The Bible tells us that God is holy.

"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."

Isaiah 6:3

So holy is God that we are unable to keep His standards.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

Romans 3:23

In fact, the Bible says that we deserve to die for our sins.

"The wages of sin is death"

Romans 6:23

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this sin-cursed world.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son"

John 3:16

Jesus Christ died on the cross and, in doing so, bore the punishment that mankind deserves.

"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross...by His wounds you were healed."

2 Peter 2:24

Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are saved eternally.

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Acts 2:21

Saved from condemnation - this ought to elicit extreme gratitude in our hearts.

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift"

2 Corinthians 9:15

In fact, God's unconditional love for us should motivate us to devote our lives to Him.

"With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments."

Psalm 119:10

God wants us to be separate from the world, to be more like Him.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Romans 12:2

On this earth, we will never be perfect, but God calls us to holy living.

"Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"

Romans 6:1

As His children, we must ensure we are firmly rooted in God's Word.

"Your [God's] hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments."

Psalm 119:73

We must continuously grow closer to Him in our understanding and practice...

"Not that I have...already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:12

...as we near the day when we shall be in our Father's presence.

"Our citizenship is in heaven...we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory."

Philippians 3:20-21

But how do we grow closer to the Lord?

This is what sanctification is - becoming more like Christ day by day.

First, may we let God work in us and mold us to make us more like Him.

"He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

Jesus Christ dwells in us once we are saved by His grace.

"Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith...that you...[may] know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge."

Ephesians 3:17,19

Because Christ abides in us, we are expected to produce "fruits" that reflect His character.

"Christ said, 'I am the vine, and you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit'"

John 1:5

What do these fruits look like?

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

Galatians 5:22-24

These "fruits" identify us with God and reflect His character to the world.

"You were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of the Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth)"

Ephesians 5:8-9

Love - God asks us to love one another because of Christ's love for us...

"We love, because He first loved us."

1 John 4:19

God wants us to live our life for Christ. "To live is Christ" for a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

"For to me, to live is Christ…"

Philippians 1:21

As believers, if we die before He comes, we will be with Him as salvation ensures us of eternal life. "To die is gain" for a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even after a believer departs to be with the Lord, they can continue to radiate Christ on the earth if they have been faithful to His calling throughout their life.

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 5:16

…and have lived a continuous offering of praise unto the Lord God.

"Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."

Hebrews 13:15-16

Like a stump that remains after a tree is felled, a believer who has gone on to be with the Lord testifies of the Lord of lords and the King of kings who is coming again in glory.

"These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."

Revelation 17:14

Did you know that the fall of the nation of Israel was prophesied by Daniel and fulfilled; he also prophesied the restoration of Israel and we look forward to that fulfillment in the future?

"In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him.’"

Daniel 4:23

Did you know the Lord Jesus Christ is described as a shoot that came out of Jesse’s stump?