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Sep 04, 2016

A Heart To Be Holy

A Heart To Be Holy

Speaker: Dennis Gallaher

Category: Sunday Morning

Holiness, the fear of God, and a Godly lifestyle are three topics that are not talked about much in the church today. Luckily Scripture addresses them often. In this message, Pastor Dennis walks through what Peter had to say about living a godly lifestyle and why it is so important for Christians to focus on holiness.

There are three topics that are rarely addressed in the church today:
  -  Holiness = A word that describes an object of awe. The church is to be holy simply because of her relationship with God. The question we should be asking ourselves is “does the world fall back in awe at the holiness of the church, or the holiness of your life?”

  -  Fear of God = If we fear God, then we are not intimidated by the world’s opinion. The fear of God produces a patient, gentle, and pure heart.

  -  A Godly Lifestyle = A Godly lifestyle is produced when holiness meets the fear of God.
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Digging Deeper:
Why do you think these three topics are not discussed in the church today? What are some misconceptions floating around concerning them?
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These three things might not be discussed much in the church today, but Scripture addresses them.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in Heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” -1 Peter 1:3-5

Our whole goal here on earth is to finish well. The goal in all we do as to do not with what is on earth but in eternity and our reward there.

Many Christians today have a belief system of soundbites and are of the mindset that opinions trump truth. At the same time, however, the Holy Spirit is calling His church to return to holiness, the fear of God, and a lifestyle of Godly living.

1 Peter 1:13-19 gives four different instructions for us to follow if we are to see these three things come about in our lives.

1. Prepare our minds for action.
2. Don’t be conformed to previous lusts - stop excusing bad behavior
3. Be holy in all of your behavior - flee anything that threatens to defile your way of life
4. Prepare for eternity

We concluded the message with a story of a couple that was cleaning out the house of a deceased relative. In the house they found 4 baseball cards worth $1 million, in a crumpled up paper bag. Something so valuable, stored in a piece of trash.
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Digging Deeper:
Is your salvation being carried around in a crumpled up paper sack? Are you living a holy lifestyle, motivated by the fear of God, or are you simply living life the way you want to, knowing you are saved in the end?
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“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” -1 Peter 2:11-12