Now that the ministry of Pastor Landis Fisher our teacher has turned the corner into a new season, he has prepared a message addressing the heart attitude of the Church of today, which is seemingly operating more and more on self-reliance rather than on the teaching and receipt of conferred holiness from God, as Israel the covenant people also did in the days of Jeremiah just before the southern Kingdom was chastised by God being cast into captivity among the Babylonians and other Gentiles. Listen in today as Pastor Fisher preaches a message addressing these things which he has titled: “Distinguished By True Holiness”
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 9:23 – 26 (KJV)
Jer 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
Jer 9:25 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;
Jer 9:26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:1 – 10 (KJV)
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) The only acceptable ‘righteousness’ is that which God awards to the ones who believe and trust in Jesus Christ, and believe that God has raised Him from the dead; yet all who have really done so, also realize the horrible pit they have been saved from and therefore, seek to know God with a true intimacy which tends to adjust each believer more and more to the true holiness of God, with the passing of time.
2) Even when we are ‘saved’ there is an internal tendency to rely on ourselves rather than to learn to lean completely on God, Who alone is holy, and must confer real holiness to us if we are to attain it, since our own old nature is still very much alive on the inside of each of us, and is still trying to remain in charge and to rationalize our persistent evil practices, or take the credit for our success’s and to deny God His glory for the mercy for the former; and the grace for the latter.
3) Let us strive to resolve all the differences we see that are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit and God’s Word; (Through true worship… John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.) a) with truthful evaluation, b) fervent prayer, c) aggressive grace for our brothers and sisters, d) persistent prayer to God for strength to defeat sin, e) shameless interpersonal confession and accountability, f) always giving all the glory for all things to God through His Son Jesus Christ.
