Read: 1Thessalonians 4:1-8

 
Christian Devotions Memory Verse
 
“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (1Thess. 4:7)
 
Holy living involves living a spiritually pure life: a life devoid of sins and impurities. Holy living in Christianity is not by choice, it is a command of God that must be obeyed. Some years ago, I read a devotional in which the writer said “holiness has nothing to do with what you do, but the presence of God in you is what makes you holy”. I meditated on that statement and I asked myself; can that be true? I concluded immediately that the statement is absolutely wrong. It is wrong because if holiness has nothing to do with what I do, then if I go ahead and fornicate, lied, backbite or defraud people after I have declared Jesus as Lord and Saviour, I will still be adjudge holy. God forbid! A liar, fornicator, backbiter etc cannot be termed holy in the presence of God. Apostle Paul once said
 
 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1-2 KJV)
 
The call of God upon our life is a call to live a holy life. We, Christians, are representative of a Holy God on earth, as a result we must live holy.
 
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1Peter 1:15)
 
Holiness involves total separation from all evil and justification of evil (Psalm 50:16-21). Three years ago, I was living in a small apartment in Nigeria and one day my landlord who was living in another apartment in the same building called me and said he doesn’t want me to have anything to do with some set of people in the neighbourhood. I asked him why, he said they are bad people and as result he doesn’t want anybody living in his house to have any dealings with them. I concluded within me that I will find out myself whether that is true or not. Not quite long, I discovered that it was my landlord that was actually a torn in their flesh. I refused to accept his verdict about the people. I refuse to join his evil cause. I refuse to keep wrong opinion about people I did not know. I refused to put a curse upon myself by fighting those that are not fighting me. Holiness calls for absolute separation from any appearance of evil. It has to do with what we do with ourselves. A call to walk with Jesus is a call to live a holy and blameless life.
 
Never allow those who love to twist the scripture to their own advantage deceived you. Holiness comes when you depart from all evil: infidelity, justification of wrongdoings, lies, envy, anger, blasphemy etc. The scripture says they that do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21).
 
Today’s Christian devotion teaches us to depart from all form of impurity because they will hinder us from walking with a Holy God who has called us to live a holy life.
 
Christian Devotions Prayer Point
 
 
Father Lord, please help me to live a holy life. Let me never fall into temptation that will bring condemnation upon my life. Thank you father for answering my prayer (In Jesus name I pray).