"May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

2 Peter 1:2-3

We are almost halfway through the year and if you are like me, those resolutions I made at the beginning of the year still await my attention like the dusty piece of gym equipment in the corner of my office. I just knew this would be "the year" where things would be different and I would check off every item. I am ashamed to admit it, but there is one thing that has been on the list for 10 years - to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Begrudgingly added every time with a bit of shame. The sad thing is I know my issue and STILL choose to act in disobedience. Many of you do, too. The reality is, the flesh wants what it wants. I LOVE FOOD (sucker for anything deep fried) and at the end of my day, the last thing I want to do is go to the gym.

Paul depicts my angst and frustrations so well in Romans 7, as he acknowledged his own sinful nature,

"For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do (v.19).

I appreciated his transparency here allowing the readers to understand that it is natural for our flesh to oppose the spirit, but by pursuing holiness, we transcend above the entanglement of our sin.

In the Old Testament, holiness was closely associated with the Law of Moses and the covenant between God and Israel used to teach the Israelites how to be separated from sin and consecrated to God (Deuteronomy 14:2). It involved ritual purity and moral behavior as stipulated by the Mosaic Law, which included dietary restrictions, ceremonial cleanliness, and various rituals. The Tabernacle, the Temple in Jerusalem, the Ark of the Covenant, and the priesthood were designated by God for His purposes and were set apart from common use.

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is the embodiment of holiness. His life, teachings, death, and resurrection redefine and fulfill Old Testament law (Matthew 5:17). Through Jesus, all people, not just Jews, are invited to become holy. Sanctification sets us apart and invites us to pursue holy and righteous living as we are being made more and more into the image of Christ.

As believers, the truth of the Gospel gives us everything we need for life and godliness through Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and it applies to things in the spirit and the natural. This means that with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can adopt a healthier lifestyle when I daily crucify my flesh and be reminded how my disciplined living honors God and makes me more holy.

Out of the goodness of the Lord, He reveals that the root of our sin issues are often connected to unresolved trauma and lies we believe about Him and ourselves. But he provides us with help in our times of need when we call on Him (Hebrews 4:15-16). What do you wrestle with?

Examine every area of your life and allow God to reveal what grieves Him. If you let Him, He will create a clean heart within you (Psalm 51:10). Our Holy Heavenly Father hates sin and so should we, but His love for us is so rich and pure. You can be confident in that truth, while He works out the rest.

- Onjalai Brown, The ARISE Team