Take Time to Be Holy “Because it is written, Be HOLY; FOR I AM HOLY.” 1 Pet. 1:16

Slide 731.1

Holy = sacred, pure, blameless Take Time to Be Holy “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” Col. 4:5 “be holy and without blame…” Eph. 1:4 1. The song contains many thoughts worthy of our consideration. a. Proper use of Time. Col. 4:5. “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” b. To be holy is to be morally upright, righteous. 2. Since we know that God is holy, if we would be holy we must imitate Him. a. Ephesians 1:4. “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him” 3. Definition of the word “Holy” a. “Sacred, pure, blameless, consecrated” b. It is outward purity as well as inward. c. Separated from sin - consecrated to God. d. Synonyms - devout, godly, religious, saintly Holy = sacred, pure, blameless

The Need to Take Time “The World Rushes” “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” Jas. 4:14 THE NEED TO TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY A. TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY, THE WORLD RUSHES ON 1. Our lives are certainly hectic and fast-paced 2. Filled with activities that consume our time 3. Our lives are but a vapor - James 4:14 “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” 4. Before we know it, time will have slipped by

The Need to Take Time It Takes Time To Be Holy “Be still, and know that I am God” Ps. 46:10 “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” Heb. 12:14 “…you have your fruit to holiness” Rom. 6:22 A. IT TAKES TIME TO BE HOLY... Ps. 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.” 2. Slow down and live for God - the world does not take time. 3. The key presumption upon which this song is based 4. Holiness must be pursued - Heb. 12:14 “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” 5. Holiness is the fruit of service to God - Romans 6:22 “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness” 6. Holiness must be perfected - 2 Cor. 7:1 “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 7. If we are not careful, time to develop holiness will be gone C. So we must “Take Time To Be Holy.” It needs to be a priority in our lives. How does one take time...?

The Way to Take Time Time With the Lord “Abide in Him Always” “Spend much time in secret…” “Speak Oft with thy Lord” “Feed on His Word” Time With the Lord THE WAY TO TAKE TIME A. SPEND TIME WITH THE LORD... 1. The song encourages us to: a. “Abide in Him always” b. “Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone” c. “speak oft with thy Lord d. Feed on His Word” 2. The means to do so involves: a. Abide in him (1) We must be in Christ (2) Gal. 3:27 - tells us that we are baptized into Christ. (3) Eph. 1:3 tells us that all spiritual blessings are in Christ (4) To abide in him means that we keep his commandments

The Way to Take Time Time With the Lord Prayer “Pray without ceasing” 1 Thess. 5:17 Continue in prayer - Acts 2:42 Prayer, as suggested by the song (1) “Speak oft with thy Lord” (2) “Forgetting in nothing His blessings to seek” (3) We are to be praying people (a) 1 Thes. 5:17 - pray without ceasing (b) Acts 2:42 - continue in prayer (c) There is great power in prayer and we should use prayer

The Way to Take Time Time With the Lord Meditation “Desire the sincere milk of the word” 1 Pet. 2:2 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” 2 Pet. 3:18 Jos. 1:8 “meditate” = ponder Ps. 119:97 “my meditation” = reflection Ps. 63:6 “meditate on thee in the night” c. The Word of God (“Feed on His Word”) Meditation (1) We must desire the word - 1 Pet. 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby:” (2) Then we can grow in grace and knowledge - 2 Pet. 3. Do we take time to be with the Lord? a. We need to meditate on His Word b. Joshua 1:8 “his Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Meditate = ponder c. Psalms 119:97 “O how love I your law! it is my meditation all the day.” mediation = “reflection” d. Psalms 63:6 “When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.”

The Way to Take Time Time “Make friends of God’s children” With Others “Help those who are weak” SPEND TIME WITH OTHERS... 1. This includes fellowship with other Christians (“Make friends of God's children” “help those who are weak”)

Fellowship With Other Christians The Way to Take Time Time With Others Fellowship With Other Christians “evil company corrupts good habits.” 1 Cor. 15:33 “He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Prov. 13:20 a. We all need friends, there is no better friend than that of a fellow Christian b. We are to choose our friends wisely, (1) Evil companions corrupt - 1 Cor.15:33 “Be not deceived: evil company corrupts good habits.” (2) Companions of fools will be destroyed - Prov.13:20 “He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” c. A friend is someone who loves you and wants the very best for you. e. Good Christian friends help to ensure faithfulness and steadfastness f. Which includes the idea of frequent assembling - Heb. 10:24-25

The Way to Take Time Time With Others Serve Our Fellow Man 1 Thess. 5:14-15 - warn, comfort, uphold, patient, pursue what is good Acts 20:35 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Gal. 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” 1. This includes service to our fellow man (“Help those who are weak”) a. A duty commanded by God (1) 1 Thess. 5:14-15 “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.” (2) Acts 20:35 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” b. Service toward all, but especially our brethren - Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” c. We must not be so busy that we don't have time to be with brethren and to help others as we have opportunity! 3. As one takes time to be with the Lord, His people, and in service to them and others, a transformation slowly takes place...]

The Benefit of Taking Time “Be Calm in thy soul” “Each thought and each motive beneath His control” “Led by His Spirit to fountains of love” We Will Be Blessed THE BENEFITS OF TAKING TIME A. YOU WILL BE BLESSED... 1. With inner peace and happiness (“Be calm in thy soul” “each thought and each motive beneath His control” “Led by His Spirit to fountains nof love”)

The Benefit of Taking Time Inner Peace and Happiness We Will Be Blessed Inner Peace and Happiness “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” Jn. 14:27 “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:7 Inner peace and happiness (be calm in thy soul) a. Jesus left his disciples with peace that was not of the world. b. JOHN 14:27. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” c. God offers a peace Phi.4:7 “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The Benefit of Taking Time We Will Be Blessed Renewed Strength Pure thinking - Prov. 23:7 Phil. 4:8 “think on these things.” Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Blessed with renewed strength (“Each thought and each motive beneath His control”) a. Our thinking is to be pure (1) Prov. 23:7 “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (2) Phil. 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” b. Through your relationship with Christ - Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”

The Benefit of Taking Time Realization of God’s Love We Will Be Blessed Realization of God’s Love Concentrate on spiritual things - Rom. 8:5-6 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Blessed with increasing realization of God's love (“Led by His Spirit to fountains of love”) a. Concentrate on spiritual things. Rom. 8:5-6

The Benefit of Taking Time Realization of God’s Love We Will Be Blessed Realization of God’s Love Kill the Flesh “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Gal. 5:24 “Led by His Spirit” 1. Kill the flesh - Gal. 5:24 “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” 2. As we add the fruit of the spirit then we can be led by His Spirit. 3. -- Is this not sufficient motivation to “take time to be holy”?

The Benefit of Taking Time “Like Him thou shalt be” “Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see” “Thou soon shall be fitted for service above.” We Will Be More Christ-Like B. YOU WILL BE MORE CHRIST-LIKE...

The Benefit of Taking Time We Will Be More Christ-Like Goal of Discipleship 1 Pet. 2:21 “…leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” 1 Jn. 2:6 - walk as He walked 1 Jn. 3:3 - Purify self as He is pure 1. The ultimate goal of discipleship (“Like Him thou shalt be”) a. 1 Peter 2:21 “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” b. 1 John 2:6 Walk as He walked. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” c. 1 John 3:3 Purify self as He is pure. “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

The Benefit of Taking Time We Will Be More Christ-Like Transformation Noticed By Others Matt. 5:13-16 - see your good works and glorify the Father Acts 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” 1. A transformation noticed by others (“Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see”) a. Matt. 5:13-16 They see your good works and glorify the Father b. The result of spending time with Jesus - Peter and John - Acts 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

The Benefit of Taking Time We Will Be More Christ-Like Prepared for Greater Service Serving here that we might go to heaven and serve. Rev. 7:15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night…” Rev. 22:3 “…and his servants shall serve Him.” 3. Prepared for greater service (“Thou soon shall be fitted for service above”) a. We are serving here that we might go to heaven and serve b. For we will serve God in heaven, and in the new Jerusalem - (1) Rev. 7:15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.” (2) Rev. 22:3 “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him” 4. Is this not even more motivation to “take time to be holy”?

Take Time to Be Holy Earth is testing ground Our time is short Are you making time to be Holy? 1. What is the purpose of conducting our lives here on Earth in the way God has revealed? a. To be fitted for service above. b. Earth is the testing ground. 2. The world rushes on, and would carry us along with it. 3. Our time in this life is short, we must have our priorities straight. 4. Are you taking time - yes making time to be Holy ? a. Spend time alone with God in prayer and mediation on His word. b. Spend time with others in fellowship and service. 5. Let us think about what we sing -- sing with the understanding 6. Take time to be holy and experience the blessed life of a Christian.

Take Time to Be Holy Hear John 12:48 Believe John 8:24 Repent Luke 13:3 Confess Matt. 10:32-33 Baptized Mark 16:16 Faithful Matt. 24:13