THE SANCTIFIED LIFE...

HONESTY AND TRUE OPENNESS Honesty and true openness are desperately needed among God's people today. We must take off our masks and face reality about ourselves. Billy Graham said that the greatest obstacle to our sanctifi-cation is our unwillingness to see ourselves as we really are. At the same time, we do not dwell either on ourselves or our past sins - the ones for which we have repented and brought under the forgiving power of the Blood of Jesus, but we press forward with our eyes on the Saviour, not ourselves. We must avoid, like the plague, any form of double living. We must allow the Spirit of God to deal with the sins of our disposition as well as our attitudes. For indeed, walking in the light of God's truth means all-out warfare against sin, Satan, and self. As sin is acknowledged and confessed, and relationships are restored, homes and churches will be revived and healed. DISCIPLINE AND BROKENNESS Andrew Murray said that brokenness was humility's response to the touch of God. We must always be willing to take correction, from the Lord and also from others. Then be willing to follow through learning the reality of self-discipline in every area of our lives. We are aware that this is a long, hard road. If Paul had to say, “I buffet my body and bring it into subjection lest after preaching to others I become a reprobate,” how much more do we need to know this kind of discipline! Today, churches and Christian organizations are desperate for disciplined people who can also assume important God-given responsibilities of leadership. The Holy Spirit will work in different ways in different lives not only bringing this discipline to pass, but in its outworking on a daily basis. [DROPS from a LEAKING TAP, George Verwer, Authentic Books, 2008].