"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is [El Qadosh]; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
Isaiah 57:15
What would it be like to know someone who holds prestige, power, and position?
How would one react when being invited to visit royalty?
Have you ever met someone who had such power and position that it was the greatest of honors to meet them?
I know if I were ever invited to meet a king or queen, or some form of royalty or person with fame, I would want to arrive in the best apparel that I could find. I would want to approach them with a clean and fresh look, wouldn't you do the same?
Imagine the story of Esther. She was invited to see the king. She did not want to approach such royalty in her everyday clothes, but in the finest apparel with a pure and clean look. We would agree that this would be the only way to approach such royalty.
Do we esteem God the Holy King with the same reverence?
When you and I approach the Holy One (El Qadosh) our Savior and King, do we desire such purity and cleanliness?
Let's take it a step further and ask, when God looks at your heart, do you desire the Holy God to see what is currently residing in it or do you fear His response in seeing the dark recesses?
The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:10, "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
Do you desire God to see your heart in it's current condition? The fact of the matter is, He does see it. So, what does He see? Ungratefulness, bitterness, contentment, anger, unbelief, pure love, lusts?
Does El Qadosh see sin marring the fellowship, or does He see a heart in right standing with Him and others?
God's name El Qadosh, although undoubtedly referring to His sinless perfection and desire for holiness in the hearts of His children, goes a step further than just this.
Imagine approaching a "holy" king with nothing but your own filthy righteousness and "good" works... One would imagine a complete annihilation right then and there, right? Well, not this Holy God.
It is true that God desires purity and holiness in the heart and motives of His children... and it is true that one suffers the consequences of his or her own heart desires...
It is also true that El Qadosh's holiness and purity "drives Him to seek and find us. In His perfection, God seeks to restore the world to its original and perfect state. It is God's purity that will not allow Him to discard us, though He has reason to. His holiness, rooted in love, compels Him to save" (Hudson, 19).
"God's holiness means that God hates sin enough to deliver sinners from it" (Hudson, 19).
This is why the Holy One sent Jesus Christ... this is why He sent the Comforter the Holy Spirit to empower His children to live lives pleasing in His sight...
Unpardoned sin is what will keep one from entering Heaven if they have not accepted Jesus Christ and His salvation; and sin is detrimental to those who the Holy Spirit is desiring to sanctify. God knows that sin will take us on a roller coaster of pleasures for a season, but the moment we want to get off, it will not stop to let us off.
Satan tempts us to give in to sin, because he says it won't hurt us; but then he guilts us when we have given in to such unholy desires and seemingly "respectable" and "acceptable" sins (pride, anger, bitterness, selfishness, etc.). Those sins then enslave us to a life that we cannot control, try as we may to convince ourselves we can control it.
In Romans 6:12-23 God says to Christians through Paul,
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
On the other hand, God warns us of the snares and unholiness of sin and Satan's lies; and when we do give in, He offers restoration and forgiveness if we would just repent and run back to Him. He desires we never give in to such turmoil again, so He gives us a way of escape-- Himself.
John 17:17 says God wants to "Sanctify [you and me] through [His] truth: Thy Word is truth."
When Bible study, prayer, witnessing, fellowship with God and other believers, and all the fruit being produced seem to not really work in avoiding sin... We are to not jettison the things that God uses to draw us in right standing with Him. Those things are to be increased when they do not seem to be working, and we need to so desperately recognize the need to not entertain sin or its behaviors. Sanctification takes time...but it is well worth it in the end. It is a life full of joy and peace with God.
I find myself reproved and encouraged to do right when I sanctify my soul in the truths of Scripture...Please, take a moment to read Ephesians 5:1-17,
"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."
I do not have enough wisdom or time to expound on all that God says in His Word for us to know what the will of the Lord is...but I can assure you of this, Christian...
He desires we be holy...
Yes! That is impossible on our own. It is only made possible by the Holy Spirit Who works and wills in us to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).
God uses the Bible-- His Word-- to cleanse and purify us...this is why we must read the Bible with the intention of seeing God and His will for us in each and every page.
Take it from someone who was once so angry with everything...and is currently learning how to let the Holy Spirit use me until I reach eternity.
He is helping me bridle my evil tongue, because I first let Him save me and chose to let the Holy Spirit bridle and guide my heart.
Am I perfect? Goodness, no! I still have much to let the Holy Spirit work on...yet, every day I am faced with the decision to submit myself to God and then resist sin and the devil.
Every single day I can choose Jesus. God is more than enough to help me.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Romans 12:1-2
That is God's will...it is reasonable. It is a constant and daily surrender to His holy will.
Submit your heart, let His Word renew your mind, and believe that His light will show you what to do next. So, indulge in His Word. He will give you the grace and strength you need to remain pure and usable for His eternal Kingdom, and not sin's/Satan's temporary kingdom.
I promise you, His sanctifying power is there and available to those who are surrendered to Him and His way!
Try, as you may, to approach a powerful entity or person on earth and ask them to use you and be glorified in you (while standing there in dirt and rags), and they will reject you.
Not one king, queen, prince, princess, political power, president, or ruler would accept a broken and filthy sinner who comes before them desiring to be a life surrendered for their use. No king desires to accept the broken and filthy who are marred by sin, and allow them to become heirs alongside him.
No king, except the Holy God...
Submit yourselves to El Qadosh, He will never turn you away :)
"...him [or her] that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out"
John 6:37
Come to the Holy One Who wants to deliver you from the lies of sin and the pain and destruction that follows it... You will never regret following El Qadosh.
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