Happy New Year! - Consecrate Yourselves
Pastor Phil Derstine 1-1-23
Consecrate Yourselves – Make a decision to change
· Joshua 3:5 “Joshua told the people, Consecrate (sanctify) yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”
· Consecration – to separate ourselves from sin and draw near to God.
· Cause & Effect: IF we consecrate ourselves, THEN the Lord will do amazing things!
· Titus 2:11-12 (NIV) “The grace of God that brings salvation… teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”
· Wilderness experiences alone don’t purify - We must make the decision to change!
· II Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (7:1) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
· Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech, do I hate.”
· Matthew 24:37 “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”
· Genesis 6:5 “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (8) But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (9) This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.”
· Hebrews 12:14 “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (read to end of chapter…”we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken!”)
How are we made Holy? – by the Word of God
· John 15:3 “Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”
· Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly… (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall hot wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
· Psalm 128:1 “Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. (2) For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.”
· Consecrate yourself and your family - so that you can see amazing things from God in this year!
