Women United In Holiness

When women get together united in a cause things happen.

            For example:

                        MADD

                        Prohibition

If the prayers and action of just one woman can start a revival (Azusa Street Revival) imagine just what can happen if a group of women fully dedicated to acting in the holiness of God can do?

The thing is:  for a group of women to unite in holiness, each woman needs to first seek out and obtain holiness for herself.

                       

“ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:  but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I AM holy.”  - 1 Pet. 1:13-16 KJV

God is holy.

“As it is written, none is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one.”  Romans 3:10 AMP (Also:  Ps. 14:3; 53:3; Rom. 3:10)

I am not.  How do I gain this attribute?

1. I remember a married couple who taught at my high school, they looked alike and lectured alike.
2. Have you noticed couples who have spent so much time around each other they can finish each other’s sentences?
3. How about daughters who are like their mothers?
4. Consider sons who are like their fathers.

So, if you want to be holy (if you want to stand with other women who are holy – making a difference in our community) spend regular time with God.

What, you already do that?  Increase it – then join with other women and spend time together with each other in prayer.  Imagine what God can do with a group of holy women in our community!

“ And may the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you, so that He may strengthen and confirm and establish your hearts faultlessly pure and unblamable in holiness in the sight of our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) with all His saints (the holy and glorified people of God)! Amen, (so be it)!”  (1 Thess. 3:12-13 AMP)

TO BE LIKE JOHN

“He must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.]”  (John 3:30 AMP)

We have heard this again and again as different pastors preached about Jesus and His cousin John the Baptist.  John knew what God called him to do.  Did he go off and have great rallies and conferences?  Was he a great orator, impressing people with an amazing turn-of-phrase?  No.  He was a simple man who dressed in a simple man’s clothes.  What he did do was speak the truth.  He was a voice crying in the wilderness of sin and a righteous starved mankind flocked to hear him to have their sins washed away in the river Jordan.  This was John’s purpose and calling; yet he knew that it was not his final calling.  He knew that he was the forerunner of the One Who would bring permanent righteousness to spiritually starving mankind.  He knew that for man to reach out for what they needed that he would need to become less important so that they would see the One who could fully satisfy their hunger.

“He, the groom, must take center stage; and I, the best man, must step to His side.”  (John 3:30 The Voice)

How many of you have been to a wedding?  I imagine most of us have, either to their own wedding or to a friend’s wedding.  Who did you watch?  Just before the start of the music you saw the groom well-dressed with eager anticipation waiting for the appearance of his bride with the best man standing by his side.  The music swelled and you turned toward the back of the room and watched the flower girl and ring boy come forward, then each bride’s maid escorted by the friends of the groom, followed by the bride with her hand on her father’s arm.  Throughout the rest of the wedding your eyes were on the bride and the groom.  What happened to the best man?  He still stands close by the groom with a smile on his face because he knows his best friend is finally obtaining a long awaited joy.

“It is the bridegroom who possesses the bride, yet the bridegroom’s friend who merely stands and listens to him can be overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That is why my happiness is now complete. He must grow greater and greater and I less and less.”  (John 3:30 J.B. Phillips Translation)

I like the J.B. Phillips translation for this verse because I can see how John felt about Jesus.  John’s disciples came to him and pointed out that Jesus was baptizing and everybody was flocking to Him (John 3:26).  This gave John the chance to explain his own purpose and calling (John 3:25-30).  As I read this the thought struck me that I need to be more like John.  I need to decrease while speaking so those listening to me can see Jesus instead.  One thing my pastor prays right before delivering the sermon on Sundays is, “Master, get Charlie Clark out of the way and let Your Word have its say.”  We should all have the attitude of John; we need to get out of the way so Jesus can have His say through our witnessing and lives.  We must decrease so He can increase.

“Be ashamed and be confounded while you lay hold on Christ, for the more He does for you, the less you must think of yourself.”  -C.H. Spurgeon