Category Archives: Personal Holiness

Personal Holiness

The Cross in the Heart

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Knowing Christ Through Power and Suffering

“But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.” – Philippians 3:7,10 NASB

Beloved, I write to you as one who has seen, heard, and touched the Word of Life. The cross of Christ is not a relic confined to history. It is not merely the wood on which the Lord was lifted up. The cross is alive, and it calls not only for our admiration but for our participation. Many are deceived, for they have placed the cross outside themselves—external, institutional, distant. But hear me, beloved: the cross must be within you.

God is not distant. God is near. And if He is near, so must the cross be near, planted in the very soil of your heart. The cross in the heart is no ornament; it is the very instrument of transformation. It is the door to knowing the Messiah—not merely in thought, but in living experience.

A Call to True Fellowship

What is it to know Christ? Is it to gather information about Him, or to rehearse His deeds? No, it is to know Him—intimately, personally, in the fellowship of suffering and the triumph of resurrection. As it is written, “For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection.” (Romans 6:5 NASB)

Paul, who once boasted in his heritage, his knowledge, and his zeal, abandoned it all. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20 NASB) This is the mark of those who walk in resurrection power: they first pass through death. Their pride dies. Their flesh is crucified. Their desires are laid in the tomb, that Christ might reign supreme.

The Cross is Both Death and Life

The cross in the heart is the Holy Spirit’s chisel. With each stroke, He carves away the old nature until only Christ remains. “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24 NASB) This is not a work of the hand but a miracle of grace. Without it, there can be no true life, for “whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:27 NASB)

O reader, do not be deceived! The cross is not a theory to be studied but a reality to be lived. It is not merely the symbol of our faith; it is the pathway of our lives. To embrace it is to embrace Christ Himself.

The Seed Must Die

Consider the seed, small and unassuming, yet holding life within. If it clings to its form, it remains alone. But when it falls into the earth and dies, it brings forth much fruit. So too with the cross. As Yeshua said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24 NASB)

The seed’s death is its surrender; the soil becomes its grave. Yet, out of that burial, life bursts forth, abundant and fruitful. So must you, beloved, fall and die to self. Only then will the life of Christ rise within you.

The Cross as Daily Bread

The cross is not a one-time event. It is daily. It is the daily bread of the disciple. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” (Luke 9:23 NASB)

To carry the cross daily is to die to the old self and live unto God. It is to set aside comfort, ambition, and pride, and to embrace the narrow way. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” (Matthew 7:13 NASB) The way of the cross is the narrow way that leads to life.

The cross in the heart leads you to the secret place where God dwells. There you will behold His glory. There you will share in His sufferings. There you will rise with Him in newness of life.

A Prayer of Surrender

Holy Father, transform me by the miraculous grace of the Holy Spirit. Plant the cross deep within my heart. Let me not glory in anything but in the cross of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, by which the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Teach me to embrace both the fellowship of His sufferings and the power of His resurrection. Amen.

O Cross, O Life, my secret place,
Where death gives way to endless grace.
I lay me down, that Christ may rise,
A living flame, a holy prize.

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Personal Holiness

Becoming a Man of God

“Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” —Matthew 7:17, AMP

What kind of tree are you becoming? The words of Yeshua are clear—our fruit reveals our root. A good tree cannot help but bear good fruit, just as a tree corrupted at the core will bring forth bitterness in season. But too many attempt to fix their fruit without tending to the tree. They adjust behaviors without addressing the soul. They mask sin with service and substitute image for integrity. Yet God sees through every leaf and branch to the heart of the tree itself.

The Lord never said, “By their gifts you will know them.” He said, “By their fruits” (Matthew 7:20). These fruits—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22–23)—can never be manufactured. They grow only from a heart surrendered to El Shaddai, cleansed by the blood of Yeshua, and filled with the Spirit of holiness.

The Broken Cup

A cracked cup cannot hold what it was made to carry—only the Potter can restore it to fullness and purpose.

Imagine a cracked cup. You can polish it, decorate it, and fill it with the finest drink, but the leak will remain. Only the Potter can mend what is broken. God is not impressed with how well we appear to hold righteousness; He desires to make us whole. “Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and earthenware… If anyone cleanses himself… he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:20–21, NASB).

God calls us not to do more, but to be more like Him. A man of God is first a man possessed by God—his identity, his affections, his mind, and his motives all yielded to the will of the Lord. When this is true, all his work becomes sacred. Whether farming, building, managing, or preaching—every action flows from the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead.

A Holy Man Makes Holy Work

This is what makes the difference: a holy man makes holy work, not the other way around. Even our best deeds are stained if they do not spring from purity of heart. “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3–4, NASB). Holiness is not a performance; it is a possession. It is the Spirit of God indwelling you, purifying your desires, setting you apart.

Paul told Timothy, “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:11–12, NASB). That charge was not limited to preachers. It is the daily call of every man who longs to walk with God.

Abiding in the Vine

This pursuit is not about striving harder—it is about abiding deeper. “Abide in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine… apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4–5, NASB). To become a man of God is to abide in the Son of God. Your fruitfulness depends entirely on your connectedness to Him.

Don’t just polish the leaves. Go to the roots. Invite the Holy Spirit to examine your heart. Confess your sins. Surrender your will. Let His fire purify, and His grace empower. Then your life will not just contain good works—it will become good because He is good.

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O God, plant me by Your living stream,
Let righteousness rise as my only dream.
Purge the rot, the pride, the shame,
That I may bear fruit that glorifies Your Name.

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Prayer

Father, make me a man of God. Not by title, nor by appearance, but by Your Spirit working deep in my heart. Cleanse me from every hidden sin. Mend what is broken. Shape me like the Potter with holy hands. I surrender not just my actions, but my affections. Fill me with Your Spirit, that the fruit of my life may reflect the root of Your righteousness. Let all I do be marked by who I am in You. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

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Personal Holiness

Create in Me a Pure Heart

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10, AMP)

This cry echoes from the soul of every believer who has stood face-to-face with their own brokenness. It is not the prayer of the self-righteous but of the exposed—those who have come to see the depth of their sin and the instability of their flesh. David, once a man of power and promise, wept these words after his own deception was uncovered. But it was in that very moment of divine exposure that hope began to rise. For God does not expose to destroy—He exposes to heal.

Yeshua knew well the weakness of man. When Peter, full of zeal and good intentions, swore loyalty even unto death, the Lord replied, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times” (Matthew 26:34, NASB). Peter did not believe it. He trusted in his own strength, as many of us do. Yet when the rooster crowed and the shame of his denial pierced him, it was not the end—it was the beginning of mercy. Peter wept bitterly, but those tears were the water God used to begin purifying his heart.

So often we hide from the Holy Spirit’s conviction. We numb ourselves with busyness, justify our failures with excuses, or point fingers to deflect blame. But the Spirit of Truth was sent not to condemn us but to cleanse us. “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves… If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8–9, NASB). He exposes not to shame us, but to restore us.

The instability of our flesh is no surprise to El Shaddai. He formed us, He remembers we are dust (Psalm 103:14). But He desires hearts that are yielded, not self-reliant. As Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NASB). The answer? Only God. And only He can create in us a new heart—not patched up, not remodeled, but made new by the breath of His Spirit.

Beloved, it is a dangerous thing to trust in our own goodness. Good habits, strong character, noble deeds—these are but fading garments if they are not clothed in grace. “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NASB), Yeshua said. To walk in truth, we must first ask to be undone. The fire of holiness begins with the broken cry: “Create in me a pure heart.”

Let this prayer rise like incense before the throne. Let it be your confession when pride whispers that you are strong. Let it be your anchor when sin has knocked you low. For God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). And to those who call on Him with a contrite spirit, He draws near.

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Expose me, Lord, and make me whole,
Not for my shame, but for my soul.
Let not my sin stay hid or deep,
But purge with fire and let me weep.

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Prayer

Father, I stand before You in need. I cannot trust in myself, for my strength fails and my heart wanders. But You, O Lord, are faithful. Expose the hidden places of my soul. Tear down every false strength, every secret sin, every shadowed idol. Create in me a pure heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Fill me with Your Spirit, and let me walk in truth all my days. Let me decrease, that You may increase. In the name of Yeshua the Messiah, Amen.

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Personal Holiness

Set Apart to Burn

Beloved, God is holy, and those who dwell in His presence must be holy also. You were not redeemed to blend with this world but to be set apart for El Shaddai, radiant in righteousness, clothed in purity, and burning with longing for the One who is altogether lovely. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6, AMP). This hunger is not of the mind—it is of the spirit. It is not theory—it is fire.

Do you not know, dear one, that the Lord your God is a consuming fire? (Deuteronomy 4:24). He burns away all that is unclean. But He also warms the heart of the one who seeks Him in truth. If you would walk in intimacy with the Spirit of God, then let there be a great returning—a forsaking of compromise, a renouncing of secret sin, a full surrender to Yeshua HaMashiach. For these reasons, you are set apart, called into His embrace to burn with passion for holiness. “Everyone who has this hope [in Him] continually purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3, AMP).

The world mocks purity, but the Spirit exalts it. Weep if you must, tear down the altars of pride and entertainment and comfort. There is no path to glory that bypasses the cross. And the cross still calls you to die daily—to die to flesh, to sin, to vanity—and live unto God. “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, completing holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1, AMP).

Hold on in Faith
Rebuilding the altar of the Lord

Tozer was right: you cannot feel what is not rooted in the soil of repentance. Many want the wind of the Spirit, but they will not build the altar. Yet God visits the altar, not the stage. He comes where there is brokenness and obedience, where hearts lie prostrate and spirits cry out for the living God, set apart to burn in His presence.

Come out, dear reader. Be separate. Be clean. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8). Not for shame, but for glory. Not for legalism, but for love. The Bridegroom is holy. His Bride must be made ready, set apart for His divine calling. And the beauty He sees in you is not your gifting—it is your holiness. It is Christ formed in you.

“Without holiness, no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, NASB). These are not words of wrath, but of invitation. For He longs to be seen. He yearns to be known. But He will not reveal Himself where idols still reign.

So, lay the groundwork—repentance, obedience, separation, holy living—and then watch. You will be filled. Set apart, you will burn with His holiness. The Holy One will draw near. And the joy of His presence will become wonderfully, wonderfully real.

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Prayer

O God who is holy and enthroned in glory, we repent of every impurity we’ve harbored. Cleanse us, refine us, draw us into the furnace of Your presence. Plant within us a new hunger, a deeper thirst, a passion for purity. Let us walk blameless before You, not by our strength but by the blood of the Lamb. We are set apart to burn in Your holy fire. Make us holy as You are holy. In Yeshua’s name, amen.

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Personal Holiness

Cleansed and Delivered by His Love

“If My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves and pray…”
— 2 Chronicles 7:14a (NASB)

Beloved, this is the hour. The voice of the Lord calls not to the stranger but to His people — those who are called by His Name, who know His mercy, who sing His praises on Sunday but carry hidden burdens through the week. This word is for you. You can be cleansed and delivered by His love.

For many who read this, it has been weeks — even months — since your heart was truly laid bare before God. Not a whispered apology or a fleeting conviction, but deep, holy repentance — the kind that breaks the soul and heals it in the same breath. You’ve grown used to His grace, but distant from His presence. You have allowed sin to remain where surrender once dwelled. And still… He calls you, offering cleansing and deliverance through His love.

“If My people… humble themselves and pray…” (2 Chronicles 7:14a). This is not a suggestion — it is a rescue. A way back. A path of return. And today is the day.

Do not harden your heart. The Lord is near, not with wrath, but with mercy, longing to restore what sin has dulled, and offering you to be cleansed and delivered by His love. He removes your transgressions as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He blots them out and remembers them no more (Isaiah 43:25). He is quiet in His love, resting in joy over your return (Zephaniah 3:17). He is not angry at your coming — He is rejoicing.

But you must come humbly. Lay down your defenses, your excuses, your pride. Let the Holy Spirit show you what He has longed to cleanse. Don’t delay. Don’t wait for a more convenient moment. This is the appointed time of mercy. Let nothing remain hidden. Bring it all to the foot of the cross, where every soul is made equal — where all fall short, and all can be made whole, cleansed, and delivered by His love.

You may feel unworthy. You may wonder if He’ll receive you again. Hear the truth: every word He has spoken is true. He has been faithful to every covenant, even when you were not. The cross still stands. The blood still speaks. It is enough.

So come.

Pray with your whole heart:

“Father, I come as I am — not clean, but willing. I humble myself and confess every sin You reveal. I plead the blood of Yeshua over my life. Wash me. Free me. Teach me to walk in Your truth. Grant me strength to turn from wickedness, wisdom to walk in holiness, and faith to believe you are enough. In Yeshua’s name, amen.”

Now stand. Let the shame fall off of you. Let the guilt break like chains. You are cleansed and delivered by His love. You are not who you were. You are not what you did. You are now who He calls you: forgiven, redeemed, beloved.

And now, look around. You are not alone. We are one Body, bought with one price, washed in one river of blood. There is no place for pride or comparison here. Let the Church arise in unity, not divided by judgment or spiritual arrogance, but joined in humble worship and truth.

As it is written, “There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism”(Ephesians 4:4–5). Let us walk together, fully alive, fully clean, and fully His.

Today is the day. Return to the Lord. Be cleansed. Be delivered. Be restored by His love.

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How long I walked with sin inside,
With quiet lips and lifted pride.
But mercy called, and I fell low—
And found a love I did not know.
Now free I stand, my heart made new,
And walk with saints, in robe and truth.

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Personal Holiness

Call to Holiness

The Path Back to the Garden

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
— Hebrews 12:14, AMP

Beloved, this is not a gentle suggestion—it is a holy command: without holiness, no one will see the Lord. The words burn with heavenly urgency. It is a call to the deepest part of your soul. It is a call to return to holiness.

In a world that waters down truth and trades purity for popularity, this verse stands like a flaming sword at the gates of Eden. For holiness is not just a command to obey—it is a memory your spirit longs to recover. Holiness is your spirit remembering how it was originally created in the Garden—unclothed by shame, unclouded by sin, walking with God in the cool of the day. You were formed for this. You were made for Him.

The Holiness of God: Our Pattern and Pursuit

The word holy is not merely religious—it is royal. It is the highest adjective ascribed to God throughout Scripture: Holy Ghost, Holy Lord, Holy One of Israel, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty. The seraphim do not cry loving, loving, loving, though God is love. They cry holy. They veil their faces, trembling in worship before the God who dwells in unapproachable light.

Holiness is the essence of God’s character, the very atmosphere of heaven. It is said that heaven is a holy place, and no unclean thing may enter it (Revelation 21:27). The angels who surround His throne are called holy ones, the watchers who behold His glory. Even they, created without sin, only partake of His holiness in a relative sense. But you, child of dust, are called higher still—not to observe holiness, but to wear it as you return to holiness.

The Call to Holiness Is a Call to See God

If you do not pursue holiness, you will not see God. This is the plain meaning of Hebrews 12:14. And this should disturb us. The absence of holiness obstructs our spiritual vision. It dulls the soul. It numbs the conscience. It closes our ears to His whisper. Many cry for revival but carry hearts untouched by repentance. They ask for fire but bring no altar.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8, NASB). And again, “Be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15–16, NASB). Holiness is not legalism. It is not perfection in the flesh. It is separation unto God—a life set apart, burning with desire for the One who is worthy.

Holiness Is the Journey of Intimacy

Holiness is not a burden—it is your birthright. It is not about sterile religion, but passionate relationship. Holiness is the path back to the presence of God. It is the undoing of everything that separated us from Him in Eden. To walk in holiness is to walk in the Spirit, to live as Adam once lived—clothed in glory, not garments, as you return to holiness.

When you yield to the Holy Spirit, He begins to restore you. He purifies your thoughts. He transforms your desires. Holiness is your spirit remembering Eden and longing to return. And in Christ, the way is open. The veil is torn. The blood speaks a better word. Do not resist the Spirit’s call. Do not cling to your chains. Listen to the call and return to holiness for true intimacy with God.

The Apostle James wrote, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8, NASB). Let that cleansing begin now. Not tomorrow. Not when it’s convenient. Now.

The Spirit Makes Us Holy

You are not left to purify yourself. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of holiness, and He dwells within you to empower what your flesh could never accomplish. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NASB).

Ask Him to burn away every impurity, to renew the Eden-vision in your heart. The blood of Yeshua is not weak. It cleanses fully. It restores completely. And the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will sanctify you if you let Him.

This is the call to holiness. It is a call to return to the original purity. A call to intimacy. A call to see God.

Prayer

O Holy One, I have heard Your call. Cleanse me from every sin that clouds my soul. Strip away all compromise, all idolatry, all hidden pride. Return me to the purity for which I was created. Let my spirit remember Eden and burn to walk with You again. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and teach me to walk in holiness all the days of my life. I long to see Your face. Let nothing stand in the way. Help me return to holiness. In the name of Yeshua, Amen.

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Personal Holiness

Be Holy, for He Is Holy

A Call to Purity from the Heart of God

Beloved, hear the call that has echoed through eternity: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16, AMP). This is not a suggestion or a poetic phrase for the spiritually elite. This is the voice of our holy God, spoken in love, spoken with fire, and written with His own hand across the pages of His Word.

I write to you, not with new revelation, but with the Word we heard from the beginning—that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5, AMP). If we claim to walk with Him and yet live in hidden sin, we deceive ourselves. This call to holiness is not external only; it is inward—down to the roots of desire, down to the meditations of the heart, down to the willingness of the soul. God does not call you to appear holy. He calls you to be holy.

The fire of God’s holiness cannot dwell in a heart that clings to what is unclean. And yet, how many of us come into His presence, lifting stained hands while asking for His nearness? How many songs have we sung that plead, “Draw me nearer,” while we have not repented in months—or years? We cry for revival, for intimacy, for revelation—but the Holy One will not fully manifest Himself to the impure.

Tozer was right: “A holy God cannot show Himself in full communion to an unholy Christian.” The Spirit is called Holy, not merely as a title but as a description of His very essence. If we are to be filled with the Spirit, then holiness must be our dwelling place—not just our aspiration. This is the call to holiness: a call to live set apart, sanctified, wholly surrendered, and burning with purity.

Let the Word pierce us:

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will [ever] see the Lord”(Hebrews 12:14, AMP).

“Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord, “and do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you” (2 Corinthians 6:17, NASB).

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10, AMP).

This is not legalism. This is love. This is the purifying fire of a Father who longs to dwell with His children. Holiness is not the price of His affection—it is the pathway to His presence. You cannot live for the world Monday through Saturday and expect to encounter the glory of the King on Sunday. God is not mocked. The same God who struck down Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) is the God who still searches hearts and minds (Revelation 2:23).

So what must we do?

We must repent—not with shallow words, but with torn hearts. We must flee what defiles the soul, and run to the One who washes whiter than snow. The blood of Yeshua is not just forgiveness—it is cleansing. It removes the stain and restores the soul. And if you will humble yourself, He will lift you into His presence.

Let me urge you, as one who has seen the fire in His eyes: Do not settle for a compromised life. Let the Holy Spirit sanctify every desire, every hidden thought, every motive. There is no joy like the joy of walking with a clean heart. There is no power like the power of a consecrated vessel.

God is holy. Yeshua is holy. The Spirit is holy. Shall we be content with casual faith, when we are called to commune with consuming fire?

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Burn every shadow, O Flame of Grace,
Strip every idol from its place.
Make me a vessel, pure and true—
A house of holiness for You.

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Prayer of Consecration

Holy Father, I return to You. Cleanse me of every stain. I bring You not just my actions but my affections. Sanctify my thoughts, my motives, and my desires. I long to see Your face, but I know that only the pure in heart shall see You. So purify me, O God. Let the fire of Your holiness consume all that is unworthy. Make me holy as You are holy. Dwell in me, and walk with me. I surrender all. In the name of Yeshua, Amen.

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Personal Holiness

LAY IT DOWN: A Plea for Radical Surrender

Beloved brethren, I beseech you by the mercies of God: Lay it down! Lay down every hindrance, every weight, every sin that so easily entangles your soul! For what fellowship has light with darkness? What union has Christ with idols? The Spirit cries out within you — “Come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord, “and do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you” (2 Corinthians 6:17, NASB). Let us lay it down for God and His glory.

Why do you cling to what profits you nothing? Why do you hold fast to that which weighs down your race toward the prize? The Lord of Glory has purchased you with His own blood; therefore, you are not your own. You have been bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20, NASB). Shall we then offer polluted sacrifices upon His altar — the remnants of divided affections, the spoiled fruit of worldly compromise? God forbid! He is a jealous God, burning with love for His people. He will not share His throne with another. Lay it down! Every secret idol, every hidden affection, every unclean thing must be cast away as dung if we are to know the surpassing riches of Christ. Truly, we must lay it down for God.

Hear me, beloved: the call to radical amputation is not cruelty; it is mercy. Our Lord said with holy fire, “If your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away… If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away” (Matthew 5:29-30, NASB). These are not the words of a harsh Master, but the plea of the Lover of your soul, warning you of the eternal ruin that unrepented sin brings. Sin must not merely be managed; it must be killed. It must be uprooted, severed, cast far from you, that you may be free to run the race set before you.

And I testify to you, not as one who speaks from theory, but as one who has walked this road. I found that my collection of rock and roll albums, though pleasing to the flesh, did not draw me closer to God but absorbed my time and dulled my spirit. Therefore, I gathered them — thousands of dollars’ worth of CDs — and I threw them away without regret, that my soul might be freed to worship El Elyon alone. I found that there was nothing Godly on Netflix; it was a net that caught my time and distracted my heart. I canceled it, counting it loss for the sake of gaining Christ. I found that I was watching too much news, filling my mind with the fears and troubles of the world instead of the Word of Life. So I exchanged those hours for time in the Scriptures, in prayer, and in the secret place with my God. I found that I was listening to audiobooks from Audible at night to fall asleep, but it fed my mind with many voices instead of drawing me into the presence of the Lord. So I laid them down as well, and now I fall asleep with worship music, my heart lifted up in praise to the Living God. Lay it down for God to work wonders in your life. And God is faithful — oh, He is faithful! — and He redeemed the time, and He drew me closer to Himself, deeper than I had ever known.

O saints of God, what are the idols of this present age that He is calling you to destroy? Sexual immorality, which prowls like a lion on every screen. Greed, cloaked as ambition. Pride, parading itself as self-importance. Bitterness, gnawing at the roots of your soul. Social media addictions, endless scrolling that drowns out the whisper of the Spirit. The love of pleasure more than the love of God. O saints, lay it down! Lay it down while there is yet time! Embrace the call to lay it down for God.

The Spirit is calling for a holy people, a pure Bride without spot or wrinkle. Shall we then trifle with that which nailed our Savior to the Cross? Shall we entertain what pierced His brow and ripped His flesh? God forbid! Let us rise up with the sword of the Spirit and slay every work of darkness that wages war against our soul. Let us run unburdened, with eyes fixed on Yeshua, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Lay it down — not with sorrow, but with songs of deliverance! Lay it down — not with fear, but with the boldness of a child returning home! For what awaits you is not loss but the fullness of Christ. He will pour His Spirit into the vessel emptied of self. He will clothe you in righteousness. He will crown you with His steadfast love. He will make your feet like hinds’ feet and set you on the heights of His glory! Lay it down for God, and receive His blessings.

I write to you as one who has suffered the loss of all things and counts them but rubbish, so that I may gain Christ. Therefore, beloved, lay it down! Lay it down, and rise up in the power of the Spirit! Lay it down, and behold the beauty of the Lord! Lay it down, and run with joy into the arms of the King!

May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Yeshua Messiah (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NASB).

Amen and amen.

See Also

Personal Holiness, Prayers

Cleanse the Temple, Bear the Fruit

Beloved, come close and consider the steps of Yeshua on this Holy Monday. Every act was deliberate. Every word, weighty. He was not wandering—He was on a mission from the Father. His eyes were fixed on Jerusalem, and His heart burned with holy fire. He came to restore what religion had corrupted in the House of Prayer. He came to awaken what had fallen asleep.

A solitary fig tree along the ancient path from Bethany to Jerusalem, leafy yet barren—silent witness to Yeshua’s holy judgment.

In the morning, as He walked from Bethany toward the city, He was hungry. He saw a fig tree with leaves, signaling life—but when He came to it, He found no fruit. Then Yeshua spoke, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” (Mark 11:14 NASB). It was not just about the tree. It was a prophetic sign. Israel had leaves—rituals, traditions, temples—but no fruit. And the judgment was not delayed.

God does not delight in the form of religion. He desires the fruit of righteousness. As it is written, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire”(Matthew 7:19 NASB). This is the hour to search your heart. Are there leaves but no fruit? Activity without intimacy? Noise without prayer? Yeshua is looking for the fruit of faith, humility, repentance, and love.

And then He entered Jerusalem, heading for the House of Prayer.

He found it loud with trade, thick with greed. The courts that should have echoed with songs of praise were filled instead with coins and bargains. So He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. He drove them out with authority, declaring, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a den of robbers” (Matthew 21:13 NASB; Isaiah 56:7). That house was not theirs—it was His Father’s.

Clean the Temple
Jesus drives the merchants out of the temple

Beloved, you are now that temple, the new House of Prayer. The veil was torn. The blood was shed. And the Holy Spirit came not to dwell in buildings but in believing hearts. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you… and that you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NASB). So the question presses in—what tables must be overturned in your soul?What thieves have crept into your mind, stealing your time, your worship, your focus?

Yeshua doesn’t cleanse the temple to shame—it is always to restore. After the tables fell, the blind and the lame came, and He healed them (Matthew 21:14). The children began to shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” and joy returned to the courts. When we cleanse the temple, we become the true House of Prayer, and the glory of God comes near. When we restore the altar, the fire of Heaven falls.

And when evening came, He returned to Bethany—not to isolate, but to rest in fellowship. He stayed among those who loved Him—Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Even the Son of God drew strength from the warmth of believing friends. Let this speak to you deeply. You were not meant to fight alone. You were not made for isolated struggle. The joy of the Lord often comes through the fellowship of the saints.

As it is written, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1 NASB). And again, “Let us consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together… but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24–25 NASB). In this hour, the enemy tries to isolate, but God calls you to the table of fellowship, to the circle of prayer, to the family of faith.

So today, beloved, walk the path Yeshua walked:

  • Examine the fruit of your life.
  • Let Him cleanse the temple of your heart.
  • Restore the altar of prayer.
  • And seek joy in the fellowship of believers.

Do not delay. Do not harden your heart. The Lord of the temple has come, and He still speaks: “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” Let it begin with you.

—

Search me, Lord, and test the flame,
Burn the chaff, but leave Your Name.
Make this heart Your holy place—
A house of prayer, a throne of grace.

Prayer

Holy Yeshua, come into the temple of my soul and turn over every table that does not please You. Remove all idols, all distractions, and all false peace. I repent of fruitless works and distant worship. Cleanse me, Lord, and fill me again with the fire of Your Spirit. Let my heart become a house of prayer. Let joy and healing rise where once there was noise and compromise. Surround me with godly fellowship, and teach me to draw strength from Your people. I welcome You, King of Glory—come and reign in me. In Your precious Name, Amen.

See Also

Personal Holiness

The Journey of Sanctification

Becoming Like Yeshua

“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”
—2 Peter 1:5–7 (NASB)

The journey of sanctification is the sacred path every believer must walk. This is not a casual stroll, nor is it a sprint—it is a lifelong ascent toward holiness, where the Spirit of God leads us from glory to glory. Yeshua did not die just to forgive your sins. He rose again to make you new. And that new life isn’t stagnant—it grows, transforms, and becomes like Him.

Peter’s words are a divine blueprint. He tells you to apply all diligence—to engage your whole heart. Faith is your foundation, but it must not stand alone. Add to your faith moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These are not random traits; they are steps on the staircase of sanctification. Each virtue lays the groundwork for the next. As you climb, you grow stronger in the Spirit and embark on the journey of sanctification to reflect Yeshua more clearly.

The journey is not easy. Holiness never is. But it is the call of every disciple. “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” (1 Peter 1:15, NASB). This holiness is not outward show—it is inner transformation. It flows from the throne of God and floods every corner of your life: your thoughts, your desires, your words, your responses.

The Vine and the Branches

Imagine a branch connected to a living vine. It doesn’t strain to bear fruit; it simply abides. As long as it remains attached, the life of the vine flows freely, producing fruit in its season. But when a branch cuts itself off, it withers—lifeless, powerless, fruitless.

“I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
—John 15:5 (NASB)

Sanctification flows from abiding. You cannot manufacture holiness through effort alone. It is born in intimacy with Yeshua. The more you remain in Him, the more His life fills yours. And what begins in secret—prayer, surrender, Scripture—becomes visible fruit: love, patience, purity, humility.

Beloved, the journey of sanctification will cost you everything—and it will give you more than you can imagine. It will strip away pride, expose wounds, and challenge comfort. But in exchange, you receive the treasure of a holy life, the joy of communion with God, and the power to overcome the world.

Keep climbing. Keep adding. The Lord is forming Christ in you. And when He appears, you will see Him as He is—because you will be like Him (1 John 3:2).

Prayer

Father, take us deeper on the journey of sanctification. We do not want shallow roots or fruitless branches—we want to bear the image of Your Son. Teach us to abide, to obey, and to grow. Shape us with every step. Let faith grow into virtue, virtue into knowledge, knowledge into self-control, and so on until love overflows in us. Holy One, guide us through the journey of sanctification to make us holy. In the name of Yeshua, amen.

⸻

See Also