Today’s Verse:
Without holiness no one will see the Lord. —Hebrews 12:14 NIV
Your challenge: Take an honest assessment of your heart. Is it hypocritical or holy?
Today’s Devotional:
The Bible calls God holy—more than any other word associated with Him. It’s the holiness of God (His “otherness”) that separates Him from sinners. Unholy and holy cannot mix. Jesus who saved us to make us holy and blameless before God (Eph. 1:4).
Scripture records the life-altering encounters of sinful men who were overwhelmingly undone at a peek of God’s holiness.
- Job was rendered speechless (Job 40:4).
- Isaiah was woefully ruined (Isa. 6:5).
- Habakkuk was rocked to the core (Hab. 3:16).
- John fell down stiff as a board (Rev. 1:17).
Are you undone by your sin under the brilliant light of a holy God or are you cozy and comfy with it? Jesus called the religious leaders hypocrites because they loved the appearance of being holy more than they loved having a holy heart like His.
Is there hope of revival for a flatlined heart that’s casual toward sin? The amazing news is “Yes!” Taking a fresh glimpse of God’s holiness can produce the electric jolt for our hearts to:
- Hate the sin we once loved
- Love righteousness that we once hated
- Hate hypocrisy and love true godliness
The more we grow in holiness, the more the world sees Christ in us. Let’s live in such a way that the world not only sees Christ but cannot help but worship Him, too. Pray with me . . .
Look Up: Seeking Him in Praise
Join your voice with the heavenly chorus, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:8). All creation trembles before Him. Bow down, for He alone is holy. Our God is a consuming fire that is worthy of reverence and awe.
Look In: Seeking Him for Our Own Hearts
O God, search down into the depths of my being and purge me of sin. I’m tired of living in self-righteous rags and pretending to be something I’m not. Cleanse my heart and give me a right attitude. Grow me in godliness, spiritual zeal, and white-hot love for You.
Look Out: Seeking Him on Behalf of Others
Take a prayer walk. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world to put off the former way of life, which is corrupted through deceitful desires,and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:22–24). Ask God for a revival of true holiness in His Church.
Reflect and Respond:
- Have you grown comfortable with sin? Take an honest assessment of your heart using the Put Off . . . Put On Revival Worksheet. Spend time confessing your sins and receiving His grace to actively pursue holiness.
- Meditate on the God-encounters found in Isaiah 6 or Revelation 1.
- Make a list of the holy habits you want to cultivate.
Join the Discussion