The Spirit of Holiness & Power by Ralph I. Tilley

THE ONLY PREREQUISITE for a seeking heart to be purified and filled—and continually purified and filled with the Holy Spirit—is a healthy appetite for God, a deep thirst for God. Remember, God forgives what we confess, he sanctifies what we offer, he fills what he sanctifies, and he uses what he fills—all through grace given to the God-thirsty soul. The 120 who gathered for prayer ten days before the Pentecost outpouring of the Holy Spirit were thirsty-hearted followers of the crucified, risen, and ascended Lord Jesus Christ. These men and women had walked with Christ during his earthly sojourn; they … Continue reading “The Spirit of Holiness & Power by Ralph I. Tilley”

Christ in You

“Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 Years ago, the Scottish evangelist Dr. John S. Logan was at a meeting of pastors where Watchman Nee (1903-1972), the saintly Chinese evangelist, was present. Logan gave the following account of the impression Nee left upon that gathering of ministers: “After speaking, Watchman Nee was fielding questions from the crowd, and one pastor asked if he could define holiness. Nee said, ‘It is the Spirit of Christ in me, plus …’ and he began to move around the room placing his hands on each pastor in succession and saying, ‘the Spirit of … Continue reading “Christ in You”

The Discipline of Elimination

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely. Hebrews 12:1 Neither the Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostles, nor the first-century Christians could live a successful and faithful life without eliminating everything and anything that might hinder their calling. Thus Jesus warned his followers: “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it … Continue reading “The Discipline of Elimination”

Perfecting Holiness

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 NASB It would not be an exaggeration to say that the average professing Christian is more concerned about retaining his defiling habits than he is about living a life that pleases God. As long as we can go through the common religious rituals and still enjoy our sinful practices, all is well—or so we think. The modern Christian’s unwitting mantra is, “Come weal or come woe my status is quo.” Who among us, after hearing the … Continue reading “Perfecting Holiness”

Take Time

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” Mark 6:31 Dr. J. Sidlow Baxter (1903-1999) relates that when he became pastor of a church in Scotland many years ago, he began to hear many appreciative remarks about a former deacon, who had died a few years earlier. Baxter heard how people said of this brother, “that it was almost impossible to think or speak unworthily in his presence.” They said, “He always brought a sense of God’s presence when he came into a room.” This dear follower of Christ, Baxter said, made a difference … Continue reading “Take Time”

Called to be Saints

The call of the Holy Spirit to follow the Lord Jesus Christ is a call to holiness. It is a call to leave; it is a call to cleave—to leave our sins, and to cleave to God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. After God made woman from the first man, Adam joyfully exclaimed, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”1 Following this human union of our original parents, God announced,  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast … Continue reading “Called to be Saints”