Holiness

We must understand what holiness is. Holiness is absolute and perfect righteousness, excellence, flawlessness, morality, virtue, uprightness, devotion and consecration. Holiness is being without sin, spotless, without wrinkle or blemish, untarnished and undefiled. Holiness is to be perfect in all things. When we say that God is holy, it is exactly what God is. This is His standard. His holiness is not just something to describe Him as or part of His character, it is WHO He is. He is holy. Everything He does, He does in holiness and rightness. In his book, Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer writes, “Holy is the way God is. To be holy He does not conform to a standard. He is that standard. He is absolutely holy with an infinite, incomprehensible fullness of purity that is incapable of being other than it is. Because He is holy, His attributes are holy; that is, whatever we think of as to belonging to God must be thought of as holy.”
The holiness of God- the human mind and intellect cannot comprehend fully the holy, matchless, incomparable, perfection of Almighty God. Thus, words cannot articulate, communicate and enunciate the depth of God’s utmost holiness. The thing to grasp is that God’s holiness is beyond anything the human mind can fathom. He is above and beyond all that I could try to write on. The human’s definition of God’s holiness is like a grain of sand on a vast, endless beach.
Again, Tozer writes, “He (God) is the absolute quintessence of moral excellence, infinitely perfect in righteousness, purity, rectitude, and incomprehensible holiness. And in all this He is uncreated, self-sufficient and beyond the power of human thought to conceive or human speech to utter.”
In Isaiah 6, the prophet Isaiah sees the holiness of God in the Throne Room of the Lord. He sees the Lord, high and lifted up, sitting on a throne. The train of His robe cascades throughout the temple. Isaiah describes the seraphim, six-winged creatures crying out and proclaiming in adoration: “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
How does man stand in light of the holiness of God? Holiness is the measure for man. All men have fallen short of that glorious standard. (Romans 3:23) God calls us to be holy for He is holy. (Lev. 11:45) We are depraved, wicked sinners before the holiness of God. Because God is holy and man is sinful, they are opposite, opposed and separated. God cannot and will not dwell with that which is sinful, wretched, filthy and unclean. Seeing the holiness of God will show us our sin. It will reveal in us our great need for a Savior. It shows us just how far we have fallen. After Isaiah saw this majestic holiness of the Lord on High, he confessed, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5) What Isaiah saw was the holy, sacred and majestic God in all of His splendor and glory- He saw the holiness of God. It moved Isaiah to fall on his face and declare his depravity and sin before God. We must see the holiness of God in light of who we are. We must cry, “Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips!” May we fall on our faces in light of God’s holiness. He is worthy of all praise, adoration, honor and glory!

God is Real

You probably read this title and thought, "well yeah, duh!", but my intentions for the title, and for the story I am about to relay, is to reveal how God can really present Himself to us. There have been times in my life, I know, where I have questioned God's sovereignty and His presence. Those times when I feel so lost, so alone I just simple didn't believe fully. I'm not proud of those feelings, but they happened none the less. Back in May, when I had a time like this, God came through my walls and showed me He was there and always would be.

My family and I were on a weekend trip to Memphis for my brother's basketball tournament at the very end of May of this year. It had been a fun weekend so far, but deep within I had been struggling with something for some time.
I am beginning college this Fall and I chose a small private Christian college opposed to a large public school. With the more intimate and spiritual learning environment comes a heftier price tag. I have a decent scholarship with the school, but it was still not enough. My heart and head was on a roller coaster. I want to go to school so badly, but is it worth jeopardizing my family possibly because of the cost. My faith and trust was diminishing to almost nonexistent, but my Maker was not about to let that happen.
We were headed down the elevator at our hotel Saturday morning about to meet the team in the lobby to head to the first game when we encountered a wonderful stranger. An older lady was also on the trip to the first floor and she began speaking with us. She noticed my brother had a basketball uniform on so she mentioned her daughter who had just graduated and was going to school on a basketball scholarship. My mom told her that I too had just graduated and was going on an academic scholarship, but that there were many more funds that needed to be covered. The issue had been weighing heavy on all of us it seemed. She simply agreed as the elevator doors opened and we all parted ways with happy "good-byes".
As we were sitting in the lobby waiting on all of the team to arrive my mother was approached by our elevator friend. "I made it halfway across the street and God told me to come back and find you" she explained while inquiring after where I was. She took my mom and I to a secluded hallway and told us that the Lord had told her to come back and pray with us. She did just that! She prayed aloud as we all held hands that God would provide for our family and that we would not be in want or that we would not worry. She prayed for me...by name! After her "amen" she looked me in the eye and said "Hayley, God has told me that you have a heart for Him and if you only trust in Him then He will provide the way for your school." We gave her a hug and we parted ways yet again, never to see her again.
Two things we didn't tell this woman: that my name was Hayley and that we were Christians
I have never experienced God in a more real way. He spoke to this woman and was specific!! He knew that right then at that moment I needed to see Him. I did. I saw Him in the eyes of that woman who did what He called her to do.
I escaped the noise of the lobby and went into the bathroom and cried in lost agony. Why had I questioned God? How could I even think that I could take over? Why was I worrisome and lonely? He was with me. He was caring for me. He was providing for me. I would never doubt Him again.

That completely real experience with God, both with His messenger and in the bathroom with Him, changed my life. He was God and I know that now without a shadow of a doubt. No longer do I worry about what the future holds. I know that whatever it is God has it all under control.
If you feel lost and questionable like I did then He will seek you out in the most incredible way. Begin yourself by seeking Him. Dig into His word with a hunger and ask Him through fervent prayer to reveal Himself. You won't be lost for long, for He always finds a way back into your life.

Meet My Friend

I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine.
She's actually quite close to my family and me.
She lives a little drive away, but comes over often because she is my brother's bestest friend.

She loves to cook and be goofy.
She loves to swim and play her piano.
She loves to take pictures and wear feathers in her hair.

But most of all she loves Jesus.
She loves Jesus with her whole heart.

Her name is Emily Joy.
And her name is quite appropriate.

Here is her blog.
Read it.
I can't explain everything that's going on in her life, because it's a ton.
Just imagine horrible pain throughout your body and hundreds of medical tests resulting in a prescription of a radically changed lifestyle and habits.
The LORD has called her worthy to go through this and I am honored to know such a woman so willing to obey His command.

Emily's Blog: Because You Shine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Emmi,

I thank God whom I serve as I remember you in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother and your mother and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame...the gift of God, which is in you, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. You count it all joy, my sister, when you fall into various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let that steadfastness have its full effect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Blessed is the daughter of Christ who remains steadfast under trial, for when she has stood the test, she will receive that crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

Gospel Through Poetical Acronym

Tornadoes and the Peace of the Lord!!

It's tornado season here in Arkansas. I'm starting to get used to the sound of the sirens going off. These last two weeks have been horrible! Well, Monday was the worst of it. There were several tornado producing storms ( 10 tornadoes officially confirmed in central AR) Well, there was one headed right for us. I don't mind thunder storms unless they're headed for me. The clouds were so huge and dark! I started getting really nervous as the weather guy said that it was a huge powerful storm that contained a large tornado.

(photo credit: WTVY news)

So the prayers began. We lost power and gathered near the bathroom, (our tornado shelter.) Then I remembered the verse I got earlier that day via text from the American Bible Society.

"Do not be afraid- I am with you! I am YOUR God.... I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you." Isaiah 41:10

I looked at it earlier in the day and thought it was a good verse but it didn't really apply (or so I thought) to what I was dealing with at the time. Boy, was I wrong!! It was perfect timing! And brought much peace during some scary moments!

Thankfully and only by God's grace the stormed moved north of us and didn't go over us!! Praise Jesus! :)

There was much damage in a small town of Vilonia, AR (about 40 minutes away.)Where four people were killed.

Please pray for the families who lost loved ones and their homes in the tornadoes.

When has the Lord brought peace in the midst of a scary or difficult situation??

The Gospel

Looking For Love....

God's love has really been on my mind alot lately. I've realized how much I take it for granted. Or how many times I go throughout my day without grasping God's goodness and love for me.
We sing,"He love us, oh how He loves us, oh how He loves..."

But do really realize the truth and power in those words? His love is truly all we need. It's enough. I forget that truth alot.

Instead we go after the approval and love of our friends, peers and guys. I see so many girls who go into one relationship after the next... looking for approval and acceptance and love in guys. We think that their love will be enough, that it will make us complete, that we'll be worth something when we have finally met "the one." But that's a lie.

Jesus' love is enough.

We believe that God spoke and life came to be. We believe that Jesus had the power to heal the sick, blind, lame,the lepers and to rise from the dead three days after his death. We believe that He is living and reigning. We believe He has knows everything about us, He knows the number of hairs on our heads. We believe He knows every thought and every moment of our lives. But somehow we think He's not enough. He can't be all we need. What we are really saying to God when we look for love in everyone and everything except God is this: "God, You really can't love me like I need to be loved. You can't romance and cherish me like I want to be. God, You're not enough."

I need to clarify, earthly romance is not wrong obviously. But it becomes an issue when it becomes our obcession, our identity, and sense of worth.

I am realizing that I already have a love story. It's with my King Jesus.

He rescued me from my state of shame and sin- without hope of escape. He came to my side and laid His own life down to redeem my soul. He took me and purified my heart and soul. Exchanging my filthy rags for a pure white gown. And an eternity with Him is my joy.

So for those of us who are believers- this is our love story. It's every girls dream to be rescued and romanced by a prince. Our prince is Jesus Christ- we are His bride. That's all I need. God's love is perfect, unfailing, unending, everlasting, true, faithful, pure, merciful and constant and so such more than I can fathom.

Tenth Avenue North's song,"By Your Side" sums this thought up.

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life