Being raised in a holiness home does not automatically exempt you from trouble, you all may agree, and neither does it guarantee that you will live a holiness lifestyle for the rest of your life.  There are too many issues that differ from your home environment that will cause you to question what is really right.  I was raised in a holiness home and attended a holiness church for the greatest part of my childhood.  Due to certain circumstances we moved around a lot, so I also had become a part of a nominal Pentecostal church.  Since I had become a part of a church that believed doctrinally the same way I believed, but differently when standards became involved, I questioned what was biblical.  I began to ask, “Why is it necessary to dress a certain way?” or “How will my appearance affect my salvation experience?”  These questions became a constant battle for me.  I jumped from one viewpoint to another, not really knowing what was true.  I had presuppositions that I had been raised believing, but different obstacles kept challenging these presuppositions.  This was how I came to OBI--confused and not really knowing what I believed.

                I began school in the fall of 2001.  I had come with the intention of trying to discover the truth about my beliefs.  I was always searching and never really knowing why I believed what I believed, or should I say, didn’t believe about certain standards.  Many people that had influenced my life had taught certain standards, specifically in reference to women wearing men’s apparel and women cutting their hair.   But I had so many other people saying, “They make women’s jeans.” And “The hair issue, Paul was speaking directly to the Corinthian church.”  To add more confusion to my life, the people whom I had admired and held in great regard had turned away from everything they had taught and believed.  They said, “We don’t believe that it is necessary anymore.”  Then I realized I had been basing my experience on what everyone else believed, not what I knew to be true for myself.  I had to search the Word out for myself and also pray and ask the Lord to show me what He required of me.  This all happened between my sophomore and junior year at OBI. When I stopped trying to examine everyone else and started listening to what the Lord was trying to speak to my heart, I finally realized the Lord wants us to live a separated life.

                This brings me up-to-date.  I have been helping out in various ways at Bible Holiness Assembly of God for the last year.  I have in the past year gone overseas and been to several different youth camps as a counselor.  Then something upset my thinking.  I had worked out my salvation with fear and trembling just a few years back and had it settled in my heart, but something had again challenged what I believed.  It sent me into a spiritual hurricane.  My foundation that I thought was well grounded was suddenly swept out from beneath my feet.  I began to cry and plead with God to help me, and to show me the way.  He did. I began to study out the different Scriptures again, and they began to come alive in my heart.  As I was studying Deuteronomy 22:5, the Lord really began to deal with me.  It says, “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.”   The word “pertaineth” means something that is prepared for someone.  This is saying that if a woman wears something that is prepared for a man it is disgusting to God.  In the Bible days they compared men’s apparel to armor, and anything that was used by men alone.  This can only be convincing to you if you believe that the Old Testament is relevant for today.  Matthew 5:17 says, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”  Jesus came to earth to fulfill or complete the law.  He was the fulfillment of all sacrifices.  No longer did they have to sacrifice every time they sinned, Jesus was the fulfillment of that.

                The distinction of the sexes was not a law like the Ten Commandments. However, the nature of God is holy, and teaches us to be likewise.  Because the nature of God is holy, He cannot have fellowship with unholy things.  That is why we must live as close to holiness as we can.  So, what is holiness?  Is it just a term that we throw around and expect everyone to know what we are talking about. There are many ways to define holiness, but I’m just going to define it one way:  “It is the quality or state of being holy; it is set apart to the service of God, it is characterized by perfection” (Webster, 546).   Paul says in Philippians 3:12, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”  We are not perfect and cannot be perfect, but Paul told us to follow after perfection.  I had struggled so long trying to fight what I knew was true.  Everyone has a different idea of what holiness means and what God expects of us, but it’s just what they say–it’s their idea.  God wants us to follow after Him and to be like Him.  When you go around trying to convince others what they should believe, remember your idea and what God really wants are probably two different things.  Make sure what you believe is what God wants.  I have really struggled with holiness and knowing what God wanted of me, but the Lord helped me to see that the reason I was struggling was because it goes against my desires.  If you examined your heart, I’m sure you would see that you know what God expects of you too.  I am convinced that holiness is right.

Condolences

                We extend our condolences to Rebecca (Joice) Damrill on the death of her husband, David Damrill, January 22, 2006.  David had open-heart surgery in Tulsa and died from complications.  May God give her help and strength at this time.  Her current address is:  Rebecca Joice Damrill, c/o Rev. & Mrs. Wallace E. Joice, 2636 E. 11^th Street, Joplin, MO 64801, (417) 624-0589.

Ministry News or Changes

                Congratulations to Felicia Adolphson on her recent accomplishment.  She received her Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P) license on December 10, 2005.  She received her training at Missouri Southern State University.  Congratulations, Felicia!  We trust that the Lord will lead you with His all-seeing eye.

                Matt Cuny has been led by God to be a missionary/evangelist  to the American Indians.  He is working in connection with the Martin’s (James & Carol).  Contact information  is Chief Corner Stone Native American Ministries, PO Box 975, Mt. Vernon, TX 75457; cell: (417) 389-4237.