Devotional: “The God Who Makes Us Holy”

Because God is holy, the believer must pursue holiness as the natural response to belonging to Him.

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There’s a truth in Scripture so blazing, so bright, that anyone who sees it clearly will never be the same. It is this: God is holy. Not simply good. Not merely powerful. Not just wise. He is holy—utterly pure, perfectly set apart, radiant in moral beauty. And the wonder of the gospel is that the Holy God calls you to belong to Him. Holiness, then, isn’t a spiritual trophy or a self-improvement project; it is the natural response of a heart awakened to God’s character.

Holiness is not about becoming flawless; it is about becoming faithful. It is not moral perfectionism, where we anxiously count our successes and failures, but relational loyalty, where our lives bend toward God in love, surrender, and obedience. When the Holy God lays His hand on a life, He calls it out of the mud and into the light. Holiness means we stop blending in with the world and start reflecting the One who saved us

“Holy, Holy, Holy” — When God Reveals Himself

“In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim… One called to another, and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of Armies! The whole earth is full of his glory!’ … Then I said, ‘Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips… for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of Armies!’”

— Isaiah 6:1–5 (WEB)

Isaiah didn’t need a sermon to understand his sin. One glimpse of God’s sheer holiness exposed every shadow in his soul. The prophet wasn’t crushed; he was cleansed. God’s holiness doesn’t shame, it purifies. It reveals what needs healing so grace can rush in.

Imagine a jeweler examining a diamond. He lays it on a pure white cloth. Against that backdrop, the flaws stand out—not to condemn the stone, but to refine it. Friend, when God brings you into His presence, He doesn’t expose you to reject you. He exposes you to restore you.

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A Call to Live Differently

The apostle Peter picks up the same theme for every believer:

“But just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy; for I am holy.’”

— 1 Peter 1:15–16 (WEB)

Holiness isn’t God’s demand so much as it is God’s invitation. “Be holy,” He says, “because I am holy—and you belong to Me.” Holiness means letting God shape your habits, your desires, your words, your reactions. It is choosing His character over your comfort, His truth over cultural trends, His presence over compromise.

It’s no wonder the psalmist urges:

“Worship Yahweh in holy array. Tremble before him, all the earth.”

— Psalm 96:9 (WEB)

To “worship in holy array” means we don’t approach God casually or carelessly. We come clothed in reverence, shaped by repentance, and strengthened by grace. Holiness honors the God who is worthy of all our awe.

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A Life Marked by Holiness — John Wesley’s Story

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist revival, didn’t pursue holiness to impress God—he pursued holiness because he was captivated by God. His disciplined prayer life, his sacrificial service, his moral integrity—none of it was legalism. It was longing. Wesley wanted his life to be a mirror in which God’s character could be seen.

And do you know what happened?

Holiness became contagious.

Revival followed holiness.

A spark in one heart lit a fire that swept across nations.

You may not lead a worldwide movement, but you can live a life that reflects God’s purity in the everyday spaces He’s assigned you.

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Application — One Step Into the Light

Identify one area of compromise—one habit, one pattern, one attitude—and replace it with a holy habit.

• If you’ve been careless with your words, practice speaking blessings.

• If you’ve been drifting spiritually, commit to daily Scripture reading.

• If you’ve been battling private sin, confess it and invite accountability.

• If you’ve been lukewarm, ask the Spirit to rekindle your fire.

Holiness grows wherever obedience is planted.

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Prayer

“Lord, make me holy as You are holy.

Purify my desires.

Cleanse my motives.

Reveal what needs changing, and give me courage to surrender it.

Set me apart for Your purposes.

Let my life reflect Your beauty, Your purity, and Your glory.

In Jesus’ name, amen.”

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