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Tag: Acts 2:38
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A Bottle In the Smoke
Text: Psalms 119:83
(83) For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.
Job 32:19-20
(19) Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.
(20) I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
Bottles in that day were made of sheep or goat skins.
Jesus told us that you don’t put new wine into old wineskins.
So, they would put the new wine in the fresh new skins to ferment the wine on the inside.
Many homes in that day didn’t have chimneys and so the smoke would fill the air above their heads
The bottle was hung high and there the soot from the smoke and fire would cover it…even begin to dry out the skin and make it tough at times.
In addition, the smoke mellowed the wine.
As the wine fermented on the inside it would stretch the bottle of skin.
It the skin dried too quickly the bottle would burst and its contents would be spilled.
So, every so often, the bottle would be opened to allow the gases created by the chemical reaction of the fermentation process to escape and make room for the wine to continue to ferment.
Additionally, some of the wine inside would be spilled and rubbed onto the outside of the drying skin to keep it flexible enough to stretch appropriately.[1]
You have faced a similar situation and some of what God is bringing to perfection inside of you needs to be relieved and allowed to vent and spill out onto the outside.
Daily pressures and spiritual warfare can sometimes ferment inside you to the point where you are about to burst because you are becoming hardened like an old eastern wine bottle and need to be renewed in the power of the Holy Ghost.
It is a process, the psalmist wrote, “I am become like a bottle in the smoke.”
Your growth and maturity in God doesn’t just happen. Knowing Him isn’t a passive thing.
You must remain pliable and workable in the Hand of the wine skin master. Let Him renew you and allow the healing touch of the Spirit to soften your rough places.
It takes both the inner and outer experiences, the internal and external pressures of life, to perfect you. Otherwise, you will crack and break under stress, heat, and pressure.
It takes what is on the inside being released and rubbed onto the outside that brings balance and enables you to mature.
The new wine that is inside must also be allowed to saturate the outside in order for you to be perfected
I’ve come to tell you that God is not just in the fire…He is also in the smoke.
“He [Jesus] shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.”
Exodus 19:18, “And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.”
Fire represents the power of God.
Smoke represents the glory of God.
Revelation 15:8, “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.”
Isaiah 4:5, “And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
Isaiah 6:4, “And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”
It is the weight of Gory that I now address:
The sufferings, the pressures, the trials, the turbulent battle in your spirit, soul and body,
The attempt of satan – your adversary the devil – to try to get you to burst and explode and come to ruin because you have allowed present circumstances to DISTRACT you from eternal reward.
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18).
Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings…”
Power of His resurrection = Holy Ghost fire
Fellowship of His sufferings (plural) = The glory of God.
Why plural? “…In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33).
You may feel like David of old today. His was a pressure cooker of life’s troubles, but he knew how to get relief.
He would enter the presence of the Lord in praise and worship.
He would sing a song, pray a prayer, write a psalm, and then the sweet balm of the Lord’s Spirit would come to him.
That was why he could cry out with such passion:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalms 51:10-12)
Saint of God, if you need that relief tonight then you simply need to be renewed in the Holy Ghost:
- Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”
- Let’s all repent together.
- Ephesians 4:23, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;”
Perhaps you are here tonight and you want that Holy Ghost. You have repented and are now a new wine skin ready to be filled and made …A Bottle In the Smoke:
- Close your eyes and think about Jesus and how much He loves you. Right now all that matters is talking to Jesus. This is time just for Jesus. Just think about Him and begin to talk to Him like you would talk to your best friend. Use simple words that tell Him how much you love Him.
- Pray out loud, because Jesus likes to hear your voice.
- Now, lift your hands and reach to Jesus. Show Him you want Him to fill your heart by raising your hands to Him and showing Him you are open to Him.
- Keep talking to Jesus and telling Him what you want. If you want the Holy Ghost, ask Him for it. It’s like asking someone for a gift. Jesus wants to give you His gift.
- Talk to Jesus in your outside voice. As you talk to Him, you may feel something very special start to happen. You may begin to feel like you are saying words you can’t understand. That is OK, because those words are Jesus talking with your voice. Just let those words pour out of your mouth as you let Jesus come live in your heart.
[1] SOURCE (paraphrased Dr. Fred Childs. http://www.wordshare.us/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35157. Accessed: 1-13-10
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God’s Extraction Plan
Jesus has an initial extraction plan to “seek and to save that which was lost,” and then to extract those He initially extracted (called out) from the sinful world to rise up and be with Him in Heaven.
Text: Acts 2:46-47
(46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
(47) Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
The word “Church” (ekklesia) means “a calling out.”
The Church then is an assembly of people who have been called out of the sinful world.
We have in this assembly tonight men and women who were responded to the call of Jesus and were extracted and brought into a place of safety – the Church.
80 times “Church” is mentioned in the New Testament
The Church is universal – international. In fact, the last 7 times “Church” is mentioned in the New Testament Jesus is speaking to multiple churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea (Rev. 2-3).
Then we read this passage from John in Revelation 4:1, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”
“Come up hither” is when the church is called out the second time to be with Jesus in Heaven.
Called out to be called up!
1 Corinthians 15:50-58
(50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
(51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
(52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
(53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
(55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
(56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
(57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Called out and called up!
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
(13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
(14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
(16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
(17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Called out of the sinful world
Jude 1:21-23, “(21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (22) And of some have compassion, making a difference: (23) And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
- Some have questions and need to be convinced by the Spirit and the Word.
- Others we snatch from Hell’s flames as God delivers them from sin.
- There are those to whom we show compassion and in a less aggressive manner we see them call out to God and they are saved from Hell as well.
- You don’t have to be stained by sin to love a sinner to Jesus.
- Just be intentional in God’s Extraction Plan.
God is intentional in His daily work to save people: “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
- Intentionality of daily life – don’t become a robot
- Hebrews 12:1-2, “(1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- 1 Jn. 3:8b, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
- Out intentionality is necessary:
- Psalms 100:1-5, “(1) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. (2) Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. (3) Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (5) For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
- Isaiah 12:2-3, “(2) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (3) Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
God’s Extraction Plan involves ALL of member of the CHURCH working together:
Kelly Doss:
- Homeless man in need of a place to sleep last night.
- Ebony let him stay with her.
- Anita picked up Ebony and Kelly this morning for Sunday School.
- He wept in the car saying he needed a change and family.
- Anita told him, “We (ALC) can be your family.”
- Bro. Robbins read a verse about being free. Kelly related to it because of his own run-ins with the law.
- Bro. Daniel sang a song about being free.
- Before she went to teach her class she told him, “Jesus wants to do something for you today. Be willing to lean into that.”
- He came to the front and Gary Keesee prayed with him as he repented.
- Gary then went to his pew and talked with him about baptism, then took him to the baptistery.
- Bishop Harper prayed over Kelly.
- I baptized Kelly in the name of the Jesus Christ.
- Kelly came out of the water speaking in tongues as he was filled with the Holy Ghost.
- Everyone had a separate but necessary part to play in God’s Extraction Plan.
Are you ready?
Luke 12:40, “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
John 14:18, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
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Jesus Is Alive Today
John 4:1-43
(1) When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
(2) (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
(3) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
(4) And he must needs go through Samaria.
(5) Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
(6) Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
(7) There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
(8) (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
(9) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
(10) Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
(11) The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
(12) Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
(13) Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
(14) But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
(15) The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
(16) Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
(17) The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
(18) For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
(19) The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
(20) Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
(21) Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
(22) Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
(23) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
(24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
(25) The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
(26) Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
(27) And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
(28) The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
(29) Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
(30) Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
(31) In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
(32) But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
(33) Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
(34) Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
(35) Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
(36) And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
(37) And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
(38) I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
(39) And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
(40) So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
(41) And many more believed because of his own word;
(42) And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
(43) Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
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Faith’s Report
Text: Hebrews 10:35-11:2
“(35) Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. (36) For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (37) For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (38) Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. (39) But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (11:1) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the elders obtained a good report.”
There is a repayment of the faith invested in the things of God.
Patience is faith waiting in the hallway of the hospital to hear the good report that the promised child has been born.
A great amount of faith is tested in the waiting room of life. A promise is given and now we watch and pray, but that is sometimes a mistake.
You see, while we wait for the promise to come, we are also preparing our home and ourselves for the due date.
This is why Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Target, and Amazon sell so much baby items.
People are not just waiting around twiddling their thumbs:
• They are painting the nursery room either blue or pink – male or female
• They are shopping for rockers, baby beds, basinets, diaper bags, bottles, car seats, etc.
• They are deciding if they should breast feed the promise, or feed it a bottle
• They are worrying about cost and hoping two nickels can somehow make 50 cents.
• But, most importantly, they are preparing for the day when the promise arrives.
It time to make a plan for arrival time.
Faith’s Report is that everyone who lives by faith will receive a good report.
Good Report = “to be a witness, that is, testify (literally or figuratively): – charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness.”
The just who live by faith overcome the accuser by:
Revelation 12:10-11, “(10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
There is much power in faith. In fact, faith is involved in our justification:
Romans 5:1-2, “(1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Peace with God starts with faith in God.
Jeff Arnold said, “Faith is focus on God, fear is focus on your problems.”
Faith’s Report is the the obtaining of a good report through trust in God’s promise that propels an action on our part…an active faith. If observed from that point-of-view, trust can be seen as a step beyond faith.
Hebrews 11:39-12:2, “(39) And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (40) God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (12:1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
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Lunch Time
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The Voice of Holiness
Text: Psalms 24:3-4
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”
Psalms 15:1-5
(1) LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
(2) He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
(3) He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
(4) In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
(5) He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
The “hill of the Lord,” “His holy place,” “thy tabernacle,” and “thy holy hill,” all refer to the hill of Zion, or Mount Zion, which is where the Temple was built in Jerusalem.
It is a type and shadow of the Church. The Church is that body of Christ established in Acts 2, and the building Jesus built on top of the great mountain. So, we can also read the passage this way:
“Who shall ascend into the Church of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy Church? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”
I want to draw your attention to that phrase: “nor sworn deceitfully,” and the flowing phrase found in Psalm 15, “speaketh truth in his heart.”
I am teaching tonight on this topic: The Voice of Holiness
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
(14) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion [fellowship, partnership] hath light with darkness?
(15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
(16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
(17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
(18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
(7:1) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Perfecting holiness is a lifelong process. There are no shortcuts.
Holiness is a continued work of sanctification, as the Holy Spirit of God perpetually prepares you for a holy purpose:
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:15-16).
Holiness is an essential element of spiritual maturity and is measurable by our actions, thoughts, and speech in relation to what we know.
You are responsible for what you know, and that includes the principles related to holiness, which is why the satan want to keep you blind in order to keep you spiritually immature.
Spiritual maturity is measurable by your behavior and the habits that you develop according to your understanding of God’s Word and His principles.
Habits and conduct develop character. The spiritual character of Christ will not be formed in you if your conduct and habits are not developed in relationship to what is holy.
What you do reveals your true character.
For this reason, how you talk, your speech, is also an indicator of your spiritual maturity and holiness.
James 3:1-12
(1) My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
(2) For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
(3) Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
(4) Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
(5) Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
(6) And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
(7) For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
(8) But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
(9) Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
(10) Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
(11) Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
(12) Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
The Voice of Holiness
I remind you, “Holiness” means “a sacred place…dedicated thing…hallowed…holiness…holy…saint…sanctuary.”[1]
According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary, in the New Testament, there are two words for holy and holiness and each is important to having a full understanding of the perpetual work of holiness working in your life as the Holy Spirit of God prepares you for a holy purpose”
- Hagiasmos – “Holiness, which in most cases is rendered sanctification. It means separation to God.”[2]
- Hagiosune – “Denotes the manifestation of the quality of holiness in personal conduct. This, along with His resurrection from the dead, is what marked Jesus as the Son of God. He was without sin.”[3]
Hear that again: Holiness is “the manifestation of the quality of holiness in personal conduct.”
This includes your voice. The conduct of your tongue.
This is why the late Bill Sciscoe defined holiness as “the amount of the character of Jesus Christ displayed in you, and we’re all at different levels” of spiritual maturity.
Pastor Fairburn reminded me today that in Judaism there is an entire area of teaching regarding the sin of speaking evil, which is known as Lashon Harah.[4]
Part of this teaching says that you need to be careful about passing judgment on other because inevitably you be tempted in the same thing that you verbally judged and spoke of someone else doing.
One Jewish teacher, Rabbi Mendel Kessin, says that “lashon harah (speaking evil) brings prosecution by Satan and shortens one’s life.”
If this is true, then is not only wise to guard your tongue when tempted to speak, or judge someone else, but it may be healthy for you to just be quiet.
“Discretion is your friend.”[5]
“(5) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:5-6).
Proverbs 8:12, KJV, “I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.” ESV, “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.”
Know when to speak and when not to speak.
The Voice of Holiness refuses to align itself with the devil by joining his prosecuting team as a fellow accuser of the brethren.
Revelation 12:10, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
Join the Advocate’s side: “(1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (John 2:1-2).
“God casts a vote for you, the devil casts against you, but you cast the deciding ballot.”[6]
“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth” (Romans 8:33).
Learn to be still…
Psalms 4:4, “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.”
“…be still…” = “to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb”[7]
Try this: “Stop Talking!”
Study to be quiet…
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, “(9) But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. (10) And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; (11) And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; (12) That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.”
To labour and strive[8] to keep still, to refrain from meddlesomeness or speech, hold peace.[9]
It is not easy, but practicing The Voice of Holiness is well worth the effort when you see how it pleases the Lord and brings His peace into the situation.
Romans 14:10-13
(10) But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (11) For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. (12) So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (13) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
Matthew 7:1-2, “(1) Judge not, that ye be not judged. (2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
Luke 6:37-38, “(37) Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: (38) Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
1 Corinthians 11:31-32, “(31) For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
Matthew 12:34-37, “(34) O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (35) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. (36) But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (37) For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
Make sure that your speech today doesn’t judge you on the day of judgment.
1 Peter 3:8-12, “(8) Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: (9) Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. (10) For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: (11) Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. (12) For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”
Colossians 4:2-6, “(2) Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; (3) Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: (4) That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. (5) Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. (6) Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
Living the principle of The Voice of Holiness will prepare for you an open door of utterance to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Consider this…
2 Peter 2:9-10
(9) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (10) But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. The word rendered “dignities” here, (δόξας doxas,) means properly honor, glory, splendor; then that which is fitted to inspire respect; that which is dignified or exalted. It is applied here to men of exalted rank; and the meaning is, that they did not regard rank, or station, or office – thus violating the plainest rules of propriety and of religion
[1] Strong’s. Brown-Driver-Briggs. H6918.
[2] PI. 8304 – Perfecting Holiness, Lesson 1 Notes
[3] Ibid.
[4] Aaron Fairburn. Notes from a series of text messages with him on 2/6/2024.
[5] Anita Kuntzman
[6] Elwood Fleming.
[7] Brown-Driver-Briggs. H1826.
[8] Strong’s. G5389.
[9] Strong’s. G2270.
Categories
The Humility of Holiness
The Humility of Holiness
Isaiah 6:1-8, “(1) In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. (2) Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. (3) And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (4) And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. (5) Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. (6) Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: (7) And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. (8) Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
Deuteronomy 17:12-13 “(12) And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. (13) And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.”
Exodus 21:14, “But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.”
Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.“
The Pillar and Ground of Truth 