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ABC'S OF HOLINESS
By pastor Tomatchison

                 The story is told by Os Guinness of a time under Soviet Leader Nikita Kruschev when a wave of pretty thefts hit the former USSR. The authorities put guards at all the factories. At one of the timberworks in Leningrad the guard knew the workers well. The first evening, out came Pyotr Petrovich with a wheelbarrow bearing a great bulky sack with a suspicious looking shape.

"Come on, petrovich,"said the guard. "What have you got there?
"Just saw dust and shavings,"Petrovich replied.
"I wasn't born yesterday." the guard replied "Tip it out."
And out it came nothing but sawdust and savings. So he was allowed to put it all back again and go home.
The same thing happened every night all week and the guard was getting extremely frustrated. Finally, his curiosity overcome his frustration.
"petrovich," he said, "I know you. Tell what you're smuggling out of here and I'll let you go"
"Wheelbarrows , my friend," said petrovich, "Wheelbarrows."

                   We may laugh, but the laugh may be on us when it comes to the world's influence exerted on our spiritual lives, particularly against the desire for holiness. Opinions abound on the destructiveness of some of today 's influences. We have set up endless patrols ( ratings of movies, lyrics and TV programs; internet screening devices; cable blocks; endless boycotts ;etc.) to detect and control the dangers of the world, but the devil has trundled much right past our eyes and into our lives. Thinking we're armed with the Word, we stand on and watch only to succumb to the diversion (sawdust and shavings) while the "goods" get trundled past and into our lives. The diversion has worked in spite of many of our best efforts. The simple reason is because the core problem is not "out there" but in hearts. This is not to suggest that there are not external dangers, for there certainly are, but the greatest danger is precisely where our hearts are most vulnerable and attracted. The techniques, strategies and devices will never sufficiently "screen out" all the dangers and even if they did, the sinful impulses of our hearts and minds would be quick to fill the void. As it has been well said ,"our hearts are idol- making factories." Measures far more drastic must be firmly in place. What are those measures?

              First we must Admit that we fall short of the glory of God. This should in and of itself have a powerfully humbling impact on us. Too often we look to change the people around us or our circumstances, when all along the problem is that our hearts are not rested in God; they are not satisfied with Him and Him alone. Yet we look through the sawdust and shavings ( If I only had this house, this job, more money, not tempted by this or that, etc.) and fail to see the real problem of a heart looking in all the wrong places. Pursuing holiness requires other believers to be involved in our lives. We cannot do it alone. The rugged individualism of American contemporary life lessens the dynamic work of the Word and Spirit. We need people and honest with them concerning the leanings of our hearts and the sway of the world on us.

            Secondly, we must Believe that God is adequate for our every need, Quite simply the Christian life is a fight of faith or a fight of believing God; who He is and all that He promises. The challenge is to turn to Him consistently in the midst of the daily grind and not to the things we think will satisfy. Here I find it helpful to claim the promises of God for strength, comfort, peace, wisdom, courage, resources, etc.

            Thirdly, we must Concentrate on the cross and resurrection. The cross and resurrection give us sufficient hope to move forward. The longer I have walked with my savior, the more beautiful to me. when I have been wronged and feel like lashing out. I go to the cross. When misunderstood and hurt, I go to the cross. The reason is because it is at the cross where all injustice (sin) has been dealt with. The cross focuses my heart on the One who will make all things right. So when I am discouraged and doubting, I turn to the cross and meditate upon the power of the resurrection. It is cross and resurrection that teaches me not to compromise with the things of this world.

            These few things are the ABC's (Admit, Believe, Concentrate on the cross and resurrection ) of my walk with God. I long for Jesus to return, But until then I must fight the fight of faith in the world with out becoming like the world. Let all of us be steadfast in this endeavor and by all means, Guard our hearts .