Sunday Service Message 24/10/2021

Topic: TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY

Text: Matthew 5: 48; Hebrews 12: 14; 1 Peter 1: 15 & 16

We all should know the nature of our Father which is in Heaven. He is holy and there is no unrighteousness in him. He is the embodiment of purity. He is the perfect God.
God Almighty neither dwells in evil nor beholds evil.

Habakkuk 1: 13
God does not look on iniquity.
Whosoever therefore is serving God must be holy. We must take time to be holy and ensure that everything we do is done in holiness.

Holiness demands that we take time and be deliberate about it. We should allow God to sanctify us. God is the only personality that can attest to our holiness. We should therefore call upon him to sanctify us and make us holy.

In this message, we shall consider the following sub-heading:

1. THE REASONS AND COUNSEL

Everyone should understand that God is holy; our Lord Jesus Christ is holy; the HolyGhost is holy. It is very obvious that the trinity is holy.

1 John 5: 7
The above scripture shows there are three that make for One God and these Three are one. They are holy. In addition, all the Angels and Saints in Heaven are all holy.
Heaven is a holy place. (Matthew 25: 31)

Psalm 20: 6
This further reinforces the assertion that the Trinity, Angels and all the elders in Heaven are holy.
This was the reason why Isaiah cried out holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. The Prophet Isaiah saw his own filthines in the sight of the holy God.

Inferring from the aforesaid, nobody can enter heaven unholy or in unrighteousness.

Isaiah 6: 1 & 2, 5 & 7
In the above scriptures, Isaiah the Prophet saw his own wretchedness in the sight of the holiness of God and the Angels of heaven.
It was then Isaiah cried out and was purged of his sins.

It is important that we study the bible. That is where the righteousness and holiness of God is revealed. There is no other person or other source where we can learn and acquire the understanding of the holiness of God.
It is from the word of God that we can refine ourselves and become like God in holiness. When we study the word of God, we will see what Isaiah saw and then bear fruits of holiness and righteousness.

Everyone that wants to be holy and be like God, such a person must possess the Spirit of God. If you will have the Spirit of God then you must be born-again.
If you are not born-again, there is no foundation of righteousness of God in you and therefore you cannot be holy.
There is no Unbeliever that can ascribe to be holy. It is not possible.

John 3: 3 & 7
There is no Unbeliever that will enter heaven. The scriptures above says, if they are not born-again, they can neither see nor enter heaven. Everyone that wants to enter heaven must be born-again.
You are born-again by the water and the spirit. That is you are born-again by the word of God and the HolyGhost. It is that Word of God that is called water and also there is Spirit.
The question therefore is, “Are you born-again?” If you are not born-again, before I conclude this message, then make up your mind.

1 Peter 1: 23
We can be born-again by the word of God and by the spirit of God.
When this happens, holiness is achievable.

1 John 3: 9
When you are now born of God by being born-again, you have the Spirit of God.
The Spirit of God cannot carry you into sin. This is the reason for saying, you should be holy. When you are born-again, you do not go back to your former life style because your life has been transformed.
You must perfect holiness in the fear of God. You should pray for it.

Pray and seek for purity. You know your former life and the flesh has not been transformed, that is why you need to pray and be holy.

Once you are born-again, the next step is sanctification and purity. You should pray for it.

1 Thessalonians 4: 3
It is the will of God that you should be sanctified. When you pray to God, the Lord will answer you because he requires purity from us.

1 Peter 1 : 16
This is the demand of God; that we should be holy.
If you do not agree with God’s demand for holiness, you cannot work with God
(Amos 3: 3).
In order for us to be holy, you must not look at what others are looking at. An example is watching naked pictures or beholding evil.

Psalm 101: 1-3
I will set no wicked thing before my eye. Take note of that.
To behave wisely, you must not do what others are doing.
You must not allow evil thoughts or imaginations. You must not do the things others are doing.
To be holy, One must behave himself wisely and in a perfect way. As a Child of God, you must take time to speak. If you want to be holy, do not behave anyhow. Do not keep any manner of friendship.

2. OUR EXPECTED RESPONSE AND RESULTS.

Everyone is expected to take advantage of this grace available now to ensure holiness in every side and make heaven at last.
We are in the very end time and the grace of God is available only while we are alive; only now that the rapture has not taken place.

In the scriptures, you will see that those that were before us took advantage of the grace of God, served God and fulfilled their ministry.

1 Corinthians 15: 10
The grace of God enabled him to receive salvation and become an Apostle.
This same grace enabled him to write-up half of the scriptures in the New Testament.
We also have to take advantage of the grace to be holy and make it at the end of this life. Do not wait until when the door is shut.

All i want every one listening to this message to understand is that you can be holy once you are born-again by the grace of God. That same grace will enable you to make Heaven at last.

Let us follow the examples of these Apostles who served God and made it to the end. They took advantage and we also should know that this is the opportunity available for us so long as death has not taken place and rapture has not taken place.

2 Corinthians 6: 1 & 2
Now is the acceptable time. Take advantage of the grace now and use it to achieve holiness. Use this grace now to serve God and do the will of God. Take time to be holy. It is possible by the grace of God.

The following are means through which we can achieve holiness by the grace of God:

1. We should study our Bible
2. We should be steadfast in prayers to achieve holiness inside and outside.
3. We should be mindful of our association.
4. We should watch what we set our eyes and heart upon.
5. We should put into practice all that we have heard concerning righteousness and holiness.

Let heaven bear witness that you are holy. Let all that come across you, bear witness that you are holy.

1 Peter 1: 15 & 16
Be holy in every area of life.

Matthew 5: 16
Let your light and good deeds shine before all men. Let the people testify by your good deeds that God is alive and real.
Let your righteousness in practice provoke people to repentance.
Take time to be holy.

1 Thessalonians 5: 23
Let your spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless.

Hebrews 12: 14 & 15
Esau had the birthright as the first son of Isaac. However Esau lost the birthright because he disregarded it and considered it common.

Let us therefore take time to be holy.
All that is happening in the world right now is a dress rehearsal for the emergence of the antichrist. As the world today is being inconvenienced by reason of the corona virus pandemic which has constrained trade and travel; how much more at the time after the rapture when the beast will be revealed. At that time without the mark the people left behind will not be able to even step.out of their houses.
It will be from vaccine to the mark of the beast.
Take time to be holy now while the grace is available.

In concluding this message today, it is important that you take advantage of this grace by firstly amending your ways.
Do not return to sin. Sin will hinder you and deny you of this opportunity to join the Saints triumphant in heaven. Sin will make you an enemy to God.
It is therefore important that all Sinners and Backsliders repent and surrender all to Jesus Christ.

Confess your sins and accept Jesus Christ today as your Lord and personal Saviour.
A Sinner is not a Christian and a Christian is not a Sinner.
1 John 3: 8 & 9;
Are you asking, “what is sin?”
All unrighteousness is sin.
1 John 5: 17a;
Unbelief is sin. Selfishness is sin; Covetousness is sin, Insincerity is sin; backbiting, murmuring, speaking evil of others, these are terrible sin.
Going to native doctors, going for divination and palm reading, all that is terrible wickedness. No child of God does that. If you are into stealing, any form of stealing; stealing from Government, stealing from companies and individuals, that is sin. Amend your ways.
If you are there and you are involved into armed robbery, duping people, do not bring such money to this Church.

If you are among those people that are involved in fornication, adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, abortion, that is terrible wickedness.
Fighting and quarreling, smoking and drunkenness all these are evil. Ask for the mercy of God.

Are you into fighting and quarreling? Are you disobedient to your husband or you are beating your wife, that is sin.
Are you into any kind of killing, poisoning people, hired assassin? Confess that sin and amend your ways. Promise God you will not return to that wickedness.
Are you into divorce? That is sin.
Matthew 19: 4-6.

Are you into polygamous marriage or you have sent away your wife or you moved away from your husband, that is sin. Marriage is between a man and a woman until death separates you.
Are you a woman dressing like a man or a man dressing like a woman, all that is sin. Deuteronomy 22: 5
Are you among those that take snuff, take cigarette and banned substances, that is sin. That is wickedness against your soul and against humanity.

All these people that bleach their body and turn yellow over night, that is sin.
I have not spoken this word to condemn you but to point out what is evil thereby enabling you to amend your ways.
The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Proverbs 28: 13; John 14: 6; John 1: 29; John 10: 10b; Matthew 11: 28; John 1: 12; 2 Corinthians 5: 17
As you give your life to Jesus Christ and begin to live the life of the kingdom of God, I am assuring you, that power to achieve holiness shall come upon you and you shall also be blessed all round in Jesus name.
Romans 10: 13
Rise up and let us pray.