Book : The Pursuit of the Holy by Simon Ponsonby

Simon Ponsonby gives fresh perspective to God’s invitation to “be holy as I am holy”

Can a godless society be expected to become godly without seeing what godliness is? Are Christians today willing to live their lives in such a way that they reflect God’s holiness? Simon Ponsonby’s The Pursuit of the Holy: A Divine Invitation tells the story of a holy God seeking friends among the unholy and bringing life to those who, left to themselves, would miss out completely on the joy of His promises. Ponsonby begins by looking at God’s essential and unique holiness and what it means for us as sinful human beings.

When we learn that God is actually moving towards us and not away from us, the command to ‘be holy as I am holy’ becomes reachable.

First, we need to understand what it means to be holy. The Bible uses the word holy in context with other words such as cleanliness, purity, blamelessness, glory, righteousness, godliness, and trustworthiness. These words provide a starting point for Christ-followers to understand the invitation to reflect God’s holiness and the fullness of what it means in our relationship with God. Ponsonby states that holiness is a way of behaving that is determined by the being of God—a life that becomes like the God who possesses holiness.

Rather than unattainable perfection, Ponsonby encourages others to understand that our pursuit of holiness is a life-long transformation process that is not only desirable but is also an exciting opportunity and offer placed before us to go for it. Holiness is a supremely positive word that reflects God’s desire to restore His children into His likeness. Moses and Isaiah are two characters Ponsonby uses to provide vivid windows into God’s restoration process. Careful study and examination of these men and their encounters with God reveal many things about the divine characteristics of God’s holiness:

* God’s holiness doesn’t preclude His visitation to sinners.
* God’s holiness doesn’t negate His revelation to sinners.
* God’s holiness doesn’t eliminate His desire to communicate with and show compassion for sinners.
* God’s holiness won’t destroy us if we repent of our sinfulness.
* God is gracious, forgiving, and cleansing, removing sin in an instant.
* God will employ us in His service, despite past failure, if we will only say, “Here I am.”

God was separated from evil. God isn’t darkness. God is light. God doesn’t lie. God is truth. In these examples, we can see that God doesn’t mingle good with evil, but He is wholly and completely separated from impurity. So in this regard, holiness is to be pure and separate from evil.

For God, holiness simply means to be separate from evil. For He is the great Creator, and there’s no impurity in Him: to be separate and distinct from evil is enough for holiness. Yet for the Christian, it takes on a slightly different form: we are to derive our holiness from Christ’s holiness. And so in this way, holiness becomes a slightly different goal.

If Christ is our holiness, then we have but one goal: to devote our mind and body to God’s using, and to separate ourselves from the uncleanness that is in the world. Holiness is a singleness of purpose. Yet this is true only insofar as the purpose that we are channeled towards is holy: this can only come from Jesus Christ.

Ponsonby wants people to understand the grace and mercy of God’s invitation to holiness. He writes that once we understand this, we will no longer desire to live as we once lived, as sinners. Instead, we will desire to live like God. “God-likeness, conformity to His character, is a pilgrimage, a journey made together. We are to walk and work with one another as a family of God’s children,” Ponsonby states. This pilgrimage is not one of subservient creatures before their Creator, neither of soldiers before their commanding officer, but of sons and daughters and lovers of God.

To be holy is to be fully alive, fully human, and whole, as God intended.

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Purposefully Purposed : A Christian’s Viewpoint

Author : Vanessa Barnes

Release Date : May 20th, 2008

Price : 11$ (USD)

Theme of Purposefully Purposed

We must strive to supplant the sickness of the enemy with Gods intended purpose. In the end, the ‘good’ in the Good News, was manifested via the purposed life of the Son; as imitators of that purposed life, let us continue to grasp the purposes our own legacies should portray.

“…I now live a fleshy existence not in autonomy or as an island, but most importantly in concert with my spiritual self, dependent upon a God who cannot and will not fail me. Pertaining to the renewal of my thinking, wisdom has prompted me to live with a sense of faithful stewardship to my spiritual purpose.”

“Boldness in a Christians life is born in knowing where we are going coupled with knowing who is leading the way. Embrace all that living in concert with the spirit allows, trigger all that lay at your fingers touch. Trust in the source; the same source of Jesus’ yesteryear and equally our own; like Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa, rely on faith in the Promised One, because the promise has already been conveyed. It’s okay, allow the doubters to question, for to them you may answer the same as Christ: “I know where I came from and I know where I am going.”

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God Knows My Name: Never Forgotten, Forever Loved

Author : Beth Redman

Published : July 1st 2010 by David C. Cook

Details : Paperback, 192 pages

Book Theme : God Knows My Name

In this powerful and deeply vulnerable book, Beth Redman writes to pass along a message that changed her life—that the God who made us also understands us intimately. He hears our cries and reaches out in love to help us and fight for us. He’s always at work shaping our character. And no matter what others do, He will never, ever leave or forget us. Drawing on Scripture and her own experience, Redman invites us to explore the revolutionary implications of being loved by a God who knows our name. And she invites us to call on His name as well—to respond to His heart and love Him as He has loved us from the beginning.

Your Father God named you as precious, chosen, and beloved. You may not be named Rocco, but when God calls you, He speaks over you His truth, freedom, and life. Your part is to make a good choice—to continually believe and live under those things He named you and never to seek to hide behind another name. Many of us each day live under other labels that the Enemy has given us from past or present experiences—unwanted, failure, doubter, ugly, unlovely, needy, drama queen, mistake, disgrace, shamed, forgotten, and many more lies.

Those thoughts and feelings cannot possibly originate from God—for He is the giver of good and perfect gifts, and the God of all comfort. Those negative impressions of yourself and the words my own dad wrote in his email to me originate from the Enemy—who we know to be a dirty liar.

Perhaps you think your problems and insecurities are too great to overcome. By the kindness and mercy of God in my own life, I can assure you that this is not the case. I was abused physically, put down verbally, and rejected. I suffered humiliation many times and sadly began to act out how I felt about myself. In public I felt wretchedly insecure. I couldn’t go out with friends without feeling self-conscious and unimportant. I hated myself inside and out.

Then Jesus called my name. And everything changed. I hardly recognize the person I was back then. Our names may conjure up memories, but not always truth. I know that ultimately I am defined not by what others think of me when they hear my name, or what my earthly father says about me. Instead, the authority and compassion of the God who called my name define me. He loves, He shapes, He convicts, and He lavishes us with affirmation.

It’s time we heard His voice the loudest.

God Knows My Name Reviews

What a timely message for every woman in our material society. Definitely a message through out the ages as I am certain during Biblical times it was potent as well with all the focus on earthly and physical beauty. There are so many times when we can really get caught up in what others think about us whether it is physical or personality and sometimes I catch myself knowing that they are evil ideas placed there for distraction, but sometimes I miss it and dwell. This book is a good reminder. – Margaret

Beth Redman is authentic and heartwarming in God Knows My Name. She had me at the title. I related to her feelings toward her father and her realistic look at raising multiple children and being a good wife. This book encourages women by reminding us that we are all in the same boat. – Audra Krell

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