No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said. I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie. Psalm 89:34-35 NLT

Octavius Winslow wrote wonderful thoughts about the holiness of God. He says, “To conceive of a God infinite in essence, divine in majesty, almighty in power, wise in counsel, and eternal in duration, and yet destitute of holiness…would be to imagine an infinite monster.”

I share the following, inspired by his thoughts of Psalm 89:

The promises that we find in the Scriptures have been spoken to us by God. They are His words to us. Can they be fully believed and fully trusted? The answer for us is “yes” because of the character of the one who spoke them.

There is one perfect word that tells us everything we need to know about God’s character and that word is “holy!” The holiness of God is your greatest comfort, confidence, and assurance as a believer. The loudest sound of heaven is “holy is the Lord” and it should also be the loudest proclamation of your faith.

When God made a promise to King David, God wanted to assure him that His promise was not a lie. To do so, God tied His promise to His holiness. God is all-powerful, but it is not His power that defines His character; God is all-knowing, but it is not His knowledge that defines His character; God is all-present, but it is not His presence that defines His character. God’s character is defined by His holiness.

The Scriptures declare that God is holy–they do not say that He was once holy, that He will one day be holy, or that He is presently in the process of becoming holy. God is eternally holy. God cannot ever lie because He is eternally holy. Whatever God does or says must be an expression and an extension of who He is. He cannot and will not deny Himself. It is impossible for God to lie because His holiness will not allow it.

We know God is love, but what makes His love so beautiful and so appealing is that His love is holy love. God loves you today with a holy love; that is why you can rest in His love. Everything about His love for you is good and right because it is holy love. There is not a drop of corruption, not a taint of evil, and not a stain of impurity in God’s holy love. When God says He loves you, it is not a lie. It is only God who can love you with a holy love, and it is only God who can speak to you with holy promises.

Is there a promise you hear Him speaking to your heart today? You can trust that promise because the one who speaks it to you is holy.

May you receive from the Lord Jesus Christ, who is mighty and abundant in you, every blessing, every kindness, and every provision of life to be abundantly joyful, exceedingly peaceful, extremely hopeful, and overwhelmingly grateful for His abounding grace and favor toward you.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21 NKJV

For every hectic work day there is a quiet rest…

For every painful experience there is a healing touch…

For every negative feeling there is an abiding joy…

For every disappointment there is a certain hope…

For every turbulent storm there is a sure foundation…

For every doubting thought there is a calm assurance…

For every hurtful action there is a forgiving love.

In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Jesus Is Neither…

Ancient, modern, or post-modern–He is Eternal.

Liberal, conservative, or orthodox–He is the Truth.

Conventional, legalistic, or traditional–He is Holy.

Denominational, non-denominational, or inter-denominational–He is the Head of the Church.

Entertaining, amusing, or diverting–He is Fullness of Joy.

Republican, Democrat, or Libertarian–He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

One of many ways to God, the best way to God, or the Western way to God–He is the only Way to God, no one comes to the Father except through Him.

Since Jesus is the way, shouldn’t He be followed?

Since Jesus is the truth, shouldn’t He be believed?

Since Jesus is the life, shouldn’t He be enjoyed?

Since Jesus is wise, shouldn’t He be consulted?

Since Jesus is God, shouldn’t He be worshiped?

Since Jesus is King, shouldn’t He be obeyed?

Since Jesus is Lord, shouldn’t He have the final say?

And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:16 KJV

I Have Chosen:

The best over the acceptable, the right over the popular, the true over the questionable, the light over the shadowed, the extraordinary over the mediocre, the eternal over the momentary, the pure over the tainted, Jesus over all!

Choose today whom you will serve. Joshua 24:15 NLT

(If “for love’s sake” is the right motivation, why do something with a wrong motive?)

Lord, my heart cries out in a love response to You. I can’t think of anything higher or greater than responding to Your will for love’s sake. May Your love move me on, compel me to reach out to others, and to seek Your heart more and more.

(If what you’re seeking is moving you away from God’s heart, why pursue it?)

Lord, I turn my back to all that would turn me away from You. I come to You, I run to You, I press in to know You more and to lay hold of the purpose of why You laid hold of me.

(If the outcome is not God’s best, why settle for it?)

Lord, I refuse to be content with a life that is run-of-the-mill, mediocre, or second-rate. I choose the best that love has to give–I choose You. I choose Your will. I choose Your best. I choose Your glory. I will continue in the race that You have set before me and run it with all my heart.

(If God has told you to wait, why push forward?)

Lord, I lay down my pushiness, my desire to control and manipulate people and circumstances in order to have things turn out the way I want them to. I wait upon You who does all things well. I wait on Your time, I wait on Your way, I wait on Your outcome.

(If God has told you to go, why hold back?)

Lord, where You send me I will go–thankfully, wholly, speedily, contentedly, peacefully, joyfully, lovingly.

Let love be your greatest aim. 1 Corinthians 14:1 TLB

(If God isn’t leading you to a certain place, why go there?)

Lord, I am following You. I will not run around in circles trying to find my own way. I place my feet in Your footsteps. I take the place that You have prepared for me. I will faithfully remain where You have placed me until You make it clear it is time to move on.

(If God hasn’t asked you to do a certain task, why perform it?)

Lord, I will only carry what You ask me to lift. I lay down my agenda and my ideas of what I think needs to be done. I say “no” to all stress and striving and “yes” to the peace that comes from obeying what You are asking me to do.

(If God hasn’t directed you to speak something, why declare it?)

Lord, put Your words in my mouth. I want to speak words that are fitting for the moment–the right word, the true word, the edifying word, the anointed word, the word in due season–the word from Your heart to others.

(If God wouldn’t be pleased with your choice, why choose it?)

Lord, I choose those things that will bring a smile to Your face. My greatest pleasure is to please You.

(If “for His glory” is the right reason, why do something for the wrong reason?)

Lord, I love Your righteousness. I want to live right, think right, and act right. I want my motivation to be for Your sake, and my attitudes to be a reflection of who You are. May others want to know You more because of what they see of Your life in me.

May the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified and become more glorious through and in you. 2 Thessalonians 1:12 AMP

If “for love’s sake” is the right motivation, why do something with a wrong motive?

If what you’re seeking is moving you away from God’s heart, why pursue it?

If the outcome is not God’s best, why settle for it?

If God has told you to wait, why push forward?

If God has told you to go, why hold back?

Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose. Psalm 25:12 NLT