On Holiness

1 Peter 1:16 NIV
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

Many a times in the Bible prophets and Jesus say we are to be Holy. We are to be Holy not because to make God Holy, he is Holy and hence he says, "Be holy, because I am Holy".

Ephesians 1:4 NIV

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love

Christ is the Head of the Church, as he is the Leader. He expects the Church, i.e. he expects us to be Holy.

Ephesians 5:25-27New International Version (NIV)

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

We need to be careful with Holiness.

Matthew 7:6New Living Translation (NLT)

6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

Psalm 99 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Lord Our God Is Holy

99 The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
    He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2 The Lord is great in Zion;
    he is exalted over all the peoples.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!
    Holy is he!
4 The King in his might loves justice.[a]
    You have established equity;
you have executed justice
    and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt the Lord our God;
    worship at his footstool!
    Holy is he!

6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
    Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.
    They called to the Lord, and he answered them.
7 In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;
    they kept his testimonies
    and the statute that he gave them.

8 O Lord our God, you answered them;
    you were a forgiving God to them,
    but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
9 Exalt the Lord our God,
    and worship at his holy mountain;
    for the Lord our God is holy!

Isaiah 6:3 NIV

And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

On Knowing His Love and Responding

1 John 4:19 NIV
We love because he first loved us.

Know his love through Jesus Christ, as a person, as a sacrifice he gave himself - His act of sacrificing himself for us is the greatest part of love....

John 3:16 NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Compare - No love is greater than his....

John 15:13 NIV
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

Measure - length, breath,

Ephesians 3:14-21New International Version (NIV)

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

it will increase in knowledge of God, the person of Christ who will transform our lives....

2 Peter 3:17-18New International Version (NIV)

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

On Responding:

If we know his Love for us and if we Love him with whole heart, whole mind, whole soul and strength. We have to acknowledge it.

As Sheep we are to listen him and follow him:

John 10:22-30New International Version (NIV)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[a] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[b]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.30 I and the Father are one.”

If we Love him, we should feed the sheep:

John 21:15-25New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Reinstates Peter

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY AHEAD

Coming Back To The Start

In Revelations 2:4 it says:

Revelation 2:4 NIV
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.

It is easier to get away with the love of the world, the cares of the world. Forgetting what we are called for here in this life.

Matthew 24:12-13 NIV
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Matthew 7:21 NIV

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Yet we may have forsaken the truth because of the reasoning of men, the logic and tricks. The cunning and the untruthful nature of the human will always tries to pull us down to quit the faith that which we have and the love that which we have for our lord Jesus.

The First thing to do is to realize and repent:

Psalm 51:10-18New International Version (NIV)

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
    you who are God my Savior,
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[a] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Revelation 2:5 NIV
Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Romans 12:2 NIV

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Peter remembered his mistake:
Matthew 26:75 NIV

Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.

David's realization, When Nathan confronts him.
2 Samuel 12 - Nathan Rebukes David

We are not too far away from realization from our mistakes, our shortcomings. He is always near and he is always with the brokenhearted, to receive them and to comfort them, to counsel them.

Hebrews 8:12 NIV
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Psalm 103:3 NIV

who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,


HAVE A GREAT DAY AHEAD

Jesus The Greatest of All

God is Love, 

1 John 4:8New International Version (NIV)

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Demonstration of his own Love:
Romans 5:8 NIV
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 15:13 NIV

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

The greatest is Love:
1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

John 13:34-35New International Version (NIV)

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

1 Peter 4:8 NIV

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 John 4:18 NIV

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:19 NIV

We love because he first loved us.

Jesus is the greatest of all:

Greater than John - The Baptist

Jesus is the greatest of all the prophets, When Jesus said who John the baptist was, he also said who is greater than he. Jesus himself is the greatest of all. Because he took the form of human and lowered himself obediently to the point of death and rose on third day as per the Father's will. 

Luke 7:28 NIV

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

Greater than Solomon

When Jesus was explaining about how the generation wants miracles and seeks for it, rather than praising and appreciating the presence of God himself. When they sought for a sign from heaven, Jesus said “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 

As Jonah was a sign to the Nivevites, So also will the Son of Man be to this generation.

Then Jesus said about Solomon: The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here.

Wisdom is a gift of God, but Jesus has already said about the matchless wisdom of God and the wisdom of man by demonstrating the dress with all splendor of Solomon to the one of the lilies of the field.

Matthew 6:29 NIV

Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 

The Sign of Jonah

29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.

Greater than Jonah

Jesus' sacrifice on the cross has cleansed all the sins of the world. But each and everyone has to repent and accept Jesus Christ as the Lord and savior to fulfill the promise of God in their lives. The generation when Jesus came to the world was seeking for signs and they were wicked and evil. Jesus says that his coming was for such generation as like that of the generation of the Jonah, whom God chose to change a whole generation of the city of Nineveh. Jesus is the chosen Son of God to this generation for whole world's redemption from its sin.

Luke 11:32New American Standard Bible (NASB)

32 The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Matthew 18 New International Version (NIV)

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Causing to Stumble

6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.