By REV. TIMOTHY L. MELTON
CHEROKEE PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH
“This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”
Ephesians 5:32 (KJV)
(Now read Chapter 5:1-32.)
As Pastor Melton began this message, he certainly had our full attention. “As a child, a saint of the Most High, we, His church, follow Him.”
“Remember K-Mart and their ‘Blue Light Specials?’ Whenever you would follow where the Blue Light was shining, it meant you would be finding what was on special and you could save on that purchase. It showed a person where in the store that something was on sale. One time, as a youngster, I found out how suddenly, my Daddy could disappear from my sight. I learned to quickly follow my Daddy in that store, since I didn’t want to get left behind and out of the fun.”
“We must also learn to follow our Daddy God quickly. We must walk in love. Love each other and give of ourselves to those around us. Our praise of Him is a sweet smelling savor we give to Him. It comes wrapped up in our desire for holiness. With fornication, all uncleaness or coveteousness, unforgiveness—having already been repented of, along with all open sins removed, there should be nothing left that separates us from Him. The best way to do this is to have sacrificed any and all sin on the altar of the church, bringing them to Jesus as our sacrifice. We may not be ‘perfect’ but there is nothing that should separate us from Him once those sins have been dealt with by Him at the altar. We have become His saints, as we have opened the door of our hearts to Him. He helps us get clean from all sin, and with His unending Love, we can remain free there in Him.
“As we give repented-of sins to Him, He removes each ‘as far as the East is from the West’, destroying them. He refuses to ever remember them, so we also can forgive ourselves and truly let them go. They no longer exist for us in memory by our choice, or in His memory, as He has annihilated them when we have chosen, with His help, not ‘to feed’ them anymore. Look now and rely only upon Jesus and His saving Grace and Love for us. Never look back there again. He died to set us free from all that would otherwise hinder. If He has forgiven us, we can truly forgive ourselves and all sinning dealt with now and later, forevermore, given to Him.
“Heaven has only saints,” Pastor Melton explained, “they are people who live their lives above reproach. Ephesians 5:5 is true—no deception—and Paul is talking to the church. As a man of God now, let your life and His Light being seen, show this to others. Walk as children of the Light—for we must remain as ones who live up to an acceptable standard through the leading of the Holy Spirit. The standard is to ‘live like you are the Light’. Love everybody, but also know that God will shine out of you. Like roaches, many have problems with Light, it makes them want only to run and hide.
“(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.”
Ephesians 5:9-10 (KJV)
“They don’t have peace because the Holy Spirit has control of you, and it is His Presence that grows the ‘fruit’. Christ has come into you, as you opened the door of your heart to Him, having answered His knock. Now, having no more fellowship with darkness, the Light reproves and rebukes any of those dark spirits by warring in the Spirit by your allowing the Light to shine forth. Their darkness is dispelled by the Light you allow to shine out of you to them. Enough is enough. When you do right God will move the evil out. Bless the person and love them, so they won’t steal. Pray for them that they may also begin to do ‘the right things’, too, as the Light helps them ‘to see’.
“Christians, wake up. Arise, God will give you Light. Walk carefully, circumspectly. (Look out, there’s a hole!) Redeem the time for God’s watching. Keep on being filled by and through the Spirit. He’ll make you able to love everybody. Sing songs, Psalms, hymns, talking to Him, whistle, smile, talk to yourself. Be happy and say, “I’m blessed and talking to the Lord about it.”
