The man said he wanted holiness.  He tried with all his might but to no avail.  Then someone told him, “You cannot have holiness except that it comes from God as a gift”.  So as soon as he could, the man went to prayer.

The gist of his prayer was, “Oh God make me holy (for all the right reasons)”.

The man believed and got up and walked away.  Three hours later he found himself embroiled in ungodly things.  The man was dejected.

Later he found the one who had told him that holiness is a gift from God.  “What you say can’t be true.” the man told him.  “I asked and received, then lost it again.  How could this be?  For I have heard and believed that God’s gifts and his calling are irrevocable.”

The man he was talking to was the pastor of a church whose membership was nearly 200.  The pastor told him that he would give him his answer on Sunday morning.

Come Sunday morning, the man walked into the church.  Placed up front was what looked like a polling booth. Jokingly the man ask the pastor if that were his answer.  The pastor answered, “It soon will be”.

The sermon had to do with honesty and integrity.  And throughout the sermon the preacher rose to creshendo.  All the people were visibly stirred.  Each one was ready to tell the truth unto death.

Then the preacher spoke of the men’s difficulty, without mentioning his name.  He pointed to the little booth and explained what was inside. 

“On the table inside the booth, you will find two upside down funnels.  One is marked man the other is marked God.

Before you leave today, I want everyone of you to walk into that polling booth.  Push a single tiny object into your choice of a funnel.  You will be answering a simple question.  If a man has asked God for holiness, who is at fault when ungodliness arrives, God or man.

By His Grace