YOU ARE GOD'S SPECIAL TREASURE

“"But as he which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy I all manner of conversation:
Because as it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy"
(1 Peter 1:15, 16).

I am always amazed when I read Deuteronomy 7:6 where God describes His plan for His people. Of course, this Scripture is speaking directly to God's people, Israel, but the promise continues to His blood-bought people today: "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth." This Scripture is repeated again in Deuteronomy 14:2. 

That is incredible, isn't it? This is God's heart for His people. What does it mean?

Some people think that to be holy we must be religious, but that is not the meaning of holy. It means "set-apartness, un-commonness, un-worldliness." It is being set apart from the secular "unto God." Did you notice those words? God has chosen us to be a special people "unto Him." We don't live unto the world system, but unto God. The word "special" means that "we are God's possession, His valued property, a special treasure to Him." And He wants us to be "above all" other people on the face on the earth.

That's why God told the Israelites in the previous verses to TOTALLY DESTROY THE CANAANITE CULTURE! Yes, that is the heading at the beginning of this chapter in my Bible. I was certainly arrested when I read that!

Verses 2 - 5 says: "Thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them: thou shalt make no covenant with them, not show mercy unto them . . . ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire." And then it says: "for you are an holy people."

Dear mothers, are we seeking to be set-apart families unto God? Anything less is not God's will. I notice that many Christians today do not want to be set apart. They confess they are Christians, but they want to look like the world around them. They want to be right on the fence, saying with their lifestyle, "Yes, I love God with all my heart, but I don't want to look different from the world. That would be too embarrassing. I want to dress just like the world dresses and fit in as much as possible with their lifestyle, so I don't look too different." 

But this is the opposite to God's plan. Dear mother, are you teaching your children God's plan for them? How He wants them to live? Do they know that they are God's holy people, set apart for Him and His destiny? Knowing their purpose will make a huge difference to their lives.

1 John 2:15-17: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever."

PRAYER:

Dear Lord God, please teach me what it means to be set apart unto You. Please draw me and teach me to live a life that is "unto" You and not "unto" every worldly thing around me. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen." 

AFFIRMATION:

I have been chosen to be set apart unto God. I am no longer common but belong to a royal kingdom. 

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

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www.aboverubies.org

FURTHER SCRIPTURES

God did not give this message once to His people but many times: 

Exodus 19:5, 6; Leviticus 11:44, 45; 20:24-26; Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 26:18,

19, 1 Kings 8:58; Romans 12:1, 2; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 2:9; and 1

John 2;15-17.