By TIMOTHY MELTON
Pastor of Cherokee Pentecostal Holiness Church
Transcribed by Myra D. Colgate
Read first Peter 3:15, Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 23
When is sanctification going to happen for me? It will begin to happen when that person gets overthinking only of their own selves in this all the time.
If they will begin by praising God for who He is and all that He has done for them already in their life. As they begin to realize and seek His love for them, His goodness, and His strength and power; if they will do this, it will be the beginning of sanctifying their own self and also sanctifying some of their time for Him by singing to Him, through hymns and praises and by beginning to thank Him. Even by a person, as David has stated, “by making a joyful noise unto the Lord”, we are actually blessing Him.
Read some of the Psalms, like Psalm 23, which David wrote. Think how David would sing and praise God while he lifted his voice in song and also in praising and thanking him. Like David was, when alone outside, and watching over his father’s sheep, we could also be alone thinking of our families and close friends who have been God’s blessing “unto us” over the years period. We owe Him that at the very least.
If I wish to, I start singing to the Lord on Monday and then on Tuesday, as I set up singing of and to Him. I like to think about Him singing “of and to” me during the night. Amen.
If I do this at night, I actually begin to sanctify the Lord to give him a special place there in my heart to set him apart in my heart. My, my, I feel the power of the Holy Ghost because the Lord is doing something powerful. Yes, and I need to get to the best part of this.
He has set me apart! We all have some joy in life because of this. Having some understanding of this process of sanctification, we can even become a “hilarious giver” unto the Lord!
Do we understand yet the world doesn’t understand how a person, although through tears, can also, while walking through the greatest tragedy of one’s life, be lifting their hands and giving glory to the Lord anyway?
The world cannot understand how it is when one has lost their job, and yet, they come to Prayer Meeting on Wednesday night, lift up their hands, and declare, “The Lord is good! The Lord is faithful! The Lord is amazing!”
Better, it is, that we understand the need for sanctification (making a place for God in their life) when what happens is, 2 weeks later, that person gets a good job offer, and two weeks later, they even get a better job offer! It happens because that person has given all the glory to the Lord, and that has only happened because one has taken the time to be sanctified and dedicated to the Lord.
Look, I’m not saying we don’t have bad days, or we don’t have problems. If one thinks that, they have lost their minds, for I’ve had more trouble in the last couple of years than I’ve had in the last two decades, but no one has heard me whine or complain. I’ve kept a smile on my face because the lord knows how to bring me out of the world’s way of thinking, how to pick me up, turn me around, and set my feet on solid ground. Why? It’s because He’s still God. He’s still God through the night that’s long. He’s still God when the moon’s not shining. He’s still God when the sun burns hot. He’s God on this platform. Should I just tell us all? He is still God!
This is why when one is sanctified, they really shouldn’t look only at their own situation. One should look at our God. Don’t look at the “stuff” but look at the One who provides the stuff. If it went away, He knows how to provide it for a person again. If He did it once, He can do it again! If He’s not done it yet, just hold on. He’s coming along! I’m not waiting. I’ll shout with that person this day and they will be able to shout with me. We’re not looking at the stuff or the situation. We’re looking at the One who provided the stuff that went away and He knows how to provide it again. If He did it once, He can do it again. Hold on we’re going to shout together as it happens!
