterday He revealed His holiness to us and showed us that He and everything that belongs to Him is holy. Consequently, as His holy people, saved by grace, we have been joined to the Holy One and are called to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). God's Kingdom is a Kingdom of Holiness.

Looking at 2 Cor. 6:14 - 7:1, the Lord showed us that the purpose of His infilling presence is for us to be set apart for God's purposes and for the Church to reveal His holiness. Without the awareness of the presence of God in his or her life, the believer cannot walk in holiness. Those who respond to God's indwelling presence are those who fear God in secret and in public. Holiness is the substance of Heaven that God wants to communicate through His people as they follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. The secrets of the Kingdom are given to those who fear God and walk according to His Holy Spirit (Psalm 25:14; Isa. 45:3; Matt. 13:11; 1 Cor. 2:7; 4:1).

We also saw how every true outpouring of God's Spirit has led to revivals that are marked by holiness - God's people and the unsaved responding to God's holy presence with repentance and obedience. The manifestation of God's presence will always be a revelation of holiness that causes man to worship Him, humble himself and become aware of everything that is unholy in himself and in society (Ex. 34:8,9; Isa. 6:1-5; Acts 2). By grace God has set apart His people to live holy lives. The purpose of God's grace is holiness - His kindness leads to repentance (Rom. 2:4). Grace is not a cover-up for evil (1 Pet. 2:16) but God's enabling power for His people be like Him and to walk in holiness (Eph. 4:24; 2 Pet.1:3).

We praise God for His revelation to us and for manifesting His holy presence among us! Hallelujah!

Important dates and events:

  2 June: G.O.D. (Global Outreach Day). Click here for more information
17 June at 3pm: KLF meeting @ EFG Frankfurt-Nordwest (Haeberlinstr.3, F-Eschersheim)
  8 July at 3pm: KLF meeting @ EFG Frankfurt-Nordwest

Quote of the week

"The consciousness of God's indwelling presence, making and keeping us His very own, works true separation from the world and its spirit, from ourselves and our own will. As we accept this separation and prize and persevere in it, the holiness of God will enter and take possession. Then we shall realise that to be the Lord's property, people of His own, signifies infinitely more than merely to be accounted or acknowledged as His - it means that God, in the power and indwelling of the Holy Ghost, fills our being, our affections, and our will with His own life and holiness." Andrew Murray

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