A Daily Devotional with Pastor Doug Crouse July 14, 2018 Higher and Holier Scripture Reading – Hebrews 10:10 (NLT)"For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time." 

God loves each person in this world so much, that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins. However, only those who respond to the grace of God in Christ Jesus will discover the cleansing that today's text is speaking about. Although God is not willing that even one person would perish, be destroyed, live a lesser life here on earth, and face His judgment when they stand before Him - He does allow people the freedom to choose to follow Jesus or not.

For those of us who have come into a living faith relationship with God through Jesus and have been born/indwelt by the Person of the Holy Spirit, the calling that God has on our lives is, 'Higher and Holier'.

It is through the precious blood of Christ Jesus on the cross that we have the imputed righteousness of Christ credited to our account when we come to Jesus in believing faith. We are truly made holy in God's sight because of that sacrifice, never to be judged for our sins.

The natural or should I say supernatural response to such a great love, and newness of life should be a willingness to draw near to the One who loved us so, and discover and declare His purposes daily through a surrendered life.

This call to holiness will put our lives on display for others to see, and then by grace taste and see that the Lord is good for themselves. Holiness will stop us from pursuing lesser things that people all around us look to for a sense of peace and joy and fulfillment. Rather we will by God's grace have our feet planted on higher ground, where we will also gain new perspective on God's plan for our lives. 

Prayer Heavenly Father I come before You once again through the sacrifice of the precious blood of Christ Jesus my Lord on the cross, in believing faith. Holy Spirit, help me to see, and pursue that higher and holier calling that has been purposed for me through Jesus Christ my Lord. 

Memory Verse:  John 14:6 NLT"Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”