Tag: Righteousness

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The Foundation Is Vital

DECEMBER 13

MATTHEW 7:25_and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

The only thing that saves the house from this type of beating is its foundation. Of course good construction is important, but the foundation is vital. As in the study of the branch and the vine when the vine was the source, now the foundation is the source.

 In either lesson Jesus is still the Source.

This life-house stands strong because of its rock-solid foundation. Psalm 11:3 (KJV), “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous [salty-lit-up disciples] do?”

 If you’re not building upon the Rock, you contribute to the decline of the nation. Salty-lit-up disciples help a country stand against the evils that beat against it.

Psalm 92 (KJV) lets us see why we should be solid in the Rock, “13 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; 15 To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” 

When you stand strong against the storms of life, you shed light on God’s righteousness—you preserve His ways.

PRAYER

God of All, Help me show the world Your goodness. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ can use my life to show His righteousness—Oh yes!

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Everything You Need

DECEMBER 8

MATTHEW 7:24_I will liken him unto a wise man…

Jesus describes the person who hears and does—wise! 

Proverbs 4:7 (KJV): “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

Proverbs 2:4-7(KJV): “If thou seekest her [wisdom] as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures. 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.”

The entire chapter of Proverbs 8 (KJV) describes the power of wisdom: “33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 34 Blessed is the man that heareth me [wisdom], watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.” 

Wow, it sounds like wisdom will give you everything you need for a life of freedom! How will you obtain it? Step three in Jesus’ building process is wisdom. He says wisdom comes after you’ve listened and acted.

Once you reach this step, you’re almost ready to move in.

PRAYER

Only Wise God, Please hear me call to You for wisdom. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ’s principles are wisdom for life—I want them!

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Many

NOVEMBER 27

MATTHEW 7:22_Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord…

Jesus begins this verse with the word many. I already feel bad that not everyone will go to heaven, but now I feel worse that the not everyones are many. 

This reminds me of the narrow path, when Jesus says few will find it. It also causes me to think about how He said many will go in at the broad gate.

From this Sermon on the Mount Jesus has taught me who comprises the many:

Those whose righteousness does not exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees (chapter 5:20),

Those who cause others to believe they are empty-headed idiots (chapter 5:22),

Those who profit from the bondage of human trafficking (chapter 5:29-30),

Those who do not forgive (chapter 6:15),

Those who choose the broad path to destruction (chapter 7:13),

Those who are ravening wolves and bring evil into the world (chapter 7:17).

None of these actions exclude anyone from heaven by the action alone. The exclusivity comes from the heart. The heart which excludes Jesus.

The actions can all be forgiven and erased when the heart opens to include Jesus.

The actions reveal the heart.                    

PRAYER

God of All, You have taught me to include You in my heart. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.             

Christ desires to be included in my life—I will let Him!

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Every Time!

 NOVEMBER 8

MATTHEW 7:17_Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit…

Now, the perfect combination:

Grapes and thorns don’t combine.

Neither figs and thistles.

But good trees and good fruit combine every time!

God’s creation design:

Good produces good. Be a good gardener and plant this principle into your heart.

What your eyes allow in stays in—the heart—the mind. With time, the images take root and grow. Depending upon how much you tend and nurture, what your eyes have taken in will bear fruit.

If you’ve taken in evil, the fruit resembles thorns. Thorns can pierce the people in your life. Some people may even avoid being too close to you for fear of the pain.

The fruit that resembles thistles can appear attractive, but the briars pierce those who try to be close to you. This leads to a hot mess: you cannot make genuine relationships—your life has grown up with thorns and weeds.

This also applies to what you allow your ears to hear, your hands to touch, and where your feet go.

In your quest to become perfect, you can ask, seek, and knock for righteousness. Let the Holy Spirit guide in these areas, and let good produce good.        

PRAYER

Only God, I want to produce good fruit for Your kingdom. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                  

Christ is the good tree—In Him I produce good fruit!

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There Was an Almost

OCTOBER 15

MATTHEW 7:11_If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children…

God loves everyone—the entire world. So much, He let His Son suffer and die for the world. 

God wants righteousness and goodness to reign supreme as it did for a brief time in the Garden of Eden. Pure perfection not only in people, but in all nature. But there was an almost in that perfection. When the almost won the battle over free will, everything changed—but God didn’t. He’s still just. He still has all power. He’s still God of the Impossible.

I believe Jesus in His infinite power and unsurpassed love works every day to restore as much of the Garden experience as possible in our fallen world. Every time He transforms a heart and gives it the ability to become salt and light, He’s made some restoration. It will take a new heaven and a new earth to bring full restoration.

When God uses evil people in ways that result in good for His children, He is exercising His fatherly powers. God wants fathers to do good to and for their children. Unfortunately, there are those whose fathers genuinely neglect, abuse, and abandon them.

God has a plan for those children as well, Psalm 27:10 (KJV), “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.”

PRAYER

Jesus Lord, Only You can transform—we all need it. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                          

Christ’s love is perfection—I want to love like that!