Hungering for Holiness in a Wicked World
float so gracefully above a murky pond is
that they constantly clean and preen their
pure-white feathers, combing them with a
special oil that comes from a gland on their
tails. This antibiotic oil waterproofs their
feathers and protects them against lice. If
they should neglect caring for their
plumage, however, their feathers would
soon become dirty and waterlogged—and
they would lose the ability to fly!
Dear friend,
Jesus came to save us from our sins.
Our holy Lord longs to see His purity
reflected among His people, presenting
"her to Himself a glorious church, not
having spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
but that she should be holy and without
blemish" ( Ephesians 5:27). Can you imagine
the mighty witness we would have if every
believer hungered and thirsted for
righteousness as intently as a swan guards
its plumage? We would soar to new heights
of evangelism!
A sanctified people is the most potent
argument for the truth. But, tragically,
today you can scarcely see a difference
between the professed followers of Christ
and the world, and nothing is more
dangerous to the cause of Christ than a
church that is indifferent about holiness in
our homes, sanctuaries, and daily lives.
"Be Holy, for I am Holy"
As Amazing Facts marks 50 years of
mission, I won't soon forget the legacy of
our first speaker, Joe Crews, and his bold
preaching for purity. Like him, I believe
God's biggest goal for our lives is holiness.
Without this transformation, we cannot be
saved. "Pursue peace with all people, and
holiness, without which no one will see the
Lord" ( Hebrews 12:14).
We have all sinned. And Jesus is the only
one who lived a perfectly holy life on earth
( 1 Peter 2:22; Romans 3:23). He alone can
impart holiness, but that is precisely His
plan—to transform us to be like Him.
Because of our love for the Lord, shouldn't
we be hungering for holy lives?
One Christian writer said, "How little people
know who think holiness is dull. When one
meets the real thing, it is irresistible."
Through the many thousands of letters,
emails, and phone calls we get in response
to the many ministries you make possible, I
can attest to the truth of this. Holiness is
like a magnet to people trapped in the
desperate mire of sin-filled lives! Indeed,
your generous support reaches out boldly
to help people find the way to sanctified
freedom in Christ. Whether this message
goes out on the airwaves, in sharing books
and magazines, or through online
evangelism—their lives are being
dramatically changed for eternity!
Consider Jonathan, who fell to
pornography in his teens.
During this time, his parents watched
Amazing Facts programs regularly, which
was crucial in planting seeds of Bible
principles into Jonathan's struggling heart.
He knew he wasn't living in holiness. It was
an intense spiritual battle, and many times
Jonathan pleaded with God "to do just
anything to get me out of this." In response
to his desperate prayer, God broke the
chains of his addiction—leading him to
holiness. Jonathan says that it was your
support that made it possible for him to
experience holiness again. "Satan's power
was broken," he proclaims! "The seeds
sown by your ministry when I was lost have
sprung up and taken root."
The Liberating Truth
And we see this influence worldwide! Rica
writes from the Philippines that she
rebelled from the faith. She believed, "So
what if I am naughty and say bad words?
God will never refuse me!" She believed
that if she just had religion, it was all she
needed. This tragic misunderstanding led
her down a perilous, dark road, and she
became weaker in a compromised faith.
She says, "I became suicidal. … I would
glare at the altar and throw the Bible
away."
But all that changed when Rica's father
introduced her to Amazing Facts. She
explains, "I was deeply moved by what
Pastor Doug was saying. I thank God for
that precious day. My pain and brokenness
were replaced by love from God."
Of course, the message of holiness is really
a message of love. When we truly love God,
we will spend time with Him to maintain a
close, loving relationship and obey Him by
being conformed to His will and keeping all
of His commandments. Sadly, even in God's
church, we see increasing deviation from
holy living, a compromise of truth resulting
in a steady erosion of principles.
Amazing Facts must remain committed to
preaching holiness. Will you help change
more lives like Rica's and Jonathan's with
this beautiful truth?
Preaching a Core Message
Bible prophecy predicts one day soon,
those who are faithful to God's law will be
under extreme pressure to ignore the
fourth commandment and accept a false
day of worship. Already we've seen the
pope promoting that agenda, which is why
I look forward to sharing the pure Sabbath
truth in our upcoming series, The Last Day
of Prophecy, in North Carolina next month.
Will you please remember this critical
outreach and our message of holiness with
your prayers and gifts today?
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