REV. TIMOTHY L. MELTON, PASTOR
CHEROKEE PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH
Read Ephesians 4:1-31
Pastor Melton explains, “His Righteousness is a ‘free’ gift to be received by us. This command to ‘be holy’, costs us all of our old ways of living if we do not want to stay in bondage.
“It is still a matter of our own choosing. Holiness can only come by His Anointing us, along ‘with the love that is shed abroad in our hearts’, (on the inside), by the Holy Spirit. Holiness is a true heart change made in us, and by His Love, for us. Holiness comes as a ‘seed’ planted in the good soil of our hearts that we can cultivate, grow, nourish, feed and water by His Word, and develop within ourselves—along with His complete instructions.
“The churches have cheapened Christianity in today’s world. Jesus calls each of us to ‘be holy’ and like Him, in order to ‘see God’. This comes through our having chosen to seek holiness—not through any legalistic approach—and not outwardly, at first, but inwardly as we develop and grow this ‘choice fruit’. ‘Thou shalt be’s … ’ happen only through His Anointing of us. This Anointing enables us actually to obey Him.
“God’s gifts are all for the purpose of the perfecting of the saints—all believers in the Church. No one is excluded unless one has so chosen. The gifts of Prophecy, Miracles, Healings, etc.—are all done through His Power as well—so we must have these changes made in our own hearts to begin to benefit others and ourselves. Heart changes grow in us so we can be even more obedient and confident. We cannot do any of these things at all without Him and His Power. They are truly supernatural.
“The ‘trying to bring in His Gifts’ in any other way, will not accomplish anything but a mounting frustration as they must have His Blessing and full approval within our hearts before they can manifest. The Gifts cannot be bought. Each seeking person must meet the Lord’s requirements. With our obedience, He is well pleased. We must be seeking the ‘Real Thing’ through prayer. It’s like ordering a ‘Dr. Pepper’ and getting a ‘Dr. Perkey’, or wanting a ‘Mountain Dew’ and getting a mountain lion, instead,” Pastor Melton laughingly added. “Righteousness is free, Holiness costs.” The Church, the whole Body of Christ, should be hearing from others, ‘Can I have what you have?’
Pastor Melton explains, “Each person has God-sized hole in the core of their being that each one who feels the emptiness, is trying to fill. God placed it there so people would be seeking to fill it—hopefully with Him. Many do not realize yet that they should be seeking Him in order to fill the emptiness of their lives. They can be trying to fill it with all kinds of things from sports, fun and cars to alcohol, drugs, or money. Whatever they can find. They have not yet realized that nothing else will ever be enough to fill that emptiness. Each one needs God—if only to answer all the questions they have about their own life.
“Why else would some of the most watched shows are videos of people falling down or with cellphones walking into landscape pools, or off curbs? We hear the statement all the time, ‘tell us facts, not opinions.’ ‘I tell them, ‘Get the Mind of Christ, not opinions.’ ‘Love arises. We need to love them, offered Pastor Melton, as vanity of mind equals blindness of heart.’”
“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,
“throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.
“Instead let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
“Put on your new nature, created by God—truly righteous and holy.”
Ephesians 4:21-24 (NLT)
“Think like God thinks on the inside. Love what He loves—hate what He hates. Think of what causes us on the inside to act out on the outside. Change what you think—putting off that conduct—can cause the renewal in the spirit of your mind. Put on the new man and, in time, there will be holiness in righteousness as we become more Christ-like. Say it, ‘I am holy’, and live a life others can emulate!’ encourages Pastor Melton, ‘Learn Christ, who is holy.’ No one becomes perfect on this side, but we can mature in Christ Jesus.”
