Holiness is what I long for

There's a song that basically says holiness is what I long for, holiness is what I need, holiness is what You (God) want from me.  The song is "Take My Life", by Scott Underwood.  The writer goes on to also talk about faithfulness and righteousness, in the same terms as holiness.  According to Underwood, to see this holiness take place, here's what is required:

Take my heart and form it,
Take my mind and transform it,
Take my will and conform it
To Yours, to Yours, oh Lord.

(Copyright 1995 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing.  All rights reserved)

According to the Holman Bible Dictionary, holiness means to be set apart, to be spiritually pure, to be filled with the awesome power of God in the believer through the Holy Spirit.  In fact, it says that "the idea of holy is important for an understanding of God, of worship, and of the people of God in the Bible".  The Bible is very clear that God desires holiness in all believers (see 1 Peter 1:15-16).

As I reflect on Underwood's song, I realize several important things.  God desires holiness from me.  For me personally, as a believer in Jesus Christ, holiness is what I should long for, it's what I definitely need, and it's definitely what God wants from me.  To get it requires God's work in my life.  He must change or transform my heart, mind and will to His heart, mind and will.  I'm reminded of how God commands this in Scripture (Romans 12:1-2).  Here He calls us to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God", calling this our "reasonable service", or like the NIV says, our "spiritual act of worship".  We can only do this "by the mercies of God", not in our own strength.  He goes on to say that we should "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind".  Then we will be pleasing to Him.

I'm more convinced than ever that when we get a better understanding of worship, then holiness will begin to be more achieveable.  True worship permeates all areas of our lives, and when we surrender everything to God and His will, we can start realizing true biblical holiness that is acceptable to Him.

Here is an article I encourage you to read from Between the Times.  It also speaks on holiness and what we need to remember about it.  I also encourage you to pray specifically today to the Lord about holiness.  Ask Him to help you (as will I) to long for holiness and for Him to:

Take my heart and form it,
Take my mind and transform it,
Take my will and conform it
To Yours, to Yours, oh Lord.

http://betweenthetimes.com/2010/02/20/abraham-booth-on-holiness-and-perseverance/

Pastor Randy