2 Corinthians 7:1-16 KJV
1 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 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

The word holy often used in defamatory way. It seems lately i heard more swear terms with the word holy, making the word holy seem not the word to use with God. When I think of the word holy I relate it to God and an attribute of God that makes him far above humanity in his pureness and perfection. When I think of holiness in relationship to people I say there less holiness and more ungodliness then we might even imagine in our world we live within. Meaning the word holy to his people seems like it can not be compare to God's holiness. With that it seems like a defamatory statement again, but in truth we are made holy by the blood of Lamb, not by anything we ourselves can do. Our walk of perfection must come by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Paul is writing the Corinthians church and his own heart is convicted by the words he writting to the church. The church itself being convicted by the letter as well, probably why these letter's of Paul are still in existence today, because of the convicting power of God through these letters. These letters would be read to more churches then just one.

The power of God to convict the heart through a sermon, through a christian book, through Sunday School lesson plan, through the scripture is more powerful then anyone truly can imagine. If the word you write does not convict yourself, then how can it convict, chastise anyone else. My purpose in writing devotions maybe to express God's word as I understand it, but, unless I allow God's to have his way in my heart, anything I write can not be fruitful to anyone else. Paul knew that if it did not cause his own grief in his writting the church it was just a bunch of rules or even regulations on matters that are coming to him by word of mouth or other letters, through question given on how to live. That my friend is a tall order for any one writer or a group of writers. How many Christians writers could tag team on line, how many ministers can tag team online to spreading of the Gospel so they can get the rest of their work finished during the week. How many could spend five minutes sharing the Gospel. How many Bible workers could do the same. If every christian decided to speak one word about faith out there how fast would God's word spread. How much conviction could be laid upon the people who have not ever heard any of God's word beyond the Christmas story and maybe the cross.

There are bill boards in the city galore but how many tell the Gospel message. The letter speaks of one thing about being holy to work toward the perfection of faith, to honor God by good works and striving to obey him. To have ready not only the repented heart but mean it, to where when the Spirit convicts one is able to make a choice to obey God. Cain is good example of God conviction where man disobeyed God. Yet we fail to see the conviction of the soldier at the cross, the conviction of Noah to build an ark, Moses going to lead the people though he did not want to go, Jonah being convicted of sin that he was willing to be cast off the ship he was on, fully believing the storm would cease when he enter the dark waters he was sailing on. And the storm ceased and a fish swallowed Jonah and took him towards shore on the third day.

Conviction of the Spirit as those coming for healing knelt before Jesus, some even touching his garment to not bother him, but found themselves on the frontline of testifying of the work God just did in their life. No one questions did this really happen, did these miracles occur, because sometime in one life time one will experience knowing someone that received a miracle if it was not only themselves. What sorrow Paul is feeling in his heart, he knows the church will feel it too and he sorry about it, only to the point the correction the task of writing to the church about cleaning up and getting rid of sin can only do. Why should Paul have to write the church about working and striving towards the perfection of God's calling in a believer's life. To lay aside ever wait of sin and pressing on for Jesus. Why should he have to write anything if the Spirit himself teaches us individually. Nathan the prophet had to go to King David to preach to him. Isaiah was another prophet that talked to the king. Jesus corrected the richman about giving way all he had and following him. Sorrow came to the richman, but he turned away because it was to much for him to receive of God's word spoken to him.

There will be times in our life God's word will be so clear that are response is more like Cain, like Jonah, and the rich man, then Lord I will obey you. We are only human, and wrestle against the things we know of concerning the world and concerning faith. We may desire the faith to sell all and do what God says, but how many can truly do it. Our heirlooms more precious then any gold given for them. How many of us desire the word to convict but how many obey. By our obedience did we get beaten, thrown in a lions den, or a fiery furnace. Did our obedience cost us something. Our obedience to God sooner or later will cost us something.

Our sorrow because of guilt of not always obeying God, must be, to bring about true repentance, and a work toward true holiness so we can see God. We must allow God to purge us without, his purging our hearts, minds, and soul we will not heal but only feel the wound caused by his sword that causes us to act badly until repentance.

One might ask why did Israel not repent so God would not send them into exile. The believers did repent but there was not enough of them but they would be the remnant coming out of being exiled from the promise land. Do we have to go our own way for God to rightly punish us. Or can we recognize the need for repentance in our life.

Dear Heavenly Father move in our hearts to the point of conviction so we can walk holy as you have calls to be holy by the continual work of the cross of your Son. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: 1 Peter 1:1-25 KJV
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.