Holiness: The Heart God Purifies (Revive Our Hearts Series) [Paperback]

Nancy Leigh DeMoss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2005 | Series: Revive Our Hearts Series

How important is holiness to you' How much thought, attention, and effort do you devote to the pursuit of holiness' Is it your priority and mission to be holy'Nancy Leigh DeMoss teaches that we must make it our constant, conscious ambition to be holy. Just as an athlete sets his sight on winning an Olympic gold medal, so we as believers must focus on the pursuit of holiness. And the reward that awaits us brings a depth of joy that far outweighs a fading gold medal, it is the humble pleasure of hearing the Father say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."Do you long for an authentic faith' Are you eager to know your heavenly Father in a more intimate way' Read Holiness and learn how to say 'no' to corruption and 'yes' to grace. Holiness is the third book in The Revive Our Hearts Series - which has sold well over 80,000 copies! All three include study questions at the end of each chapter, making them ideal for personal or small group study.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Your fullest experience of God will only come when your life is holy and your heart is pure.If you're longing for a deeper connection with God, you must first answer His call to holiness. Here Nancy Leigh DeMoss shares practical principles for having a life that is set apart¿and a heart is set on fire.

About the Author

NANCY LEIGH DEMOSS is the host and teacher for Revive Our Hearts, a radio program for women heard daily on more than 500 outlets nationwide.  Nancy's eleven books and resources published with Moody Publishers (including the best-selling Lies Women Believe) have sold more than 700,000 copies.
c.2005

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Moody Publishers; New Edition edition (August 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802412793
• ISBN-13: 978-0802412799
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #295,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nancy Leigh DeMoss mentors millions of women through Revive Our Hearts and the True Woman Movement, calling them to heart revival and biblical womanhood. Her love for the Word and the Lord Jesus are infectious, and permeate her online outreaches, conference messages, books, and two daily nationally syndicated radio programs--Revive Our Hearts and Seeking Him with Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Her books have sold more than 1,000,000 copies.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Holiness, June 25, 2007

By 

V. Whitley (Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Holiness: The Heart God Purifies (Revive Our Hearts Series) (Paperback)

"...I am often more bothered by others' failures than by my own shortcomings. I tend to minimize or rationalize in my life certain offenses that disturb me when I see them in others." (pg. 20)

As I read these words I realized that they easily could have come from my own journal. This is a struggle I face daily, as I clearly see the sins and shortcomings of others, but fail to see, or address them, in myself as faithfully. Nancy Leigh DeMoss, in her book Holiness: The Heart God Purifies, says:

"The message of repentance and holiness needs to be proclaimed, heard, and heeded among God's people in every generation. It must become more than a theological tenet that we politely nod agreement to; it needs to transform the way we think that the way we live." (pg. 21)

This book does just that. It clearly proclaims the message of holiness, and its importance in the life of the believer. But, it also gives the reader opportunity to make it personal - to transform sinful patterns in their own lives, and passionately pursue holiness.

In chapter one, she lists several of the misconceptions surrounding holiness:

-Somber, straitlaced people with outdated hair and clothing styles

-An austere, joyless lifestyle based on a long list of rules and regulations

-A monk-like existence - "holy" people talk in hushed tones, spend hours a day in prayer, always have their nose in the Bible or a spiritual book, fast frequently , hum hymns under their breath, and have no interest in "normal" life activities

-People with a judgmental attitude toward those who don't accept their standards

-An unattainable ideal that has more to do with the sweet by-and-by than the real world, which is right here, right now (pg. 28)

But, as this book reveals, this caricatured version is not what true holiness is about. Instead, "it is a warm, joyous, loving response to the God who loves us and created us to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him." (pg. 37) But, too often we do not see holiness for what it truly is, because we do not see sin for what it really is. "Somehow, the evangelical world has managed to redefine sin; we have come to view it as normal, acceptable behavior - something perhaps to be tamed or controlled, but not to be eradicated and put to death. We have sunk to such lows that we can not only sin thoughtlessly, but, astonishingly, we can even laugh at sin and be entertained by it." (pg. 75)

In chapter 4, "The Face of Holiness," DeMoss gives us a vivid picture of what holiness can, and should, look like in our lives, as it was lived out in the person of Christ. As DeMoss describes Christ's holiness, she reminds us that, "the call to holiness is a call to follow Christ. A pursuit of holiness that is not Christ-centered will soon be reduced to moralism, pharisaical self-righteousness, and futile self-effort." (pg. 103) In the Foreward to this book, Randy Alcorn similarly notes that

"God is the reason that we should be holy. But He's also the empowerment for our holiness. Many of us are convinced that we should be more holy, but we've gone about it wrong. To be holy in our strength, and for our glory, is to be distinctly unholy. To be holy in Christ's strength and for His glory...that's our calling, and our joy." (pg. 10)

At the end of chapters 6 and 7, DeMoss changes the tone of the book, and moves from an academic look at the various aspects of holiness, to a more reflective, personal application. She offers several pointed questions to stimulate thinking, repentance, and accountability.

I found myself convicted by the biblical truths in this book. I appreciated her honesty and boldness in exhorting believers to pursue biblical standard of holiness. I think that this book would be a useful tool for anyone who is serious about intentionally, and passionately pursuing holiness.

"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, `You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" ~1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biblical Holiness, November 13, 2008

By 

L. Wiggins - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Holiness: The Heart God Purifies (Revive Our Hearts Series) (Paperback)

If people could see your inner thoughts and desires, would they find that you are a holy person? Jesus is returning for an unblemished bride. Are you prepared for his imminent return? In her final installment of the Revive Our Hearts Trilogy, Nancy Leigh DeMoss unpacks biblical holiness. I say biblical because many people have a mental picture of what it means to be holy that is contrary to how the Bible describes holiness. Picture in your mind a holy person. Is she joyful? Is she loving and gracious to others? Does she enjoy what is good? Do you enjoy being around her? If your answer is "no" to any of these, then your definition of holy is not biblical. A somber, judgmental woman who is burdened by her own unattainable ideal is not the biblical picture of a holy woman.

DeMoss begins with a biblical defense for holiness. It's gotten a bad rap, so to speak, and DeMoss sets out to demonstrate, using scripture and the example of her father, that a holy life is the most splendid life one can live. To understand holiness, DeMoss explains the two facets of holiness. To be holy means "to be set apart, to be distinct, to be different." God wants us to be holy because He is holy. If we are His, then He has set us apart for Himself. To be holy also means to be morally pure, free from sin, like God. She writes, "Yes, holiness involves adherence to a standard, but the obedience God asks of us is not cold, rigid, and dutiful. It is a warm, joyous, loving response to the God who loves us and created us to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him. It is the overflow of a heart that is deeply grateful to have been redeemed by God from sin. It is not something we manufacture by sheer grit, determination, and willpower. It is motivated and enabled by the Holy Spirit who lives within us to make us holy." The scriptures she uses teach how holiness makes a Christian glad and joyful. Likewise, a half-hearted pursuit of holiness ends in regret and disappointment.

True holiness is a spiritual work that originates in our hearts and minds through the work of God's Spirit. While it is God's work, that does not mean we should have relaxed attitudes about growing in holiness. The Bible provides several motivations for us to pursue holiness. DeMoss underscores seven powerful incentives to motivate her readers to pursue holiness: because God is holy, because holiness is God's stated goal for every believer, because Jesus died to deliver us from sin, because we are saints, because our intimacy with God depends on it, because we are going to live eternally in a holy city, because the well-being of others depends on it.

In addition to these motivating factors, DeMoss warns of the power of sin to lead us astray and wreck our lives. Too many professing Christians treat sin as if it were not that big of a deal, as if we can stop it before things get out of hand. The idea that a certain amount of sin is tolerable is one of the many lies Satan uses to deceive us. DeMoss teaches that sin, even a little bit, is nothing less than spiritual adultery. "Imagine your mate walking in the door and saying in a casual tone of voice, `By the way, honey, I've been carrying on a little affair with that gal who works down the hall from me. Nothing serious really - just a fling. OK, I'll admit we've slept together - but probably not more than six or seven times. I want you to know that I still love you, and I really hope you'll stay with me and keep meeting my needs.' [That scenario] gives us an inkling of what we are doing to our heavenly Husband when we persist in "sleeping" with our sin, while claiming to be committed to our relationship with Him." Sin has terrible effects, but the fact that all sin is against God ought to cause us to mourn over our sin. In pursuing holiness, DeMoss explains how important it is that we face our own sinfulness, repent, and be restored.

We will struggle in our fight against sin. We will never be perfectly holy this side of Heaven, which is why it is imperative to remember that the Christian life is lived by faith. DeMoss explains, "From start to finish, the pathway of holiness is a life of faith - faith in the person, the work, and the gospel of Christ. We were justified - declared righteous - by faith in the atoning work of Christ on our behalf. And we are sanctified - progressively made righteous in our practice - not by our own efforts, but through faith in His sanctifying grace." She does not advocate a pharisaical self-righteousness or moralism. She calls us to rest in Christ, gaze on Him, and be transformed. Only He can make us holy, therefore, we must keep our eyes on Him. To help, DeMoss outlines a "Portrait of Holiness," using various scriptures from the New Testament to illustrate how Jesus lived on this earth. As we learn from him and follow him, His righteousness will become more and more beautiful to us, so that sin and the things of this world will lose their power to entice us away from Christ. As we keep our eyes on Him, we will become more sensitive to sin in our lives. We have to learn how to uproot the "weeds of sin." On the other hand, pursuing holiness involves more than adhering to a list of "Thou shalt nots." There are also several "Thou shalts!" We are to put on righteousness. DeMoss writes of her own struggle to be intentional to "put off" sin and "put on" righteousness. She highlights six means of grace that have proven to be particularly helpful to her: the Word, confession, communion, the Body of Christ, church discipline and suffering. God uses these means of grace to conform us to the image of his son and bring us joy.

Finally, DeMoss warns against hypocrisy. As Jesus points out to the Pharisees in Matthew 23, it is not what is on the outside of a person that counts, but what is on the inside of a person. When God is at work on the inside, then His work will manifest itself in a changed lifestyle. Growth in holiness will have a radical impact on our churches and communities. DeMoss laments the fact that so many western churches no longer take holiness seriously. More concerned with being "relevant" and helping people feel comfortable, the church has become virtually indistinguishable from the world. "It is time for the repenters to repent," writes DeMoss. Christians must recover a passion for the glory of our holy God. "We can scarcely imagine the impact that will be felt in our world when we do."

Each chapter includes questions for group discussion and/or thoughtful introspection. I would recommend using a notebook or journal of some kind for writing out answers and prayers. Some portions of this book are intended for devotional use over a week or two. For instance, for the "Portrait of Holiness," DeMoss provides scripture references and several questions to help the reader better understand how Jesus lived and how we can imitate His example. In the back, DeMoss includes a helpful leader's guide with instructions for leading a group through reading this book.

I enjoyed reading Holiness for several reasons. DeMoss writes with sympathy and compassion. She understands our struggle to be holy. Rather than get in the way, the inspiring anecdotes help illustrate the truths she teaches. God's call for his people to be holy is no laughing matter. I can tell that DeMoss takes His call quite seriously; she does not use humor to get her points across. Sometimes that can be a bad thing, but it works for this book. She does of good job of making the reader feel her dire need to forsake sin and pursue holiness. I also appreciate her focus on Jesus Christ. I did not come to the end of the book thinking, "Wow, that Nancy Leigh DeMoss sure is something. I just love her. I wish I could be like her." In other words, this book is not about Nancy and her relationship with Jesus. It's about the reader's relationship with Jesus.

It's my pleasure to recommend this book. I hope you'll read it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, convicting and challenging, January 12, 2011

By 

rachwing - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Holiness: The Heart God Purifies (Revive Our Hearts Series) (Paperback)

A wonderful call to be holy as God is Holy... not as the world views holiness. very practical and well written.