SANCTIFICATION

ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,   Beloved of God,   John 3:16-18

SANCTIFICATION,    “WORTH CONSIDERING”      2/6/20
    
Today’s Scripture   (From my mail this morning.)
“…But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory…”  (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV)

Being Transformed
Too many people are so focused on their flaws, weaknesses, and mistakes they’ve made in the past that they are unhappy with who they are now. If you feel guilty and condemned that you’re not further along, that’s going to hold you back from growing. Quit taking inventory of all your faults. You may have a lot wrong with you, but you have a lot right with you.

The key is to learn to accept yourself while you’re in the process of “being transformed from glory to glory.” You may not realize it, but you’re in a phase of glory right now. Learn to enjoy the glory that you’re in while God is changing you and taking you to the next level of glory. You have to start accepting yourself right where you are, faults and all. You are not a finished product. God is the Potter, and you are the clay. He is still working on you.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that my life is in Your hands—not just my dreams and goals, but my weaknesses and shortcomings. Thank You for the promise that You are transforming me from glory to glory. I believe that You are working right now to lift me to another level of glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts:
This is one of the best of all the teachings that I have received from Joel’s ministry.  I ministered one time with John, his father, in Honolulu,  LONG TIME AGO.   He was/is a real man of God.  And I can see his efforts now working through Joel.  

Actually the word Sanctification is the word in the Bible that is used for this TRANSFORMING process.  Some past Bible teachers teach that sanctification was instant at conversion.  But as I study the Holy Scriptures I have learned that it is also a process in which the Holy Spirit with our agreement moves to help us become like Jesus.  Of course the Holy Spirit must have our OK or HE just has to wait until we again want to go ahead with the process.  So the process takes our permission and God’s Grace.  Of course God deals with our lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and pride of life inhearited from Adam just one issue at a time so we can handle the process.  So as we are up for it, with loving patience, the Holy Spirit takes us through the process of dying to our carnal nature.  In our baptism we made the pledge to go through this process but now we must walk that pledge out in real time.    Then the Holy Spirit, then with our permission,  can go through all of the rooms of the house we live in and evicts the squatters and their trash.  For some it may easier than for others but it takes what it takes and the Holy Spirit is very patient with each soul that now belongs by faith to Christ Jesus as LORD.  So if you are really a Christian and Christ Jesus is Truly your LORD, how are you doing with being sanctified,  being made Holy or Transformed?   This is the process of allowing the Holy Spirit to change us into being like Christ Jesus.

Definition of sanctify,  transitive verb  1: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use : CONSECRATE  2: to free from sin : PURIFY   3a: to impart or impute sacredness, inviolability, or respect to.   History and Etymology for sanctify,   Middle English seintefien, sanctifien, from Anglo-French seintefier, sanctifier, from Late Latin sanctificare, from Latin sanctus sacred
Definition of sanctification,   1: an act of sanctifying,   2a: the state of being sanctified,   b: the state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion

By the Lord Jesus allowing himself to die in our place for the junk we inherited from Adam, HE is now able to extend to us forgiveness and to be restored to our Creator God as per HIS original vision.  So as we decide that we love the light of God more than the darkness of Adam’s rebellion,  and make Christ Jesus our LORD we are forgiven for joining Adam’s rebellion.  For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.   In Adam all died, so in Christ shall all be made alive.   So after we change citizenship,  the process begins to bring us into obedience through loving humility, faith and freewill.  It is a time in which we, ideally,  learn and understand and willingly apply the Commandments of Christ Jesus to our lives. 

If we don’t understand that the ultimate desire of our Creator is to make you and me like Jesus in this life time then we usually get stuck in some flesh comfort mud hole and just exists for our creature comforts.  Still a child of God but only building mostly wood, hay and stubble on the foundation of Christ Jesus that will one day be lost by fire.   But then also is the opportunity of placing gold, silver and precious stones on HIS foundation as a gift for our LORD. ! Cor.3:10-15,   Would not hurt a bit to read the whole chapter.  Paul puts it this way:  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Rom.8:29.  John teaches: “In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He is, so are we in this world..” 1 John 4:17.  AMP

You can not learn to hit what you don’t aim for.  The 1611 definition of the word sin is to miss the center of a bulls eye target in an archery match.   So our aim to be under the LORDSHIP of Christ Jesus is to become as HE was and is.  I have a 50 point character sketch of what Christ Jesus was like in HIS personality.  Let me know if you would like a copy.  Makes a real serious self report card.   In Adam (his rebellion and pride) all die but in Christ Jesus (HIS faith, love and obedience) all will be made alive.  1 Cor. 15:22.   I am not writing this as though I have finished my course, I am only sharing with you what I feel the Holy Spirit is sharing with me to understand and to do as well.  When we can all come together in John 17:19-26, Notice that it is through knowing GOD’S TRUTH that we are Sanctified.  And through Unity (verse 22) that HIS Glory or Power is made available to us to win the world to HIM as LORD.

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org