A Desire For Holiness
2009-08-10

I don't even feel like doing this today, but I'm going to anyway.


Here's a prayer request from the PPT site.

Meetings in Mexico. President Obama, Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper have met in Mexico. The President said immigration reform will have to wait until 2010, after work is completed on health care reform and the economy. He also defended U.S. efforts to help restore Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a June coup. The trio discussed trade relationships, cooperation on swine flu containment, and the violent Mexican gangs dominating the drug trade.



Psalm for today: 90:13-17

Come back, God�how long do we have to wait?�
and treat your servants with kindness for a change.
Surprise us with love at daybreak;
then we'll skip and dance all the day long.
Make up for the bad times with some good times;
we've seen enough evil to last a lifetime.
Let your servants see what you're best at�
the ways you rule and bless your children.
And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,
confirming the work that we do.
Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!
(The Message)

"Moses intimates that we cannot undertake or attempt anything with the prospect of success, unless God become our guide and counsellor, and govern us by his Spirit. Whence it follows, that the reason why the enterprises and efforts of worldly men have a disastrous issue is, because, in not following God, they pervert all order and throw everything into confusion. By his providence, which to us is incomprehensible, he directs his work in regard to the reprobate externally; but he governs his believing people internally by his Holy Spirit; and therefore his is properly said to order or direct the work of their hands."

(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)



Tabletalk Magazine

"Conceited Know-Nothings"
1 Timothy 6:2b-4a

Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. (ESV)

Paul speaks of interpretation of Scripture in today's reading. The context is about slaves' attitudes towards their masters. The point of the passage is not whether or not slavery is admissible. Some of Paul's teaching may, in fact, have led the church to eventually reject slavery. But the concern in Paul's writing was that the gospel not be tarnished by a slave's behavior. We, today, can relate this to a relationship between employees and employers. That's kind of like slavery isn't it? Heheheh...sorry. Anyway, we should never be guilty of "lackadaisical service," or of taking advantage of a relationship in Christ to disrespect authority. "Christians should be the best servants and workers of all."



Holiness Day by Day

"Not An Option"
Hebrews 12:14

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (ESV)

There are two types of holiness that are spoken of in Scripture. One is the holiness that we have "in Christ before God." The other is the holiness that we are to strive after. They complement each other. 1 Thessalonians 4:7 says, "For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness." (ESV) We are made holy through Christ, but we are also called to be holy in our daily lives.

Today's verse calls us to take this seriously. If we do not have at least a yearning in our hearts to live a holy life, we should seriously consider if our faith is genuine.

It may only be a spark of desire to begin with. But should grow into a flame, "a desire to live a life wholly pleasing to God."



Father, I thank you for your hand in my life that directs me. I thank you that you have protected me from my own selfish desires so many times. I pray that you help me to move forward in my life, in my walk with you. I pray for that spark of desire that has been present for so long to become a flame, burning with desire to live that life that is wholly pleasing to you.

I pray especially today that I would have a better attitude at my job, that I would be the best example of a worker that I can be. Let me never tarnish your name because of my attitude at work, no matter what happens, and no matter whether I think I've been treated unfairly or not. Let me work as though I'm working for you!

Father, thank you for keeping me in your care all these years. Thank you for keeping my family in your grace. Please continue to do so, especially right now, in this time of transition and turmoil.



God is good. All the time.

Grace and peace, friends.



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