Holiness Unto the Lord: Honoring the Lord

By Archbishop Gloria Grace

Holiness Unto the LORD is part of the Hosting the LORD'S Glory on Earth series. Holiness is not a life without a sin, but a life set apart unto the LORD for Holy use, and which by faith, lives by faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. It is a life that is surrendered to His Lordship and presented unto the LORD God as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Him.

The author examines in details some of the laws and the statutes of God, which He commands that His people observe and keep so that His Glory will dwell with us on Earth. He is restoring His Glory upon the Earth as it was in the Garden of Eden before the fall of man; in the Tabernacles of Moses and David, and in Solomon's Temple. The early church experienced His manifest Glory so much so that the power of the LORD was greatly manifested in their midst to heal, deliver and bring bountiful harvests of souls into God's Kingdom. The Apostles were described as turning the world upside down, and great fear was upon the people and cities around, because of the power that accompanied the mention of the Name of the LORD. This same thing happened in the time of the old when the LORD, rescued His people from Egyptian bondage with great power and might; dried both the Red Sea and river Jordan and caused His people to pass through. The terror and the greatness of His Holy Name caused the surrounding nations to tremble, so much so that Jericho fortified their city with walls. Yet, the LORD through His mighty hands crushed their walls and defeated the city for His people. He has promised to return to dwell with us again in the rebuilt Messianic Temple. He is restoring the former dominion of His Glory and power among His people through the restoration of the Tabernacle of David (the Messianic Temple) in His Messianic Kingdom. Only His holy people shall enter into His Third Temple, and rule with Him in His Messianic Kingdom. The standard of holiness will be as at the beginning. Even though we live by faith in the LORD Jesus Christ, yet the LORD will not compromise His standard of holiness. The highway to His holy Mountain thereof is the highway of holiness, and no unclean thing will enter there.
It is written that the LORD Jesus Christ delighted Himself in the fear of God and so in honoring the Father in all He did, He pleased Him. We are, therefore, commanded to walk and live even as He lived and walked. The author of this book, therefore, examined in details both in the Old and new Testaments, the LORD's commands and principles for holy living. The LORD Jesus says:

Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-19 (ASV).

God has poured the fullness of His Holy Spirit upon us, to dwell with us as our Helper, Comforter, and He guides unto all truths. He also daily empowers and helps us live in the reverential fear of God. He is our strength, Councilor and everything so that as we daily submit to His purifying fire for our continual sanctification and holiness, He comforts and helps us live in the Spirit of holiness. As well as living and walking in the Spirit, It is only as we also learn to honor the LORD'S ordained appointments, His holy days and feasts that we enter into His circle of blessings, and dwell with Him forever. We will learn how to please the LORD, honoring what He honors and dwell and reign with Him forever, amen

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archbishop Gloria Grace
• Release date: Apr 12, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370281343

Archbishop Gloria Grace

Archbishop Gloria Grace is the founder of Elyon House, Inc and Global Apostolic and Prophetic Network (GAPNET).She is called to raise Apostolic and Prophetic leaders, worship warriors and intercessors (the Lord's armies) across the globe for the birthing of the prophetic destiny of nations. It is a call for the rebuilding of the Tabernacle of David for the establishment of the Kingdom and the will of God upon the Earth realm. She also empowers women to arise and build godly homes; raise godly children and fight for the prophetic purpose of their families and their children, thus building the nation. Her passions and compassions for the lost souls keeps her zeal in winning souls for the Kingdom of God burning as she takes the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the streets, subways, and other public places. Her books include Life Application colorful picture Bible study curriculum for Children and Youth ministry, family foundation books, faith building titles, spiritual warfare and more. She has written best sellers, Inspiration station Radio book of the month and Amazon best of the month books.

Book preview

HOSTING THE GLORY OF THE LORD ON EARTH SERIES (3)

HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD

HONORING THE LORD

Archbishop

GLORIA GRACE

HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD

HONORING THE LORD

FIRST EDITION

Copyright 2017

Gloria Grace

ISBN: 9781370281343

Title: Holiness Unto the LORD: Honoring the LORD

Author: Archbishop Gloria Grace

Publisher: Smashwords, Inc.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reprinted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Email: [e-mail]

www.messianictemple.net

TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1

Honoring The LORD

Chapter 2

Entering the Presence of the LORD

Chapter 3

Obedience and Humility

Chapter 4

Sanctification and Holiness

Chapter 5

Love of God: The Purifying fire of Holiness

Chapter 6

Holiness in Daily Living

Chapter 7

Separating from All That Contaminates

Chapter 8

Keeping our bodies holy

Chapter 9

Honoring God in our relationships

Chapter 10

Honoring the LORD’S Sabbath as Holy.

Chapter 11

Honoring the Holy Things

Chapter 12

Honoring the Lord’s Name

Chapter 13

Honoring the LORD’S Appointments and Seasons

Chapter 14

Praises, Worship and Thanksgiving glorify and Honor the Lord.

Chapter 15

We Honor the Father by Doing What Pleases Him

Chapter 16

Reverencing the Presence and the Work of the Holy Spirit

CONCLUSION

Other Books by the Author

INTRODUCTION

It is written that without holiness no one shall see the LORD. After departing from the Earth from Solomon’s Temple, the LORD Promised to return to Jerusalem with compassion, and will dwell with us forever. We will once more experience His Shekinah Glory on His Holy Mountain as in the wilderness when He dwelt and walked among His people in the Tabernacle of Moses, David and Solomon’s Temple. His sole purpose is to restore the Earth to its original purpose even as the LORD Jesus asked us to pray: "Let your Kingdom come, and let Your Will be Done on Earth as it is done in Heaven (Mathew 6:10). His Will is to unite Heaven and Earth in one purpose, while His Glory covers the Earth as water covers the sea (Numbers 14:21; Psalm 72:19; Habakkuk 2:14); to sanctify His Holy Name in all the Earth through His people, and for all the Earth to reverence and honor His Holy Name.

In His restoration of the former dominion through the New Covenant in Christ Jesus, He is also establishing the laws of hosting His Glory on Earth, and in our lives. In the Old and New Testaments, God gave us statutes and ordinances for holy living. In the Old Testament, the statutes were under the law, but through our LORD Jesus Christ’s death for our sins, He made a new covenant with us in which He wrote the laws right in our hearts and no longer on the tablets of stones. He also poured His Spirit upon us so that the Holy Spirit becomes our companions to guide us into all truths: teaching, counseling and helping and empowering us from within to live and walk in the fear and wisdom of God, living holy lives. Through this, we could live and walk even as Christ lived and walked, when we submit to His Lordship.

Holiness, is not a life without any sin, but a life set apart unto the LORD, for His Holy use. As holy people of the LORD, we are conformed to the image and likeness of Christ, and walk in the fullness of His power and wisdom, to His Glory. He is the one that sanctifies and makes us holy, as we obediently live and walk in the Spirit. He poured His Holy Spirit upon us to fill us with all knowledge, understanding Counsel, unto holy living. He is the Spirit of Truth to lead and guide us unto all truths. We thus, learn to live and walk in holiness; to honor what He honors; to separate the clean from the unclean, the holy from the profane, and abiding in Him through the LORD Jesus Christ.

In this book, we shall learn how holiness and honoring the LORD, work together. The LORD Jesus asks us to pray: Hallowed be Your Name…". From the laws of Moses till the New Testament, the LORD gave us lists on how to walk in His holiness, to hallow His Name in our lives and among the heathen, to please Him. The Lord Jesus delighted Himself in the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom. By wisdom and fear of God, He lived to please the Father in all He did. He laid down His life to live by the Father’s Will, leaving us an example to live and walk even as He lived and walked, to please the Father. He kept all the ordained appointed times and seasons, the LORD’S holy festivals, His commands concerning relationships, and lived a life of constant devotion unto the Father. He was fully filled and walked by the Holy Spirit, Who also guides us into all truths.

It is only by letting the Spirit of the fear of God, with whom He walked, to guide our every step shall we learn to fear and honor the LORD, for it is only by honoring Him that we live and walk in holiness. As we learn to live by the Holy Spirit, we walk in all the laws of the LORD which He also wrote in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We honor what He honors, reverence His appointed times and seasons of meetings with Him, all His ordinances and laws. The laws He gave to Moses on Mount Sinai are still His active laws even under the dispensation of grace. His laws, statutes and ordinances are never abolished, but we live them out, through the Holy Spirit Who empowers us from within, because He dwells in our hearts, teaching and guiding us into all truths. His laws and statutes are holy, and we are commanded to live by them. The Lord Jesus says:

Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-19 (ASV)

He says that if we love Him, we shall keep His commandments. He honored the Father, so we also honor the Father by living as He lived and walk, as He walked. His Spirit is our helper and everything we need to live holy and righteous lives unto the LORD. We shall therefore, reign with Him as kings and priests unto the LORD.

Chapter 1

HONORING GOD

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29)

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1).

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him (Psalm 89:7).

There is deep desire in the heart of God to dwell with us as our God and to be united with His people, as One. There are however, requirements to host the LORD’S Presence on Earth. The first requirement is approaching Him through the Blood of Jesus, our only ground for right standing with Him, and through whom we are acceptable to Him. Second, we learn to reverence Him with godly fear, to honor His Presence and His Holy Name and to present our fat offerings (thanksgiving, praises, worship and prayers) to Him, with a grateful heart.

When we study in details the order of service in the Tabernacle of Moses: The Priests, the holy garments, the services of the Levites, we see that the Lord ordered everything to honor His glory so that His Presence would continue to rest and dwell with His people. Where God is honored, He dwells. He is very mindful of His Glory, and so He gave detailed instructions during Moses Tabernacle, how His Priests were to be attired and the sacrifices to be made both on the Brazen Altar and the Altar of Incense before approaching Him in His Most Holy Place to minister unto Him, and on behalf of the whole House of Israel. However, two of the sons of Aaron did not seem to be mindful of His holiness when they approached His Presence and offered strange fire in the Holy Place.

Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So, fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke, saying: By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’ So, Aaron held his peace." (Leviticus 10:1-3).

They offered strange fire. Some Bible versions described it as unauthorized fire. God specifically commanded them never to offer such unauthorized fire on that altar. It is an altar of incense:

And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. (Exodus 30:1-6-9).

Hebrew Strong’s Primitive Root Word for strange include: foreigner, strange, profane. Profane means common. They offered a common, unholy or an unauthorized fire on the Altar of Incense.

God is very mindful of separating the common from the holy. His instructions concerning His Holiness: who to approach His Holy Things, how to approach His Holy Things, and who to touch His Holy Things must be kept. He said that His priests must keep charge of His Holy Things in the Millennium Temple (Ezekiel 44:16). The error of the two sons of Aaron was that they took God for granted, and did not honor His Holiness and His Presence. They offered unauthorized fire before the LORD and so they were consumed. When this happened, the LORD spoke to Moses that whoever comes into His Presence must treat Him as Holy. That means, we must be mindful of His Holy Presence to fear, honor and glorify Him.

This happened at the beginning of the services of God in the Tabernacle. After this incident, the LORD asked the Priests not to drink wine when they enter His Sanctuary to do their Priestly duties. This would be a statute forever:

And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses (Leviticus 10:8-11; Ezekiel 44:21KJV).

The statute for the Priests, not to drink wine before entering His courtyard to minister unto Him, is so that they will have clear mind to put difference between the holy and unholy, and so they will not stagger in judgment, and judge unrighteous judgment. It is written: It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. Isaiah would later note:

But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment (Isaiah 28:7 (KJV)

It might have seemed that the two sons of Aaron have drunken wine that made them mix the common with the holy. We were not told, but the LORD established a statute immediately after their disorder in the Holy Place which cost them their lives. His command is that we must be careful to honor His holiness in His Presence.

God’s order concerning His holiness did not end with the Tabernacle of Moses or Old Testament. In the New Testament, after the sacrifice of our LORD Jesus Christ on the cross, which gave us access to the Holy of Holies through His Blood, we see that God still placed great importance on His holiness during the time of the early Church. Ananias and his wife, Sapphirah wanted personal glory for themselves for selling a piece of land and bringing it all to the LORD as some others in the Church, did. They treated the Presence of God as common, and lied to the Apostles that they brought everything. Peter, by the Holy Spirit, discerned their deception in the Presence of God and asked Ananais why he allowed the devil to fill his mind to lie to the Holy Spirit. He was, immediately, slain by the Holy Spirit. His wife, who came late to Church and did not know what happened to her husband for lying in the Presence of God, met the same fate when she confirmed her husband’s lie. Their demise in the House of God caused the fear of God’s Presence to descend upon the people.

The LORD said that they that come near Him must regard or reverence Him as Holy, and before the people He must be honored. When Moses did not honor Him before the people, to glorify Him when He struck the Rock rather than speak, as the LORD commanded him; God refused him entry into the Promised Land:

And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because, ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them (Numbers 20:12).

Moses did not glorify Him before the people to whom He wanted to show His holiness, at that moment.

Honoring the LORD is at the root of our worship unto Him. It is the secret of His abiding Presence among His people, for victory and for His blessings. He is very mindful of His Holiness when we approach Him. He thus, gave us details of how we are to approach and worship Him in Spirit and in truth and in Holiness. In teaching us to pray, therefore, the LORD Jesus Christ, Who Himself delighted in the fear and the holiness of the LORD, asks us to start our prayers with: Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed (honored, reverence) be Thine Name, Thy Kingdom come and Thy will be done in on Earth as it is done in Heaven. We reverence Him with deep humility, and approach Him in His terms. This is the pattern of things in Heaven. Everyone and everything in Heaven are ordered by God’s Will and His desire. He is greatly honored, reverenced and worshipped without stop, in Heaven, for His goodness, loving-kindness and mercy, which endure forever. Our Heavenly Father is surrounded by twenty-four elders, who reverently worship Him twenty-four hours, casting down their crowns before Him (expressing their total surrender unto Him), Who lives and reigns forever. He is also surrounded by four living creatures and the Seraphs who for twenty-four hours, reverentially declare His Holiness, with their faces covered with a pair of their wings, and with hosts of Heaven who worship and adore His Holiness, forever and ever:

I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory (Isaiah 6:1-3 (KJV)

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (Revelation 4:4-11).

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever (Revelation 5:13-14)

And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned (Revelation 11:16-17 (KJV)

And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God, omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready (Revelation 19:4-7).

We are created for God’s Glory. His eternal purpose is to unite Heaven and Earth as One, to worship Him in Unity; to rejoice in Him that lives forever and ever as we see in Revelation 5:13-14. He made us in His image, for His Glory, for His pleasure. We are created to share -, and reflect His Glory; to pour forth His goodness upon us, to demonstrate His power and greatness through us to the world, and for us to bring Him pleasure through our constant sweet aromas of our obedience, offerings of thanksgiving, praises and prayers. Through us, He reveals His Holiness to the world. The LORD Jesus asked us to pray that His Will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven. The LORD wants us to dwell in His Presence forever; to love and adore Him; to bring Him glory, honor, praises and thanksgiving sacrifices in reverential honor, as it is done in Heaven.

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth (Psalm 96:8-9 (KJV)

We, therefore, honor God by recognizing Him