Day 23 | Pastor Leslie
When we speak of the meaning of ‘holy’ associated with God, we are speaking of one of His communicable attributes. In other words, an intrinsic quality that it is impossible for humanity to partake fully of, but which can be shared, by God, with the people who come into His very presence.
Thus, when Moses came down from the meeting with God, His face shone brilliantly because of His close proximity, on the mountain, to the glory and holiness God.
When Solomon’s Temple was dedicated to God, and Solomon had concluded His great national prayer, the Shekinah glory filled the Temple and no-one could minister any longer.
God had come down in His glorious holiness, and people were forced to recognise the purity and majesty of His presence.
Father, as we consecrate ourselves, and meet with Your Holy Spirit in deeper ways, we will also reflect Your holiness and glory more through our lives. Hallelujah! Amen.
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Day 24 | Pastor Leslie
Godliness is linked to piety and therefore is a reflection of God’s nature and character. Thus, godliness is an outcome of sanctification.
As we walk away from self’s control, the power of sin diminishes, the love of the world loses its attraction because the love of Christ becomes a greater attraction within. As this happens, Satan’s temptations are then set in the context of our higher life in Christ.
In this sense, godliness is linked to righteousness. Righteousness is faith in and an adherence to God’s word leading to a right standing, through Christ, with God. Only Christ fulfilled all-righteousness.
Therefore, when we are in Christ, His righteousness is accounted as ours, and opens the potential for a deepening relationship with Father God.
Father, thank You that we have open access to You as a result of all Christ has done for us, Justification by Faith. We pray that our partnership with the Holy Spirit and Your word will lead to a deeper devotional life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Day 25 | Pastor Leslie
As we practice the Christian Disciplines including prayer, worship, giving, fellowshipping, meditating on God’s word, fasting etc, then the Holy Spirit imparts, through these, more of Christ’s righteousness leading to Christ – His nature, love and character – being formed in us.
At this point it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
Father, thank You that consecration is us answering a biblical call to piety, holiness and godliness. We ask that this month will be one of maturing faith, whole-hearted discipleship, and new experiences of Your presence and love.
Holiness is imparted by our time in Your presence. The more time we spend in Your presence, the more of the Shekinah we carry away with us, and therefore, Your presence and love become more real in us, and more obvious in our lives to others.
Lead us further into the desire to spend time in Your presence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Day 26 | Pastor Leslie
Godliness in us is an ever clearer reflection of the character and nature of Christ, and an outcome of the process of sanctification.
Father, in this sense as we go deeper into consecration, it enables us to reflect more clearly Your holiness, being more holy as You are holy. This is our prayer.
Consecration brings us into a place whereby we can receive daily imparted righteousness from the Holy Spirit and word. Lord, those things that stop me receiving Your impartation, forgive me for allowing to do so.
We pray for the Holy Spirit’s strength to consciously walk away from self and the lure of the world, to speak, think and act as Christ would do in any given situation. Our desire it to mature in faith.
Holiness includes setting us apart for Your worship and service, engaging more fully with your love but also, in its other meaning, can only be carried by us from Your presence as we spend time with You each day. May we all live lives of holiness and godliness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Day 27 | Pastor Leslie
Sometimes we can think we are portraying something to others when in fact they are seeing something completely different than we thought.
Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves – some wear a mask. Jesus said we will either produce God’s fruit, if connected to the Vine, or no such fruit (John 15); and elsewhere, He spoke about ‘by their fruits you will know them,’ when speaking about the false as opposed to the genuine (Matthew 7:13-20).
2 Peter 1:3-4, CSB, says the following: ‘3His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4By these he has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.’
Thank You that Christ has given us everything necessary to live out our faith in holiness and godliness. Elsewhere, we are told that the Holy Spirit would empower us to be Christ’s effective witnesses.
A good witness needed to be proven to be reliable, and of good character to be believed. Thank You for Your testing and sanctifying work as we partner with Your Holy Spirit and word turning us into the people who will honour Jesus.
Thank You that You are committed to our sanctification, it is Your will for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Day 28 | Pastor Leslie
The writer to the Hebrews stated, 12:14-15, CSB, ‘14Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness — without it no one will see the Lord. 15Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.’
Partnering with God in our sanctification is pursuing holiness. The word here rendered holiness in the CSB, is rendered ‘sanctification’ in the NASB.
It is hagiasmos which means moral purity before God, the process of being set apart, of being sanctified. This is a process that will last throughout our lives as believers.
Father, throughout the Bible, Your word calls Your people to consecration, to sanctification, to be holy as You are holy.
Holy Spirit, guide us in the pursuit of peace and holiness. These are vital to maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
We pray for anyone who previously has fallen short of Your grace, may they be renewed through repentance and restoration, and brought back into a place of standing in grace.
If any are troubled by a root of bitterness, deliver each one of them from such evil, so they can once again pursue peace and holiness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Day 29 | Pastor Leslie
Godliness is living with a continual appreciation of God’s presence and nature. It is keeping the Lord ever before us and seeking to honour Christ by living in accordance to His nature and call on our lives – to be His disciples and saints.
Glory is about God’s majesty and transcendence, His glory also reflects His goodness – a true reflection of His character and how He acts, to His activity.
His great and precious promises are real – they are not mere tokenism. What God has promised He will deliver, and there is power in these words of promise. Someone has said that there are 30,000 promises in the Bible; whatever the number, God stands over them and will complete what He promises us in His word.
Father, You will do that which You are committed to, our full salvation.
The whole goal of sanctification, is for Christ to be formed in us, we to become Christ-like in our lives. Sharing in the divine nature is about doing Your works, about being changed on the inside.
For the rest of our lives may we walk in faith as Jesus’ disciples. May what has taken place in our spirit, spill over into our souls, into that which makes us human so we become more and more Christ-like at the very centre of our being. Amen.
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Day 30 |Pastor Leslie
In Hebrews 10:10, ‘By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.’ ‘Here sanctification is that procured through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross cleansing the conscience so we can approach God in worship’ (FF Bruce, Hebrews, 344).
Holiness is that sacred word which sets God apart from humanity. He is absolutely holy. Sanctification is us being equipped to share in His holiness, being made holy, partnering with the Spirit and word in order to become more holy.
This is practical holiness, the outworking of our faith and obedience to Christ, His word and will. It is holiness ‘in heart and life’ (Bruce, 349).
Thank You, Father, for such marvellous provision through the cross of Jesus. As we conclude this month, may consecration have been firmly established in each of our lives.
I commit to continue this journey of consecration. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
