Your email preview

“Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16

Those are the words of God, not of me! Peter quotes from the Old Testament book of Leviticus where God was trying to “set apart” His people for their special purpose, and He defined that, at least in part, as being “holy.” When something is “holy” it’s “sacred,” “set apart for a special purpose.” And that is what God has called each of His children to: to be “set apart for a very sacred purpose.”

I like that definition. It’s NOT about me mustering up enough strength to just be perfect in all my behaviors and it’s not about me attaining some ideal state of blamelessness. For me it’s about recognizing that God has called me (and you too I believe!) to be “set apart for a sacred purpose.” My life is not just mine to do whatever I wish with; it’s God’s and He has a much higher calling on my life than me just getting what I can out of this life. He wants so much more than that for me (and for you!)

And the perk is that I get more than the best out of this world too when I approach my day, my life, my activities, not as just things I have to do to get through or get what I can, but as opportunities to see things from God’s perspective and with His purposes for all of life for me. I’m saved from the junk of this world because God has called me to so much more than that. And I keep discovering that calling as I faithfully and intentionally choose each day to begin with Him, live with Him and end with Him.

To reference last week’s GMU, He’s my Rock-solid foundation, and He is my Builder. My life has been “set apart for a sacred use” and my daily commitment is to stay in tune with Him as the process of building continues. I highly recommend that priority to you as well. YOU TOO have been “set apart for a sacred purpose.”

Have a great day discovering His holiness in you,

Pastor Rich

Quote for the day: “One of the central motivations for holiness in the New Testament is to be who you are, to understand your identity and your union in Christ and to live that way.” Kevin DeYoung

PS Ricky and Brooke Melendez are back looking for 5 more guys for their Dakota camps this summer. I visited them last summer and they had an amazing group of our Union College student leaders there. Many are graduating and moving on so they need to be replaced. If you want to see Jesus in action leading young people to Him THIS is a place to experience and these are leaders you can be blessed by. Meet Ricky and Brooke in the Ortner lobby today and tomorrow.

PPS UC BB Women AT Southeast Community College @ 6 https://ugroups.ucollege.edu/events?topic_tags=1756286