"Holiness...It's a Lifestyle"

I remember as a child growing up in the church that the one thing to do when you were old enough; which was in the area of twelve years old or some where's there about you joined the church. Now, joining the church consisted of an individual walking down the aisle and sitting in a chair that was set out by the deacons of the church as the pastor opened up the doors of the church.

Now, I first couldn't quite understand how after the pastor delivered his message that he had to "open up the doors of the church". I mean, the doors were opened when we got to church that morning, so I didn't know why they closed them after we got in service. Anyway, as I was saying, the pastor opened the doors of the church which was your opportunity to come down and become a member of the church.

You were then set up with a date when you were to be baptized, because no one could be a member without ever being baptized in water unless you were baptized at another church before you joined at this new one. Later you were instructed what was expected of you as a member of the church and the responsibility that came with it.

So, I joined the church when I was twelve and was baptized in the pool they had in the basement of the church and I went to Sunday School and VBS and all the other things they had for us to do, but I never changed from the type person I was. I never stopped fighting in school and I was still cussing people out. There was never any real change that took place after I "joined the church" and no one ever challenged me to take a look at what it meant to be a christian. So, as long as I continued to go to church and sang in the choir and went to VBS and all the other formalities that went along with going to church I was fine.

Then one day I was really introduced to Jesus and everything about being a member of the church became something totally different. I was expected from God to live a particular lifestyle before Him and not just before people. God expected me, above anything else, to live a holy and righteous life. This was a tall order to fulfill seeing that I wasn't equipped in and of myself to live up to what His standards are, but I found out that I didn't have to do it on my own and that He would through the Holy Spirit help me to live the life that would be pleasing to Him.

So, if God told Israel to live holy, and then again the saints were instructed in 1Peter 1: 15,16, then I would suggest we live holy. I don't advocate not being a member of a congregation but I do know a person can live a holy life without being one, but don't fall into the same mindset as some people who think that holiness is the type of church you attend.

Holiness has never been a denomination; it's always been a lifestyle.

"Day Two, February"

The church where I formerly was a member had a tradition at the beginning of the year, and I believe they still do, that they would come together every evening, starting on January the 1st and going through to the 12th.

The idea was to come together in prayer and to worship in song, and there would a designated person for each evening to deliver the Word of the Lord to the saints. The significance of the 12 nights were to represent each month of the year, so in essence the idea was to come and to pray and worship God for the entire year.

So, with that in mind and today being the second day of the year thus representing the month of February. Let us look to February which in times past has been the month of love and romance, ie Feb.14th. This month is when husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends go out and purchase flowers, perfume, jewelry and chocolates for one another to show their ending love and desire for one another. However, the gifts are in reciprocation of the things that have been given or in anticipation of the things that will be received.

The love that is shown from our spouses and significant others for the most have been conditional expressions of our affections. The way we love one another has sadly been based off the premise of how we first have been shown love by the other person. If we are truly honest with ourselves, we will admit that in times past if we didn't receive a valentine's gift we began to question if the person really loved us or not.

So, let's in the month of February show the type of love for one another that God shows and has shown toward us from the beginning with this. We've done nothing to deserve it and can give nothing to repay it.

"Happy New Year"

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and pray that is the most prosperous of years for all of you. When I say prosperous; I'm referring to more than just monetary prosperity, I also mean the prosperity that comes from deeper understanding of the will of the Lord for you life and the lives of those around you.

This being a new year and what some would consider to being another new beginning, I'm praying that all believers strengthen their bonds of faith as the new year will bring about new challenges. Don't allow the way things appear to be a distraction to you as you move forward throughout this year..

The one thing that seems to be a constant is the attack on what we as believers have taken to ourselves as truth, and that fundamental truth is that Jesus is the Son of God and came being born of a virgin named Mary, and as a man died for our sins on the cross of Calvary.

Maintaining this truth will continue to allow us to flourish in the things of God.

Read 1John 4:1,2