PEACEFUL LIVING

 

PEACEFUL LIVING

Heb. 12:14 Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.  NLT

      The truth of the matter is that we are not going to live at peace with everyone.  There simply are people who have personal issues that won’t allow them to get along with us.  They are cantankerous and will not allow themselves to let go of the things about us that bother them.  However, their spirit does not let us off the hook.  We must do our part and try to live at peace with everyone.  We cannot excuse ourselves because of the attitude and behavior of others.  The Lord commands us to do our part and strive to live at peace with everyone.

      We are to seek to live a clean and holy life.  Here is an area that every believer in Christ needs to linger over.  So many of us pay little heed to the need we have to keep our hearts pure and live a holy life.  God’s standards are very high and He commands us to strive to live by them.  Holiness is not an option; it’s a necessity if we are going to see God.  There is no excuse for the believer to ignore this command from God.  Holy living is vital for all who desire to see the Lord.  There is no leniency on this.  God is holy and will never tolerate unholy people in His presence.

      The message is very clear; unholy people will not see the Lord.  Holy people do not live in sin.  They do not take a nonchalant attitude about sin.  They do not have a self-righteous attitude.  They are not proud of their goodness.  They do not rely on past righteousness.  They see themselves as a broken people before God and seek His face for forgiveness.  They understand that Christ’s forgiveness is their only hope for seeing God.  A holy people are a humbled people before God who constantly seek to know Him in a deeper way.

      Can you honestly declare yourself to be holy before God today?  If not, today is the day of salvation.  Today your heart can be cleansed and be made pure before God.  Today He can declare you to be holy through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Confess your sins and He is faithful and just and will forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).