Righteousness

September 19th – Romans 1:18

Romans 1:18

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.”

In today’s world, there often seems to be an “anything goes” attitude. Moral and ethical boundaries are increasingly blurred or ignored. However, no matter how wicked this world gets, God’s perspective remains unchanged. And with Him there are no grey areas. Because God doesn’t compromise between right and wrong. And the Lord sees and knows our actions, and whether they align with His will or not. That’s why Paul warns of the consequences of disobeying and rejecting God’s truth. And reminds us of the importance of acknowledging the moral and spiritual consequences of our actions. Because nothing gets by God. And living a life opposite of His truth and embracing ungodliness always leads to destruction. Worse yet, it leads to moral decay and separation from His grace. So lovingly, Paul encourages us to seek truth, righteousness, and a relationship with God. To recognize the significance of aligning our lives with His divine principles.

September 19th – Romans 1:18 Read More »

August 14th – Colossians 2:14

Colossians 2:14

Having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

We are all born sinners who need to be reconciled to our perfect and holy Creator. That’s why we must depend on Jesus. Because He is the only one who can cleanse us and prepare us to dwell in His house forever. On our own, there is nothing we can do to be good enough to stand before a righteous God. Our sin is too great, and our sentence is death. But because of His great love, our Father paid our sin debt Himself. God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, through whose death on the cross, became the perfect sacrifice and atonement. And it is only because of His shed blood can we receive forgiveness. A sweet forgiveness that restores our fellowship with God, and provides a path to eternal life. Once condemned, in bondage to sin, and separated from God, our Father took the perfect righteousness of His Son and put it on us. Why? To reconcile us back to Himself, and so we could experience the joy and freedom that comes with knowing our sins have been forgotten and the slate wiped clean!

August 14th – Colossians 2:14 Read More »

August 3rd – Colossians 1:13

Colossians 1:13

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.”

Many try to twist the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Or try to make it more complicated than it is. But the core message is this. Once we were dead in our sins, eternally separated from God. But because He loves us so much, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue us. And through His death and resurrection, Jesus conquered the power of sin and death forever. Now all who call Him Lord, Christ delivers from the dominion of darkness and transfers into the kingdom of His marvelous light. Because of God’s boundless mercy, He lifts us from the depths of despair, transforming our lives into beacons of hope and righteousness. By embracing His deliverance, we can walk in the glorious freedom of His truth. And we can experience the joyous journey of living as children of light, guided by God’s eternal love and presence. Jesus is returning soon to set up His kingdom on earth. And only those who receive His free gift of Salvation will be citizens of the most glorious domain ever known.

August 3rd – Colossians 1:13 Read More »

July 8th – Proverbs 15:6

Proverbs 15:6

In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.”

As a teenager I remember watching the television program, “Lifestyles of the Rich and a famous.” Oh how I longed for such a life filled with glitz and glamour. Greed is a powerful desire. And if we aren’t careful, that desire can be the downfall of even the strongest Christian. Because the pull of wanting more can lead us to do things that we may end up regretting for a lifetime. That’s why it’s so important to lead a life of righteousness and integrity. Important to recognize that true wealth lies in a relationship with God.  And that the most precious treasures are the spiritual ones that come from living a Christ-centered life. Anything we get apart from God and through ill gotten gains maybe give us a moment of pleasure, but will always lead to destruction. But unlike worldly treasures that fade or can be lost, the treasures given to us by God are eternal and unchanging. They remind us of His unwavering faithfulness, abundant provision, and unconditional love for us. And more far more precious than any amount of gold.

July 8th – Proverbs 15:6 Read More »

June 27th – Psalm 130:4

Psalm 130:4

But with You there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve You.

One of the most wonderful things about God’s forgiveness is that it’s not a one and done. Instead it’s a continual process that enables us to approach God with reverence and gratitude. Anytime, anywhere, whenever we sin, God wants us to come to Him in confession and repentance. Our heavenly Father understands our human nature and the struggles we face. And so He lovingly extends His forgiveness to us with open arms. Always inviting us to turn away from our wrongdoings and embrace a renewed relationship with Him. God’s forgiveness is a reminder that His love is greater than our failures. Because of that love, the Lord desires to see us grow and thrive in His righteousness. Through His continuous forgiveness, God offers us the opportunity to experience His transformative power and live a life filled with hope, purpose, and restoration.

June 27th – Psalm 130:4 Read More »

May 8th – Ephesians 4:22-24

Ephesians 4:22-24

After we receive Jesus as our Savior, He doesn’t leave us floundering out on our own in the world. Or asking, “What’s next?” Instead He gives us His Spirit to guide us, and His Word as a blueprint for life. And here in Ephesians, Paul tells us how we can live a life of victory and one the glorifies the Lord. He begins by telling us that as believers we are united with Jesus, who now sits at the right hand of God. And as such, it’s time to get rid of the old and put on the new. Time to shed our old clothes of disobedience, sin, and earthly living. Time to dress as the royalty we are and put on our new clothes of righteousness. For we are citizens of heaven and should dress like it. No longer are we to wear the filthy rags of immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, but rather the designer clothes of glory that reflect “those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved.” (Col. 3:12)

May 8th – Ephesians 4:22-24 Read More »

May 6th – Isaiah 43:19

Isaiah 43:19

I love the quote by Joyce Meyer which says, “I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be.” Everyone has a past. One containing some mistakes and a regret or two. But God doesn’t keep score. For when He looks at us, He sees us through the righteousness of Jesus. And the righteousness of Jesus washes away the sins of the past. It declares us innocent and beloved by God. And because He loves us, the Lord refuses to leave us as He found us. The minute we receive Jesus as our Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to indwell us. Immediately He gets to work doing something new and unexpected, bringing about a transformation in the lives of each believer. And the more we surrender to His awesome love, the more God is committed to continually work in our lives. The Lord wants us trust Him enough to throw away the old and let Him bring out the new. To receive His blessing of change and transformation. And to lead us on a new and exciting journey of faith!

May 6th – Isaiah 43:19 Read More »

March 26th – Psalm 15:1

Psalm 15:1

If the list of requirements to dwell with God forever sound impossible, it’s because it’s supposed to be. For we can’t truly realize our need for Jesus until we understand how far we have fallen short of God’s holiness. Christ is the only one who can cleanse us and prepare us to dwell in His house forever. And thankfully, we have the blessing of receiving His gift of pardon. All we must do is confess our sins and repent. What does it mean to repent? It means to turn aside from our wickedness and sin. Walking away from the things the flesh desires and walking with Jesus. Because in all the world there was only One whose walk was utterly blameless. Only One who always did what was righteous. That person was the Lord Jesus Christ. And when we abide in Him and in His strength, we can find victory in our lives.  No matter what life throws at us, we will never be shaken and can have confidence that one day we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

March 26th – Psalm 15:1 Read More »

October 8th – John 1:16

John 1:16

God’s Promise – “I have blessed you in Christ with one outpouring of grace after another.”

One of greatest ways in which God’s love is exampled, is in the grace He offers. Grace can be described as being given what we don’t deserve. (As opposed to mercy which is not receiving what we do deserve.) And because our Heavenly Father is, “the God of all grace,” (1 Peter 5:10)  the outpouring of grace Gods gives, is a constant, overflowing gift. He take us, who are forever and painfully undeserving, and bestows upon us His gift of love and Salvation. A gift He freely gives through no work of our own. Instead God counts the work of His only Son on the Cross as our payment in full. Once were like tarnished pieces of silver, eternally separated from God. But when we receive Jesus as our Savior, God polishes away the grime and pollution of sin until we become shining reflections of His light. And because of His unmerited grace, we now stand before God as finished, perfect, and wrapped in clothes of righteousness.

October 8th – John 1:16 Read More »

October 2nd – Psalm 145:17

Psalm 145:17

God’s Promise – I am righteous in all My ways and kind in all that I do.

Because we are fallen beings, we can’t be counted on to always do the right thing. And since different people have different ideas about morality, what’s right in one’s eyes is wrong in another’s. When it comes to righteousness, there is only One who is perfect in every thought, word, and deed. In all His ways, the Lord our God alone is eternally, just, honorable, and honest. And because righteousness isn’t something God does, but who He is, He shows us kindness. An unmeasurable kindness in the form of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Once we were dead in our sins, eternally separated from God. But, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21) Sparing nothing, not even His own Son, God provided the path of righteousness through the blood of Christ. Now all who receive Jesus as their Savior stand before the Father washed clean and declared righteous!

October 2nd – Psalm 145:17 Read More »