For the Love of All Things Holy

Ever heard the statement used in a derogatory manner?  Or as a frustrated cry when things don't go correctly?

Well, this week, it has taken on a whole new meaning for me.  We are having revival meetings with Evangelist Mike Peletier and his family this week.  The messages have been a wonderful blessing to me.  I've interpreted for the deaf twice, and I had nursery last night, but God has done a pretty amazing thing in my life over the last few days.  That's sure.

Tuesday night's message was about making God "My GOD".   He started with Moses, in Exodus 3 when God calls him.  In there, God says, "I am the God of thy father Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob..." However, He never says "The God of Moses" until later when Moses had CHOSEN God for himself.  Bro Mike then went back into Genesis, and showed the same true at the calling of Abraham, the calling of Isaac, and the calling of Jacob.  He talked of how God will never be your personal God until you chose him for yourself.  And that you can choose him in salvation, but there's so much more to it.  He then turned over to Psalm 18:1-3, "I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies."


He then continued on with an explanation about a time in college, that that became more than just another verse to him.  He was looking for a particular need to be met, and God had answered him with these verses....  He also said that in his Bible, all the personal pronouns were circled, showing emphasis... here, read it again: 
 Psalm 18:1-3, "I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies."


It was just a good reminder for me, that he has to be MY God.  I have done that many times, but as of Wednesday, I needed that reminder I had gotten on Monday.  Then tonight, Thursday, Bro Mike preached about things that hinder a Christians life.  They were usual things, but what he said ABOUT them was exactly what I needed tonight, because of Wednesday.


Here's what he was talking about.... Sins that hinder....  Bitterness, Worry, and Hypocrisy.  


Bitterness:  when that person's name enter's your mind, there is an immediate feeling of dislike, almost like a bad taste you remember when you remember a certain food.  


Worry:  It tells your children that God is dead, or that he is a lie..... BECAUSE, if you really believed the things you claimed to believe when you were at church, then you wouldn't worry.... "your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of these things".  


Hypocrisy: can be the outward manifestation of saying one thing and doing another, but it starts out as an attitude of thinking that you're better than someone else.  That didn't convict me until he said, "have you ever looked at someone and thought, ' they think they're too good for everyone', then you are thinking you're better than they are because you're looking down on them for looking down on others.  You are now the hypocrite."  WOW!  Needed to hear that.


So, the love of things holy?  Holiness has taken a whole new meaning for me.  I may not be out in the world doing "all that bad stuff" but I am doing bad.... all by myself......... and that could keep someone else from stopping the "bad stuff" to follow the Saviour I claim to believe so strongly in.  Holiness is keeping my focus on my Heavenly Father, and allowing him to take care of others problems, and take care of me and my family and our needs.


Hope that makes some sense.  I wanted to write it down somewhere before I lost it from mind and couldn't go back and recover it.