OUR DAILY BREAD : PURSUING HOLINESS

[cimi]

SUNDAY MARCH 8


PURSUING HOLINESS

READ:
Hebrews 12:14
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Pursue peace with
all people, and
holiness, without
which no one will
see the Lord.
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We often see surveys that ask people if they are happy, satisfied with their work, or enjoying life. But I've never seen an opinion poll that asked, "Are you holy?" How would you answer that question?

One Bible dictionary defines holiness as "separation to God and conduct fitting for those separated." Author Frederick Beuchner said that when writing about a person's character, "nothing is harder to make real than holiness." He adds that "holiness is not a human quality at all, like virtue,. Holiness is...not something that people do, but something that God does in them."

Romans 6 presents the stunning gift that God gives us through faith in Christ: "We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (v.4). The pursuit of holiness occurs daily as we yield ourselves in obedience to the Lord instead of following our old ways of self-gratification. "Now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life" (v.22NLT).

Are you becoming more holy? By God's grace and power, the answer can be a resounding "Yes! More and more each day."

__David Mccasland

What were Jesus' characteristics? In what ways can I cooperate with Him
to make those qualities become more a part of my life?_______________
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The choice to pursue holiness is a matter of life or death.

*******************Today's Bible Reading __ Romans 6:14-23*****************
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are
not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under
law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know
that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are
that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to
death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God
be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed
from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were
delivered. 18 and having been set free from sin, you became
slaves of righteousness.

19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your
flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of
uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness,
so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for
holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in
regard to righteousness. 21 what fruit did you have then in the
things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those
things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and
having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness,
and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
In Romans 6:23 we are shown the great
contrast between earned wages and the gift of grace. All that we
are capable of earning (wages) is death, but in Christ (the gift of
God) we are offered payment for our sins and life forever.