Presence

I recently read the blog of another individual calling the church to a revival of personal holiness (Lee Grady/Fire In My Bones). It almost seems a paradox, that we would have to call the church to personal holiness-this should be the norm, this should be our daily pursuit and desire, and practice. We have embraced a cheap grace and a sinning religion. The church in America knows nothing of paying a price for anything, and scoffs at paying a price for personal holiness. I was in a meeting of pastors in a city where I was holding a revival, and a pastor asked a solemn question of the group. "When was the last time any of us gutted it out and battled our way through a temptation." Too many simply give in and attempt to go on. The going on is most difficult when the wheels have come off the wagon. Let's not minimize the effect of sinning-it brings death one way or another. I'm re-reading Tozer's classic, The Pursuit of God. In it he states that God meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw our life from His smile. But we have fled from that presence as Adam fled and hid in the garden. It is the realization of that awesome Presence that should make us mindful that holiness is not an option, and that His Presence, His manifest Presence is the key to that holiness. His holiness consuming us becomes the path to our personal holiness. O God take me to the cross, Your holiness is my desire.