January 6, Holy Life a Jolly Life! - Daily Devotion from StanleyOnBible.com

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www.StanleyOnBible.com Daily Meditations from the book - The Daily Devotional for the 21st Century!   Today's subject: CHARACTER   Titles under this subject- Holy Excuses-Jan 4 His Dictate my Delight!-Jan 5 Holy Life a Jolly Life!-Jan 6 Pure for Sure!-Jan 7 Brand new Being!-Jan 8 In & Out!-Jan 13 God or Gad?-Feb 4 Bone Cancer-Mar 16 Slander a Blunder!-Apr 30 Taming the Tongue-May 13 Clear the Fear!-May 26 Sword for Sword!-Jun 14 Vertical and Horizontal-Jun 25 Speck or Plank?-Aug 4 WWJD-Sep 9 Dead to Dread!-Sep 28 No one like Him!-Oct 8 Onion & Garlic-Oct 23 Better Together!-Nov 1 Third World War-Nov 2 Holy! Holy! Holy!-Nov 5 Humblest the Greatest!-Nov 12 Guttermost to Uppermost!-Nov 15 Dear Enemies!-Dec 2 Against the Tide!-Dec 3 Root & Fruit-Dec 27 (D)anger!-Dec 28   (General Index of  Subjects)

Previous Day  January 6 Next Day Holy Life a Jolly Life! (Continuation from January 5)   Reading: Psalm 111 "The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day" (Prov 4:18)   We cannot see God without holiness (Heb 12:14). This being the case, will He make it impossible for us to live holy, if He loves us? But Satan keeps pumping into our minds so many lies about God and us in the matter of holiness. They become our excuses. We are meditating some of them these days. Here are another two— Holiness is boring! In His mountain sermon Jesus declared, "Blessed are the pure in heart." The Amplified Bible explains the word "blessed" as "enviably happy, blithesome, joyous and spiritually prosperous!" "A holy life is not an ascetic or gloomy or solitary life, but a life regulated by divine truth and faithfulness in Christian duty," wrote an old saint. Solomon the wise confirmed, "God gives joy to a man who is good in His sight" (Eccl 2:26). Those who walk in righteousness become brighter and brighter, stronger and stronger, bolder and bolder everyday (Prov 4:18; Job 17:9; Prov 28:1). God anoints us with the oil of gladness when we love righteousness and hate lawlessness (Psa 45:7). Guilt is number one joy-killer. Holy life is a guilt-free life. Holiness is heaven in us! Thomas Brooks (1608-1680) observed, "Man's holiness is now his greatest happiness, and in heaven man's greatest happiness will be his perfect holiness." Holiness is burdensome! Adrian Rogers has penned, "Holiness is not the way to Christ; Christ is the way to holiness!" When this fact is not properly understood, holy living becomes a burden. When we love someone heartily we will go to any extent to please him. Apostle John experienced it in his walk with Christ for over six decades. This aged saint wrote, "This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 Jn 5:3). Holy life is actually a restful life. The first mention of the word "sanctify" in the Bible is in the context of rest (Gen 2:3). It's sin that leads us to bondage and slavery. As long as sin is covered up we will be mourning like David, "Day and night Your hand was heavy upon me." But when we confess it to God, He instantly forgives us and makes us shout for joy! (Psa 32:4,5,11). Rejoice, ye pure in heart; rejoice, give thanks, and sing; Your festal banner wave on high, the Cross of Christ your King. Yes, on through life's long path, still chanting as you go; From youth to age, by night and day, in gladness and in love!                          (Edward H. Plumptre, 1821-1891)

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