[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Wednesday, April 10, 2013

[Paul]

Well folks, here in the Baltimore area we broke a record today for the highest recorded temperature.  It went to 90 degrees sometime in mid afternoon.  I jokingly told my upstairs boarder Michelle that last night it was so cold that I wanted to put the heat up all the way, and she knew that I was joking.  As this is being written, our air-conditioner is humming right along.

For the next little while, the good night message articles will be taken from a publication of Torch Trust for the Blind, a UK-based Christian organization that has been serving blind people since 1931.  They produce books and magazines in Braille, large print and in audio formats, in addition to having a lending library for all three formats and having about 300 places where Christian blind folks can gather for fellowship.  I've been subscribing to one of their publications, "Torch Times" now for at least ten years and have thoroughly enjoyed each article in this quarterly magazine.  More info about them can be found at http://www.torchtrust.org.  There's even a link to a Christian radio station in the UK from their website.

Anyway today's article is entitled "A Holy Man of God," by Donald Norbie, a writer who is in fellowship with the Assembly in Greeley CO, and is a commended full-time worker.  His article is rendered as follows:

After a meeting in Korea, a woman said to me, "You are a holy man, a man of God."  I felt embarrassed, humbled and speechless.  Me? A holy man? A man of God? But should we not all be holy men and women, men and women of God? What does it mean to be holy, a man or woman of God?

When the tabernacle was completed there were ceremonies to consecrate it to the service of God, with all of its furniture and vessels.  There was also a solemn service to consecrate the priests to their holy work.  "And you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it; and you shall hallow it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy" (Exodus 40:9).

The priests had been consecrated previously.  "And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests" (Exodus 29:1).  Aaron and his sons became holy men, set apart to serve God as priests.  Who are the priests today, hallowed for ministry to God? Peter emphasizes that all believers are priests, "a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5).  The priest was a priest twenty-four hours a day and was to live a holy life, a pure life for God.  Hence, Peter exhorts all Christians, "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16).  Remember the dignity of your calling as a priest, and live a holy life!

What is a man of God? He was a man who had spent much time with God.  To be a man or woman of God one must invest time alone with God and His Word.  He must become His friend, like Abraham (James 2:23).  As he spends time in the presence of God he will be overwhelmed with the majesty and holiness of God; he will be moved to repentance and holiness.  "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up" (Isaiah 6:1).  The holiness and purity of the Almighty caused him to cry out, "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips" (v5).  The man of God will never forget the awesome holiness of God and his own innate sinfulness.  This will cause him to walk humbly before God.

The man of God will be aware of the fact that he is owned by God.  He is God's property, God's slave.  This will keep him from the fear of man.  Paul could write to the Galatians, "For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bond-servant (doulos, slave) of Christ" (Galatians 1:10).  This will enable one to be fearless in proclaiming God's Word whether to an individual or to a crowd.  Elijah could confront the wicked King Ahab with God's ultimatum.  John the Baptist pointed the finger of condemnation at King Herod for his adultery.  They were men of God, fearless and uncompromising.  Such men and women are needed today!

So, are you a holy man, a holy woman? Are we men and women of God? Do we recognize His claims upon our lives as slaves of God? Are we motivated to please Him primarily? Do we pursue holiness and abhor evil? This is the good life, the triumphant life!

I have never heard of the author of this article, but perhaps some of you have.  Anyway it points to the fact that just because a certain person appears to be a holy man or woman of God does not necessarily make him/her to be one.  I'm not mentioning names here, but it is a good idea, in my humble opinion, as much as we can, to check out certain individuals to see if their lives line up with what it means to be holy.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout this night or day and especially in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul