holiness | Daily Encouragement

“These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): The five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.” (Judges 3:1-4, NIV)

In the life of a disciple of Jesus, even one’s enemies are a part of God’s plan.

In today’s scripture reading from the book of Judges, enemies existed to teach the children of the Exodus how to defend themselves, and to test their devotion to God. (Please see Judges 2:20-22.)

Today, our biggest threat is not the sword (although physical threats do, indeed, exist). Instead, our biggest threats are all of the influences and agents that oppose the Spirit of God within us. Even here we must pray for our enemies as we utilize the weapons of the Spirit, which are: Truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God.

So, do not curse your enemies. Pray for them. Resist them with the weapons of the Spirit, which alone are adequate for spiritual warfare. – Luther

Tagged holiness, obedience, self-control, the book of Judges, the exodus

January 1

New Year’s Day

“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.” (1 Peter 1:15-16, NIV)

Resist the temptation to allow others to redefine the hallmarks of Christian discipleship. The original definitions of who we are, and what we are to do, are found in God’s word and nowhere else.

Peter reminds the Christians that are scattered throughout what, today, is Asia minor that while they may reside in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, and other locales with cultures and customs that may be peculiar or even hostile; above all, they are to reflect “in all you do” the holiness of the God who called them.

Generally, the word “holiness” has been redefined to mean something that is less than desirable because it distinguishes one from the masses. However, the disciple should never let his or her choices be determined by the crowd or the circumstance — only by the Christ within us. This does not come to us naturally. It comes with practice, patience, and the grace that God provides.

It is through this simple act of obedience by God’s scattered people that those who know not God catch their first glimpse of what it means to be “of God.” We need not be anything more. We dare not be anything less. The next step is the Holy Spirit’s to make.

All humanity echoes the words of St. Augustine of Hippo who wrote: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” – Luther