Our Goal Is To Live A Holy Life

We need a Heaven-sent revival, a burning fire from on high, a purifying passion and a forsaking of our stubborn pride. We need a vision of eternity, of Hell and the Judgment Day, A fervent love for our Savior that will gladly serve and obey. We need a Pentecostal purging and a breaking deep within, a vision of God Almighty and a river of tears for our nation’s sin. We need a Heaven-sent revival, a burning fire set ablaze. Yet, we'll never see such glory, until the Church begins to pray." David Smithers

1 John 3:3-9 And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. [4] Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. [5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. [6] Whosoever abides in him sins not: whosoever sins hath not seen him, neither known him. [7] Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. [8] He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. [9] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Our goal is to live a holy life

By Samuel Logan Brengle Revised by Dennis Selfridge

Jesus came into this world, and lived, and labored, and taught, and suffered, and died and rose again in order to accomplish a twofold purpose. The Apostle John explains this twofold work. In I John 3:5, speaking of Jesus, he says, 'You know that He was manifested to take away our sins.” This is His justification, and regeneration, which are done for us and in us. He adds, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” That is entire sanctification, which is a work done in us. We find from this scripture this is exactly what we need to have done for us.

First, we need to get rid our own sins, and have a new principle of life planted in us. 'For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God' RM. 3:23. When we come to God, we come with a sense of our own wrongdoings. Our sins condemn us; but Jesus came to take away our sins. When we come admitting we are sinners we put our trust in Jesus and we will find we are freed from sins of our past. Guilt is gone. The power of evil is broken. The burden will roll away. Peace will fill our heart. We see our sins were laid on Jesus when He died for us.

We receive pardon for all past sins that were against God. God gives us a new heart and a new life. We are born of God, and receive what Paul calls the washing of regeneration, which washes away all the man's guilt, and all the sin for which he is responsible.

Into our heart will flow love, joy, peace and fruits of the Spirit, and if our experience is through we will believe that there is nothing more to be done. But, if we walk in meekness of mind' and we speak often and freely with those who love the Lord and if we carefully search the word of God, we will soon find that sin's disease is deeper and more deadly than we thought, and that behind and below our sins are the 'works of the devil,' that must also be destroyed before the work of grace in his soul can be complete.

We will find a nature within us that wants to get mad when things are against us; a nature which will not be patient; a nature that is touchy and sensitive; a nature that wants to grumble and find fault; a nature that is proud and blames others; a nature that suggests hard thoughts against God; a nature that is self-willed and ugly and sinful. We hate this nature in us and want to get rid of it. This sinful nature will lead us to condemn our self for it will make us feel that we are worse off than before we were saved. But the truth is we are saved so long as we resist this something.

"I've been running on empty," the man said. "Not possible," his daughter corrected him. "Sure it is," he replied. "I am simply going through the motions." "Something's keeping you going. You can't go through the motions without the energy to do so," she responded. "I just don't care. I just have no interest in life." They sat quietly for a few moments just looking out at the world around them. "Apparently life has interest in you," the young woman said softly. He looked at her without saying a word, his eyes blinking periodically as they filled with tears. A small bird flutters in from the nearby tree landing in front of them. "Can you imagine if birds felt the same way?" she asked. "What?" "Birds. Imagine if birds woke up and said, "I don't feel like flying today. I just don't feel like being a bird." "That's silly," he said. "It's silly that you don't feel like living, too. What right do you have to decide that?" Shaking his head and flailing his hands about, he struggled for a response. You're not "running on empty," you're running on His will, His time, His reason forever having created you. There's still life left in you and you're wasting it," she said. Then as he stood up, he added, "Thank God." "And you're just like Him. Live up to it." No one runs on empty who has God in their life. If you are feeling uninspired, without a purpose or direction, take time to reconnect to the Source. God is ever present even when you feel alone. God is never ending even when you think you have come to a dead end. Simply call on Him and listen. He will always respond. It may not be what you want to hear but it will always be what you need. He is the source of your joy and the resource for your emptiness.