Why Being Holy and Separate is the Key

As Christians our goal in life is to live like Jesus who was holy, righteous, and separate from the world. Looking at my life from different perspectives I can see where I need to grow and where moderation needs to be. Our purpose in life is to live for God and to seek after him and do his will. Ephesians 1:11 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." We shouldn't give up on the promises that God has given to us.
Today in Chapel service, that we have at Indiana Bible College every Tuesday and Thursday, one of the students preached about not giving up on your promise and trusting in God. in Genesis chapter 22, Abraham was told by God to sacrifice his son Isaac unto God. Abraham's faith was tested because God wanted to see if he really would allow God to have full control over his situations. God did provide a lamb for Abraham to sacrifice so Isaac wouldn't have had to be it. This is a great story to read when we feel like there isn't any hope in our situation, but God has all things under control.
When you live a holy life and seek after God, he will prove to you that he will always be there.
Isaiah 41:10&13 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee, be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." 
It's reassuring that we can find scriptural evidence that tells us God will always be with us whenever we need him. 
Throughout these blog posts I have searched the Bible and studied about the things that I have written about so I can better apply them to my life. I have seen where my weaknesses lay and where my strengths are. Nothing in this world gives me a better feeling than knowing that I am living in a righteous way and that my life is pleasing unto God. "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For it I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" Galatians 1:10. 


At times my mind wonders. and I think about where I would be if I wasn't living for God. But then I think about how God has shown his mercy to me endless times, how he's protected me from harm and how he has saved me from my sins. Then I can't help but to thank him for all he has done for me. There isn't a better thing to do in this world than to live for God. Nothing can make you happier, nothing else can fill that void in your heart, nothing can save you and lead you to salvation. 
Once we make the decision to live our live according to what is pleasing to God, that's when everything starts to fall into place. Your troubles will soon fade, the emptiness in your soul will be filled up, and your heart will no longer ache. 

John 16:24 "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." 

Romans 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." 

James 1:2-4 "My bretheren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." 

Fruits of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23;25-26 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." 

The fruits of the Spirit is something we all need to live by. I've always been taught to seek after God in all that I do and to be like him in what I say, how I act and so on. Living in the fruits of the Spirit is one way to be Christlike and holy. 
Love: When I think of love I think of the love my parents have for me. How they will do anything for me. They will watch out for me, protect me, care for me and help me when I need it. I think this is the kind of love that we need to show the world. " For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. 
Joy and Peace: Joy is pretty self explainable. Being happy, not letting the weight of the world bring you down and always having a optimistic look on life. Peace is something that a lot of people struggle with. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus " Philippians 4:7. Peace is often something we take for granted. We feel peace when everything in our life seems to be going good, when there isn't a care in the world. But once we go through heartache, or financial issues, we seem to forget that God can give us peace, he is what we need to have peace. Peace in God passes ALL understanding. Which means that we can not comprehend the calmness that God can give to us in our times of struggles. "Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms" James 5:13.
Longsuffering: A synonym of longsuffering is enduring. Enduring sickness, heartache, troubles. Many people ask why they have to go through certain things in their life, maybe a sickness they were born with, or cancer. The answer could easily be the Fruits of the Spirit. "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and tender of mercy" James 5:11.
Gentleness and Goodness: Tenderness, caution, generosity, mercy are all synonyms of gentleness and goodness. Gentleness and goodness I feel like go hand in hand. You can't have goodness without being gentle, and you can't be gentle without having goodness. Psalm 23:6 "Surly goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."
Faith: Faith is trusting in something or someone; in this case faith would be trusting in God. Knowing that he will always be there to help you through any situation and hardship that you face. Often times it is difficult for people to trust in something that they haven't seen with the naked eye.
Hebrews 11:1&6 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Meekness and Temperance: Meekness=humility; Temperance=moderation. Having meekness is something that a lot of people struggle with now a days. You rarely meet people who are humble in what they do. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, through he was right, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" 2 Corinthians 8:9. Jesus humbled himself when he was put on a cross and died for our sins. He could of called the angles in the heavens and not have gone through with being crucified, but because he wanted to give us saving grace, he took the weight of all the world upon him and suffered a great death. Temperance; moderation; self-restraint. Being able to control the things you do on a daily basis is moderation. Technology is everywhere, everyone uses it and it can over take our lives if we aren't careful. But using technology in moderation can help us overcome the weight and the temptation of it. We can apply this to our everyday life, making sure that we are careful of the things we say and do. No matter what we do, it should always be done in moderation.

Verses 25-26 talk about living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit. Not being vain or envying one another. Walking in the Spirit is easily said that we are always thinking in a since that we need to live in a holy manner. The things we do, what we say, and what we listen to all need to be done to glorify God. It is easier said than done. Everyone struggles with this, including me. Envy is also something that people struggle with because it is wishing you had something that someone else has; not being thankful for what you have, not being appreciative of it. "Be not thou envious against evil, neither desire to be with them" Proverbs 24:1. This verse is telling us not to wish that we have what the world has.

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" Matthew 24:35. 

Distinctively Different: Apparel

Being a Oneness Apostolic Pentecostal young lady, there are certain standards I choose to live by. I have grown up in Pentecostalism all my life, and what I've been taught was something my parents thought was right, according to the Bible. I am not forced to wear skirts by anyone, I freely have the choice to dress how I choose to. I feel in my heart that I am supposed to dress in a modest way, knowing that it is pleasing to God. Growing up I have always seen girls wearing pants, it is just something that's so natural in this world now. No one takes a second look at a lady if shes in nice dress slacks or nice jeans, but people do notice when women wear skirts that aren't too tight and have a modest length. There's always something different about the atmosphere when I see fellow Apostolic women in the mall or at a restaurant. Sometimes I think to myself, "Is this how people look at me when they see me?" I want people to know the truth that the Bible teaches by looking at me and I want people to think that there's something different about Apostolic's in the way they act and especially the way they dress.

Deuteronomy 22:5 "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God." 

There has been a lot is dispute about what this verse actually means. I have studied a lot about men and women's apparel on my own. Apostolic teachings believe that men and women should look and act divergent in every aspect of life. Pants were designed for men, and it has always been that way. Looking back in history women have always worn dresses and men have always worn pants, that's how they looked separated and distinctively different from one another. There are certain things that women should not wear because it is part of men's clothing and there are certain things that men shouldn't wear because it is a part of women's clothing.
Last weekend I was driving downtown around the Circle in Indianapolis meeting up with my friends. I see two big tour buses, not thinking anything about it I drive right on by and all of a sudden I see a group of drag queens walking around the circle. Personally, I think that men dressing up like women is humorous, but also wrong. Why would men want to look like women? What's the purpose of that? Why would they want to act in such a way when they weren't created to act in that way. If God wanted a man to be a woman, he would of made him a woman, not a man. People are born with a purpose and an intention and a will for their life. God made me a woman because he has a certain plan for my life. I can help young girls who are going through the same struggles I went through growing up. I can be a witness to young teenagers in this world, showing them it's okay to look and act in a Godly way. It's not weird, it's the right thing to do.
Same can be said for women. Although I don't think there are clubs or groups of people where women dress up and act like men. But it is a little strange to see a woman look like a man, even if it is just in clothing. I used to say I was a "tomboy". A lot of girls go through a stage in there life where they want to do what the boys do, act like them, get dirty and muddy like them. There were two girls I went to elementary school with and even middle school with and all throughout Elementary and middle school they dressed in basketball shorts and baggy t-shirts and always hung out with the guys. Then in high school when they decided they didn't want to do that anymore, it was odd but great to see them look so feminine.
That should be our purpose. To live for God in a holy and righteous way, making sure our soul is right with him. If we have convictions about certain things, to not do them. When we have a conviction about something, when we know in our heart that God has told us not to do it, but we still do it, then it becomes a salvation issue. That's when we have to check ourselves and ask if we are in the will of God.

"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." James 2:24

Distinctively Different: Hair

1 Corinthians 11:14-15
14. "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?"
15. "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given her for a covering."

We all understand that we are living in a time where cultures and customs have changed, people have changed, society has changed. We shouldn't forget the importance of maintaining a holy and righteous lifestyle by the way we look, not just act and present ourselves. In the scriptures above, it says that nature has taught us that it is a shame for a man to have long hair. It wasn't until the Hippie movement with the youth ages in the 1960's that it wasn't weird for a man to have long hair. Even during that era some adult men kept their hair well groomed. There was a time when I was growing up that a lot of the boys I went to school with had long hair. I'm not talking about shaggy hair a little past the ears. No, a lot of the guys had hair that was well below their ears. Seeing that was interesting, not only was it easy to mistake him for a girl because of how it looked, but it also made them look like they haven't bathed in weeks. That could of just been the young middle school boys not wanting to take showers. But growing up, I've always been taught that men should keep their hair short and woman should keep their hair long and uncut. This isn't just scriptural, but it's also something that has just been a natural thing. Men looked one way and woman looked another way, distinctively different.
A lot of what I've been taught growing up in a Pentecostal home and church is about hair. I'm always getting questions about my hair and why it's so long. When I tell people that it's a personal choice, based on what the Bible teaches about hair, that I don't cut it, it soon becomes even more of a conversation piece. In my perspective I've always had long hair and I've grown up in a church where women have long hair, so it's no foreign subject to me. Although it's a completely different story for some people. In verse 15 of 1 Corinthians it says that if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering. The part of the verse that talks about it being her glory can confuse people. What does glory mean? The dictionary gives several good definitions of glory but the one that stuck out to me said this: something that is a source of honor, fame or admiration, very great praise, distinguished ornament or an object of pride. We can put this into context when discussing woman's hair. When a woman has long hair it is honorable to God, and it is what separates woman from the rest of the world. You have to be careful when you use the word pride, but Pentecostal woman take pride in their hair. We know that it is honorable to God to have long hair, so we take care of it and make sure it is pleasing in the sight of God. In the Bible woman would wear a covering to signify authority. That is why Paul said that the hair is a woman's covering, when long and uncut it is used to signify that a woman is submitting herself to God and she is under the authority of God.
1 Corinthians 11:14 says that it is a shame for a man to have long hair. Why would Paul say this? If a man had long hair it would be a symbolism of him giving up his masculinity. See this article by Daniel Spratlin, he also talks about this. A man was known as the authority of the household and the church for leadership. The role of a man wasn't taken lightly, so when a man would have long hair it was a sign that he was giving up the male authority and the authority that God gave him to be a leader in the church. It is good and acceptable in God's eyes for a young man to be well groomed and to be a Godly example for other people.

Romans 13:2 "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." 

Christians without Commitment

This blog topic came to me while I was at my church's Community Group. A Community Group is basically a very relaxed Bible study. Depending on the size of the church and who attends, a group of people meet at some one's house and they read a passage of scripture and have a discussion about it and then they eat food. It's a really good time. I was helping watch the kids, and my mom decided to do a simpler version of the lesson that the adults were doing. It really got me thinking, Christians without Commitment.
The passage of scripture is Matthew 23:23-28 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the  outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ya also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ya are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
The Pharisees were men who thought that they kept all of God's commands, but didn't like the things Jesus taught. They prayed loudly in the temples so everyone could heard them, but they didn't live a lifestyle that said they were a follower of God. This can be greatly applied to our lives today.
The kids were asked what they thought commitment meant, one boy gave an example of homework, if you are committed to doing your homework you will do it and get it done first, then do other fun things. Then they were asked how can they commit to God? The same boy answered, reading your Bible and praying everyday. Having the underlying concept of commitment can help us in our everyday walk with God. We then asked the kids What hurts God more, you knowing him but acting like you don't, or not knowing him at all? One boy said Not knowing God. Before we went on, I gave him an illustration to help him better understand what we were asking.
If your best friend in the whole world only talked to you on Wednesday's and then the rest of the week he pretended he didn't know you. How would that make you feel? Hurt. Okay, what if you saw a boy everyday but you didn't know him, and he never said "Hi" to you, would you be hurt by that? No. No, we wouldn't be hurt by that because we don't know the person, so it's not a big deal if they don't talk to us. That's exactly how God feels, if we only talk with him and have a relationship with him on Sunday's and Wednesday's, it hurts God because we aren't committing our everyday to him.

Later in the scriptures is says that the Pharisees clean the outside before the inside, but inside they are full of extortion or fraud. In a way Christians can be like the Pharisees. That may sound horrible, who wants to be like the Pharisees?! Matthew 5:20 "For I say unto you, The except your righteousness shall extend the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Jesus saying that to the people, we cannot act and live like the Pharisees did. They lived corrupt lives, going against the things Jesus said. As Christians we cannot live a life in such a way where we look perfect on the outside, we look like we have it all together, but on the inside our hearts are full of sin. People could do this by only going to church on Sunday's and Wednesday's but the other five days of the week they are cussing and gossiping and living a fraudulent lifestyle. It could happen in a way where their coworkers or friends at school don't even know they are a Christian because they don't live a Christlike conduct. Why is it hard for people to commit their lives to God? Why do they "serve two maters?" It's impossible to. Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two maters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." 

Deuteronomy 4:24 " For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God."  

Proverbs 3:5-7 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the LORD, and depart from evil." 

Living in the Flesh

Galatians 5:19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition's, heresies, Envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in the past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

To start off, I'll answer the question people ask when they read these two verses: What is the flesh? The flesh is in essence the carnal nature of man that is tempted. What is the carnal nature of man? Carnal means temporal, worldly, merely human, not spiritual. We all are living in the flesh when we are born and as we grow up until we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is God's spirit coming into us, changing and dwelling in us. (Acts 2:38). The Bible talks about living in the flesh can result in dying, not a literal death but a spiritual death. Living in the flesh can cause you to turn away from God and the things of God. Living in the flesh can cause temptations to occur and if you aren't careful you will give into those temptations. The temptations could be something as small as lying or as big as fornication or adultery. 
Hatred is a big fleshly manner that a lot of people struggle with, including me. There was a time where someone said some rather rude comments about me on a social media site, and what was said was rather alarming and preposterous. At first I didn't really know how to react, all I could say was "Wow, you've got to be kidding me." But after a while, I started to meditate on what was said and tried to decipher why this individual thought it was appropriate to say such hateful things. Not only was this person filled with anger and hatred towards me, but I became full of anger and hatred toward that person. We are all human, we all become angry at certain things, and we even say "I hate this" or "I loath this person". After a while I brushed off the things that were said and I moved on with my life. But there is still a small part of me that is still "hating" what this person did and said. I don't always remember that the Bible teaches against holding anger against someone and hatred being of the flesh. It is important that we are always cautious about what we say and even think about certain things. Not only can we become full of anger that it overwhelms us and it takes over our live and changes how we think, but it can turn into hatred. Hatred is of the flesh, and whatever you do that is of the flesh, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. Of course, if you repent and ask God to forgive you of hating this thing or this person, and you are sincere about it, he will forgive you and it will no longer be an issue. But if you don't realize that you need to be careful and always live our life in a good and acceptable manner to God, then you won't have to worry about not inheriting the kingdom of God.

Idolatry is something that a lot of people think was just for the Old Testament when the people of Israel decided to make another god, which was a golden calf. You can read this in Exodus chapter 32. It is rather amusing to say the least, because when Moses has gone up unto the mountain of Sinai with the two tablets for the ten commandments. The people tell Aaron that Moses has been gone for a while and they don't know what's happened to him, so make them gods who will lead them. When Moses confronts Aaron and asks him how could the people do this, he said in verse 22-24 "Don't be angry sir, you know that these people are evil.They said to me 'We know not what's happened to this Moses who brought us out of Egypt. make gods for us. They will lead us.' So I told them to take off any gold they were wearing. They gave it to me, I threw it in the fire, and out came a calf!" I think it's rather humorous that Aaron was pretty much blaming the whole issue on the people and the only thing he did was throw the gold in the fire and the calf just appeared there. What this story can teach us is that God is a jealous God. He doesn't want us to live half for him and half for something or someone else. Whatever you put all of your time into is an idol. Whatever you love with everything in you is an idol. If you make no time for anything else other than this one thing, it's an idol. Technology can be an idol. Clothing can be an idol. Even a boyfriend or girlfriend can be an idol. If you spend all of your time with your girl/boyfriend and you give God no time, that person is an idol. You shouldn't be so consumed in your life that you forget the basic disciplines of being holy and righteous and living for God. My parents have always told me to put God as a top priority and whatever will follow God will take care of.

Matthew 6:33 "But, first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you." (God's Word Translation)

Holiness In Your Apparel

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

1 Timothy 2:9 " In a like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." 

Holiness isn't just something we can be in our attitude and walk with God, but it's something that we can be in how we dress. Being Apostolic, I get asked so many questions about why I wear skirts all the time and why my hair is long and uncut. I will touch on those questions in a later post, but I'm going to talk about being modest in women's apparel. Modesty in its definition means having or showing regards for the decencies of behavior, speech, dress etc., decency. 

1 Timothy 2:9 says that women should adorn themselves with modest apparel. I didn't make that up, it came right from the Bible. You'd think the concept of modesty is a foreign speculation to the women of the 21st century. We look around and everywhere we look we see women and even young girls giving their bodies up for the attention of men. Ladies, we shouldn't be worrying about what men of this world think about us. All they really want is sexual things, and to use us for their own selfish ways. When ladies dress in a way that shows off their legs and chest, it's not pleasing to God. 1 Corinthians 16:20 says that we were bought with a price, and because of that we must glorify God with our body AND in our spirit. It's not enough to look the part. Ladies could wear skirts down to their ankles and their sleeves to their finger tips and turtlenecks, but that doesn't matter if our spirit isn't in the mindset to please God. Our price was him dying on the cross for our sins, we need to take hold of what God has done for us and learn that we can't disrespect him by the things we wear. 

We need to be shamefaced of what we wear. Shamefaced is basically being ashamed. No one wants to be ashamed. I don't like it when I feel ashamed of what I've done knowing it was displeasing to my parents or to God. If we know with scriptural backup that being modest is pleasing to God and anything that shows off our body in inappropriate ways is displeasing to God, we should be ashamed of it. Being ashamed isn't always a bad thing. It can help us know when we are doing something wrong that goes against God's word. 

I have this amazing New Living Translation Study Bible, I use it when I need clarification on verses. 

I read 1 Timothy 2:9-10 (NLT) "And I want women not to draw attention in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good they do." 

Wearing appropriate clothing is self explanatory. But it also talks about not drawing attention to yourself with expensive clothes and decorating your hair. I'm going to admit that I love to shop and I love to spend money on clothes and I want to look nice and presentable wherever I go. I also love doing my hair fancy for church and other special occasions. I don't think God wants us to give up looking nice and smelling good. We just need to do it in moderation, being humble and not being vain about what we wear and how we look. That's when it will become an issue and it could make you corrupt in your ways. 

We need to make sure we are humble and strive to be like him each day, and be holy because God is holy. 

Ephesians 16:18 "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." 

Corrupt Intentions

John 17:14 "I have given then thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
John 17:18 "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world."
Being in the world but not of the world is a phrase that can be hard to grasp. How can someone be in the world but not of the world? Simple. When you think of "wordily" things, what do you think of? Maybe drinking, foul language, fornication, and even smaller things like not keeping promises, lying, or not having a good attitude.
You can tell a lot about a person just by how they talk and act. 1 Peter 1:15 says "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." It's very hypocritical if someone claims to be holy and live a holy life style if they curse and gossip. Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Proverbs 11:13 "A talebearer revealeth secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter."
Corrupt means having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain; to degrade with unsound principles or moral values. Titus 3:2 says "To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, [but] gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men." When we loose our temper we need to have control over our words. We shouldn't lash out against people causing controversy or disputes, that's simply against what the Bible teaches.
I know several people who take their anger or hatred out on other people. They let little comments ruin their mood and in result they say rude and hateful things about others, stepping out of line. "Speak no evil of no man."
I'm sure evil can be taken several different ways in this verse. Evil is morally wrong or bad, saying something bad about another person, intending to hurt or not, is against the Bible. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin the grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein?" Romans 6:1-2 It's not hard to say kind things to people. When I was growing up in elementary school and even throughout middle school, my assistant principle would say "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." That is definitely a saying we can apply to our life. Gossip or talking bad about people falls under the category of corrupt speech. Although it's not absolutely terrible, it still goes against the Bible.
James 1:23 "For is any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass."
Proverbs 12:19 "The lip of truth shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but a moment."
Proverbs 12:22 "Lying lips are abomination to the LORD; but they that deal truly are his delight."
No one likes a lying tongue. We've all been in a position where someone was lying and you knew for a fact that that person was lying. Doesn't it just get your blood boiling when someone is lying to your face? Being holy and Christlike is a part of taking up God's characteristics. When God manifested himself in the flesh [Jesus] he created a perfect being who did not lie. 1 Peter 2:22 "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." Lying to some people is something we do everyday. If you're not careful, it an be telling someone a story and adding in "extra" details that did not really happen, is lying. Stretching the truth is lying. Lying is lying, no matter how big or how small.
James 1:24 "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."

The Basic Disciplines

Being holy is something everyone can accomplish. It's not rocket science, there's no secret mathematical formula you have to do to become holy. It's not a means of being perfect in how you look or dress, but a means of perfecting the basic disciplines where you want to go into a deeper relationship with God and seek after him daily and commit your life to him.
I'm taking a Personal Christian Development class at Indiana Bible College and this class has helped me have a better understanding of what I need to do to be more Christlike. Much of what I'll be talking about today I have learned from this class.
Personal Devotions is a basic discipline everyone should be familiar with. What are devotions? A devotion is when you set time aside for God, this is when you can speak to God through prayer and when God can speak to you through his word. People may say that personal devotions aren't necessary for holiness. On the contrary, is eating right and exercise essential for good health? Yes. Easily put, personal devotions is the good food and exercise for our spiritual health, just as you would exercise and eat right to maintain a healthy body; devotions will benefit you. How? You will get spiritual growth and formation, you will get encouragement and understanding when you need it and you will receive communication and correction. Devotions will also manifest a priority that is set in your life, a relationship that will be maintained and a willingness to hear from God. When you do a personal devotion you are giving God the time he deserves, in that he will speak to you and your relationship will grow because your communication is opened up. You set up a certain time everyday and make it a top priority to talk to God. From these two you'll develop a willingness to hear from God and you'll be in tune with the voice of God, being aware and able to acknowledge when he speaks to you.


Donald S. Whitney says in his book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (I highly recommend this book) that Bible reading, praying, silence and solitude go hand in hand with devotions. "Prayer means to pray with God till you are like him. If we really pray, we will become more like God, or else we will quit praying" E.M. Bounds. Whitney puts disciplines out plain and simple. "Disciplines without direction is drudgery." He gives the example of a boy who is learning to play guitar. He isn't motivated until he hears a great guitarist. But even then, if he doesn't put that new found passion into practice it's worth nothing. Disciplines are the same way. If you do them but do not have the right intentions you will not get anywhere in your walk with God and you'll wonder why nothing is happening or why your prayers aren't being answered or why you can't hear God speaking to you. It's because your eternal intentions aren't right and therefore you won't see any change. Maybe doing devotions is just a way for you to get your prayer wish list to God, "Well God I've been reading my Bible and doing a devotion daily, why aren't you answering my prayers?" You should do devotions to better yourself and to grow in your relationship with God. Only then will your prayers be answered and your problems will dissipate. John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

The Basics

Nowadays you don't hear much about being holy. Many people might not even know what being holy is; what the fundamentals to being holy are. What does holy mean? Dictionary.com gives this definition: 'Specially recognized as or declares sacred by religious use or authority, consecrated.' In substance, being holy is when we, as Christians, are chaste, and Godlike. Holiness and Christlikeness go hand in hand. Being Christlike means to take on the characteristics of Christ, obtaining compassion and mercy for others and showing and giving love to people. This won't just occur overnight, although that would be marvelous, it takes discipline to obtain holiness. 1 Timothy 4:7 (King James Version) "But refuse profane and old wives, fables and exercise thyself rather unto Godliness." Verse 8 continues to say "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Being holy isn't something that you can grasp in a short amount of time. It takes commitment, dedication and determination. Holiness isn't only about being like Christ but it's about breaking bad habits ad forming disciplines that will help you know more about Christ and how to live and show the people around you how living a holy life can work wonders. I found this quote from Dictionary.com, "How happy is the one whom God reproves, therefore do not despise the discipline of the almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he strikes, but his hands heal." Unfortunately the author is unknown.

Synonyms for discipline are; practice, preparation, orderliness, obedience and subordination. Some people think of discipline as a punishment kids receive from eating cookies before dinner, or picking their nose and wiping it on their sister. In those cases, yes discipline is to show authority and obedience, but in the case of holiness, disciplines are to make you stronger as an individual and more confident. Basic disciplines we all, myself included, should practice are daily devotions, Bible reading and prayer. Not only can and will those three disciplines help personally but they will help spiritually because the more spiritually in tune we are the more we are able to see how holiness can saturate our lives and change us.

Holiness and separation that are two key components Apostolic's live by. Dictionary.com put separation as, to keep apart or divide, as by an interviewing barrier or space. I'm not talking about always being inside of a glass box where you can see people but can't interact with anyone, but being separate simply means not being conformed by the things or ways of the world. Another way of putting it; living in the world but not being apart of the world. Simply put, if someone cuts you off and you become angry; most people would flip out, bang the steering wheel and cuss, but having a separate mindset from the world can change how we act. Living a holy life can help prevent things like that from happening and we will have control of our anger and how we react to certain situations.

 2 Corinthians 6:17 says "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you." 

Romans 12:2  "Don't be conformed by this world, be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern that is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."