OC February 8th

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“May the God of peace make you holy in every way…”
1 Thessalonians 5:23 NLT

To be made holy. Sanctified. This is another good guy punch or a devotional. Chambers says it best:

“Are we prepared to pay the cost of sanctification? The cost will be a deep restriction of all our earthly concerns, and an extensive cultivation of all our godly concerns. SANCTIFICATION MEANS TO BE INTENSELY FOCUSED ON GOD’S POINT OF VIEW. IT MEANS TO SECURE AND  TO KEEP ALL THE STRENGTH OF OUR BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT FOR GOD’S PURPOSE ONLY.”

We want to keep our faith and God in a little box off to the side. It is a part of our lives - not all of our lives. Chambers is clearly saying that everything else should be kept in the little box off to the side, and our intention and focus should be on Him. 

The second half of the verse says, “… and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until out Lord Jesus Christ comes again.”

Blameless is a word that stuck out to me the first time I read it in the Bible. Genesis 17:1 God tells Abram to walk before Him and be blameless. 

There are a lot of ways to think about what that means. To be perfect? To do what is right? To do His will? To do what you must, so to not get blamed for something??

For me I try to do what is right and helpful by my family. If I have selfish motives and don’t do what I need to do to serve my family as a good husband and father, then I am to blame. Then I know I am not walking in Gods will. Small steps, start with your spouse, then work into other relationships. 

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