Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
“Take Time to be Holy” by William D. Longstaff (1822-1894),
a businessman and ship-owner
We’ve all used the expressions
when we think something is surprising, shocking, or impressive
Just another way of saying “WOW”
Literally, holy living means that the Christian lives a life that is set apart, reserved to give glory to God. It is a life of discipline, focus, and attention to matters of righteous living. 1 Peter 1:13-25 calls all people of faith to live a life of holiness. Holiness should not be confused with morality. Morality is outward niceness or compliance to a set of standards. Holiness is an inward transformation, the cleanliness of one’s soul.
The Book of Leviticus continues from Exodus, where God’s chosen people, Israel, were to bless the nations, but were required to be holy. They, as we do, need to develop and give special attention to God’s presence in our lives, not in rituals but in consecration. Leviticus 11:44, “For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy.”
A holy person will endeavour to shun every known sin and to keep every known commandment. There are seven deadly sins. A holy person will have a mind of purpose to and for God, a hearty desire to do His will – a greater fear of displeasing Him than of displeasing the world, and a love of all His ways. A holy person will strive to be like our Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever sin occurs in life, we should confess it right away and be renewed again to being personally holy.
To walk in holiness, we must avoid basic mistakes. We all know right from wrong and usually when we choose right we avoid making mistakes. Everyone at some point is afraid of making the wrong choice. Holiness is motivated by the grace of God’s love for us and requires the work of living Him by obeying His commands. God’s love is freely offered in forgiveness and is a blessing promised on condition of obedience. Loving Him is a matter of the heart and the will.
How do you enrich your walk with God in a godly way?
Start and end every day with God in prayer. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Know what is and isn’t important. “Do not be deceived: bad company ruins good morals.” 12 Corinthians 15:33.
Place spiritual boundaries in your life. “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Timothy 4:16.
Read and meditate on scripture. “So faith comes through hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ.” Romans 10:17. Find yourself a bible with Jesus’ words in red. Focus on the red words.
Remember you are an ambassador for Christ. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13
The Lord is standing at your door knocking, wanting to take a stroll with you, and chances are you could use the exercise.
If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus yet, but would like to start one, simply pray, with an open heart, this little prayer and start your walk with Him today.
