Rock by Holiness= Intimacy

Intimacy with the Father is the foundation of our identity as sons and daughters.

Royalty is my identity. Servanthood is my assignment. Intimacy with God is my life source. Bill Johnson

1 peter 1:15-16 amp

15But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; 16because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”

1peter 1:15-16 “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

What is Holy: A quality that characterizes deity and at times humans and/or objects. The precise nature of this quality is disputed.

HOLINESS Chief attribute of God and a quality to be developed in his people. “Holiness” and the adjective “holy” occur more than 900 times in the Bible. The primary OT word for holiness means “to cut” or “to separate.” Fundamentally, holiness is a cutting off or separation from what is unclean and consecration to what is pure.

Walter A. Elwell and Philip Wesley Comfort, Tyndale Bible Dictionary, Tyndale Reference Library (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), 608.

Holiness: This is the state and nature of God and the born-again spirit of a believer. Pursuing holiness refers to the intentional actions and decisions taken by a believer to follow all that pleases God and separate himself or herself from all that displeases God.

Everything begins with God. We don’t understand the full significance of anything until we understand its relation to God

John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth with a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord or as his counselor has instructed him? Whom did he consult for his enlightenment, and who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him understanding? Behold the nations are like a drop from a bucket and are accounted as the dust on the scales … All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing! (Isaiah 40:12–17

Is 40:12-17 NLT

12Who else has held the oceans in his hand?

Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?

Who else knows the weight of the earth

or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?

13Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord?

Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?

14Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice?

Does he need instruction about what is good?

Did someone teach him what is right

or show him the path of justice?

15No, for all the nations of the world

are but a drop in the bucket.

They are nothing more

than dust on the scales.

He picks up the whole earth

as though it were a grain of sand.

16All the wood in Lebanon’s forests

and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough

to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.

17The nations of the world are worth nothing to him.

In his eyes they count for less than nothing—

mere emptiness and froth.

Holiness produces seeing the unseen

A. Kingdom Understanding • Set your mind on things above (Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Think about the things you want and not on what doesn't exist.

- Set your mind on things above, not below; because God's got this!

B. What you can see is temporal; what you cannot see is eternal

2cor 4:18 “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

18So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Cor 4:18 NLT

16-18So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. 2 Cor 4:18 Massage bible

C. Kingdom understanding attracts revelation.

our spiritual senses to perceive the things of God. The more we understand and live according to the principles of the Kingdom, the more revelation we will receive from God. This revelation can come in many forms, including dreams, visions, words of knowledge and prophecy. As we seek to Know God and His ways, He will reveal Himself to us in greater measure.

Proverbs 2:3-5 “yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 “But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”

The Kingdom of God is a realm of Holiness. In order to enter into it and receive revelation from God, we must first be set apart for His purposes . This means living according to His laws and standards of Holiness. The Bible says that "the Holiness of the Lord fills the whole earth" (Isaiah 6:3). As we come into agreement with His Holiness, we will begin to see manifestations of His power and presence in our lives.

D. Seeing from the heart creates a burning conviction of the reality of the unseen. Sacrifice and Power Provoke Change

E. Faith for the Unseen • Faith is anchored in what you cannot see.

When you have faith in something, you believe in it even though you may not be able to see it. This is especially true for faith in God. We may not be able to see Him, but we believe in Him and His love for us. We put our faith in Him, knowing that He will always be there for us. Even when things are tough, our faith can help us get through. It is an anchor for us during difficult times. So even though we cannot see God, we know that He is real and that He loves us. This is the faith that we have in Him.

“You Must Stay Long Enough In The Secret Place To Create A Memory.”

“Stay Long Enough To Become Broken.”

Excerpt From

The Wisdom Commentary, Volume 1

Mike Murdock

https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-wisdom-commentary-volume-1/id637383638

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2. Posturing Your Heart for Transformation

When I live in holiness true transformation occurs

What is Transformation ?

TRANSFORMATION An inward renewal and reshaping of the mind through which a Christian’s inner person is changed into the likeness of Christ. Paul told the Roman believers, “Be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Rom 12:2).

a. The power for your personal transformation is in what God has said.

luke 1:37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.””

b. Hold on to what Jesus has said about you. It is transforming you into the image of Christ.

God has called you to be holy, and Christ-like is what we all should strive towards. Hold on tightly with both hands because the blessings will pour out of this!

3. Applying the Cross

a.Applying the Cross to Your Life • Permit God to work in you and give you more freedom

The cross is not just a symbol of suffering, but also an opportunity for growth. When we allow God's presence to work in us and give more freedom it can help transform your life so that you are able endure any circumstance with grace!

b. When you rightly respond to God moving in your life instead of reacting, you receive grace to change.

c. Applying the cross to my life will advance my faith

The affect of intimacy with the Father is to create a foundation for our identity as sons and daughters.

Intimacy with the Father is the foundation of our identity as sons and daughters.

4. God is constantly trying to draw you into a closer relationship with Him. Start out by loving everything about Him, then take some time for rest and intimacy in your thoughts of God so that they overflow onto the everyday moments of life together as well!

A. Your Perception of God Seeing the Face of God

• “Mercy and truth go before Your face” (Psalm 89:14 “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.”

• You will see the face of God when you understand that He is full of mercy and grace.

• When you see the Lord not as a harsh and judging God, but as a loving and gracious Father, your life will be filled with joy.

Took : Intimacy with God is the goal of holiness, not perfection.

-We can only approach intimacy with God through Jesus Christ. -When we are intimate with God, our whole lives change and we become more like Him. -The closer we get to Him, the more we want to be like Him. Conclusion: Pursue intimacy with God and you will find true holiness in your life.