Holiness
I mentioned before that I've been reading Jerry Bridges' book Pursuit of Holiness. In the past 2 chapters there are some awesome truths that have really stuck out to me. God is really using that book to teach me to pursue Him and his purity and goodness.

Mr. Bridges quotes a saint that once said,

Even our tears of repentance need to be washed in the blood of the lamb. pg. 44

He also makes some pretty hard core statements about lack of desire to be holy. He states,

If there is not, then, at least a yearning in our hearts to live a holy life pleasing to God, we need to seriously question whether our faith in Christ is genuine. pg. 46

It's a pursuit I desire, but I often fail, which is discouraging. I know that is where Christ's redemption comes in, but it's still hard. The chapter I just finished is called The Holiness of Christ and speaks a lot of crusifying our old nature and putting on Christ's righteousness (it's not of ourselves).

Holiness has to do with more than mere acts. Our motivation must be holy, that is, arising from a desire to do something simply b/c it is the will of God. pg. 58

The more we grown in holiness, the more we need assurance that the perfect righteousness of Christ is credited to us. This is true because a part of growing in holiness is the Holy Spirit's making us aware of our need of holiness. pg. 59

I had not heard the song Just as I Am in almost a year and a half, but last week, I got a new CD in the mail and there was a new arrangement of that song. It hit me at a time that I really needed that very message, so I put my CD player on repeat and listened to it over and over. Today when I was reading about The Holiness of Christ the author speaks of that hymn. It again was an encouragement to me.

Just as I am without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee
O Lamb of God, I come.
-Charlotte Elliott, 1835