Words of Encouragement - Olu Talabi & David Lane - August 30, 2020
http://rlcfchurch.org/words-of-encouragement River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker emphasizes the absolute necessity of pursuing holiness, drawing parallels from Psalm 24 and Psalm 15, which require clean hands and a pure heart to dwell in God's presence. This pursuit of purity is linked to the church being built as a pure, blameless bride and is a continuous call to keep both the individual and the community—God's temple—clean from defilement. Ultimately, the message stresses that God's holiness remains absolute, demanding a life of purity in heart and action.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Who can ascend into the hill of the Lord?Reading from Psalm 24 and Psalm 15, the speaker highlights that those who can stand in God's holy place are those with clean hands and pure hearts.
The pure bride Jesus is buildingEphesians 5 teaches that Jesus loves the church and purifies it with the washing of the word to present it as a holy, blameless bride.Ephesians 5:25–27
God is holy and cannot stand impurityFirst Peter 1 commands believers to be holy because God is holy, and Old Testament examples like Leviticus show God's unchanging judgment against impurity.
Without holiness it is impossible to see GodHebrews 12 tells believers to pursue holiness, and First Corinthians 3 warns that anyone who defiles God's temple will face destruction.
A delay in judgment does not mean God has changedEcclesiastes notes that because judgment is delayed, hearts may turn to evil, but God is still just as jealous for his holiness and temple.
Nothing defiled will enter the holy cityRevelation 21 affirms that no one who practices lies or abominations will enter that holy city, reinforcing the need to pursue holiness.
Cleansing ourselves from all filthinessSecond Corinthians 7 calls believers to cleanse themselves of every filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
What is true love according to First Corinthians 13?First Corinthians 13 describes love as patient, kind, not jealous, not arrogant, not provoked, and keeping no record of wrongs.
Recognizing soulish love and secret demandsThe speaker realized he often judged whether others loved him based on external actions, driven by internal entitlements and secret demands he placed on them.
The hidden reality of spiritual loveSpiritual love operates quietly on the inside, seen when believers pray and intercede for one another in secret without seeking recognition.
Guarding against roots of bitternessHebrews 12 warns believers to see to it that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, defiling many in the community.
The accuser cast down and God's power revealedRevelation 12 brings hope after conviction, showing that when the accuser of the brethren is thrown down, God's salvation, power, and kingdom come forth.
