Righteousness From God

Romans 1:17
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

I think that as Christians, righteousness is something that we are always in pursuit of. While we are already the righteousness of God through Christ, we definitely don’t live up to that title. And so we work just a little harder, read and study the Bible just a little more, serve just a little longer, and pray just a little more fervently, all in the hopes of taking one more step in the direction of righteousness - the perfection exemplified by Christ. But does all that really do the job?

While it is true that God would have us read and study the Bible, and serve Him, and pray, and all those things we do in pursuit of righteousness, I think we need to understand that those things do not bring us any closer to righteousness in and of themselves. These are simply tools that God uses to keep our minds stayed on Him, so that He can work in us, making us to look more and more like Christ.

See, our righteousness is a result of a faith walk - it "is by faith from first to last," from start to finish. It is a work of God through faith, not works. We can be doing all the right things, but if we are not walking and living in the faith God has given us, then we will never become more righteous. It is so much more simple than many try to make it! Isn’t that wonderful? It is such freedom to me to know that my righteousness is not something I need to work toward and stress over - my righteousness does not depend on me! It is a work of God.

Keeping our eyes on Christ, walking and living in the faith He has given us, we will let God in so that He can cleanse us and fill us with righteousness. Keep the faith, my dear friends! And breath a sigh of relief that we can serve and study and pray out of our simple desire to know God more, rather to become "better" Christians. Let’s love and pursue God, and let Him take care of changing us.

Active in Sharing Faith

Philemon 6
I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

I often wonder if I benefit more from this time of sharing than you. By this, I simply mean that by my sharing with you my thoughts and meditations, it really puts me in a place where I can see more clearly the fullness of what Christ has done in my life. It forces me to really think about and pray about what it is that I believe and whether it aligns with Scripture. This time of sharing with you has been a huge blessing for me, in so many ways, and I am so thankful for it.

I think that is what Paul meant in this verse, when he was urging Philemon to be active in sharing his faith. When we have to verbalize what it is that God has done and is doing in our lives, it brings it to life in a way like nothing else can. It reminds us of where we were, and gives us a perspective like no other. Sharing our faith, and everything that we believe, somehow solidifies that which is in our hearts, or perhaps were just vague thoughts, or passing wonderment. It benefits us as much as it does the person with whom we share. There is something about telling another person of the goodness of Christ that makes it so real and vivid!

So, let’s be active in sharing our faith. When we share with others what Christ has done and is doing in our lives, there is no way they can argue with that - it’s our life, we were there. And when they listen to our story, and see the passion and life in our eyes, the Holy Spirit will touch them in a way that they may have never experienced. Perhaps they will respond to it, perhaps they won’t - that’s not for us to even worry about, that’s God job. But whether they respond or not, God will have touched at least two lives in the process - theirs and our own. Won’t you try it today, and see what joy fills your heart as you begin to come to "a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ"?

God's Breath - Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is Godbreathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I think that when many of us read this passage we think about how we can use scripture - we can use it to rebuke (all those who mock us) or correct (all those who aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do). We get excited to think that we can use scripture to help guide those around us. But is that entirely what God means here? Is He talking about our using it for others, as though we already have it all figured out?

I think that there is a much broader, much more important message in this that I think is easy to over-look. While it is true that we can use scripture to teach and rebuke and correct and train others, and that God would desire that we use it in such ways, I think that the last person we think of really benefitting from the scripture in these ways is - us. I love verse 17, "that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." We all want to be obedient, and do the good that God has for us to do, but if we’re not in the Scripture, and letting it teach us and rebuke us and correct us and train us up in righteousness, then we aren’t ever going to be prepared to do any good work that God may have for us.

I love the King James Version of verse 17 that says, "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." The word perfect, in it’s Greek, means, "complete - having reference to ‘special aptitude for given uses.’" I love that Scripture doesn’t work in us in a general way, but God uses it to mold and make us in a specific way. The Word of God gives us the specific tools we need for what God has in store for us. In fact, the "good works" in this verse refers to any good or honorable thing that we are occupied with - anything that God has us doing, even that which we do in our everyday life that we may not even consider ministry. It is essential that we be rooted in the Word of God if we are to be ready to tackle life.

Scripture is crucial - it is a tool God has blessed us with to really hear and learn from Him, and He expects that we would use it! We need to immerse ourselves in it, let it get in us and really change us. We should each be able to look back at our lives 5 years ago, a year ago, maybe even 6 months ago, and see how Scripture has changed us. Those around us should be able to see the change as well - that’s how drastically Scripture remakes us! Are we learning from God? Are we letting Him teach us? Scripture is so important for our growth, but also for our service. So, let’s dive in, so that we would be "perfect," "thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Does Your Way Delight The Lord?

Psalm 37:23-24
If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

We all stumble, and even fall in our spiritual lives, from time-to-time. We get up, brush ourselves off, assess the damage, and try to get back on track. It seems like the times when we fall, are often repeated time and time again, until we are so broken and bruised, God must pick us up and carry us for a while. He doesn’t mind doing it, I’m sure, but He is constantly trying to tell us that there is an easier way.

"If the Lord delights in a man’s way..." does the Lord delight in your way? Are you walking in the way, and traveling down the path that God would have you travel? It’s so easy to wander - to let the world at either side of the path distract us and pull us away from the journey. We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ, through study, prayer, worship, fellowship - all those disciplines that can be so daunting and difficult. It is not that these disciplines make us better or holier - only God can do that. They simply help us keep focused on Christ, so that we are in position for His cleansing flood to wash over us.

However, our journey can also be halted by our own stubbornness and disobedience. I wonder how many times, when God asks us to do something (big or small), we stamp our feet and declare that we won’t do it. When He asks again, trying to take our hand and guide us forward, we sit down, with our arms crossed, and refuse to move, or worse, we run away so far off the path we lose all direction. It’s something we all do, and the more we do it, the more difficult it is to get started going down the right path again. It takes only one step at a time - that is really all He’s asking. We don’t need to fret about what’s around the next bend, we just need to concern ourselves with picking up our right foot, and moving it forward, and then our left . . .

Is their something in your life that God has been asking you to do that you keep putting off? If so, you will find it difficult (if not impossible) to move forward on this journey until you take that step He is asking of you. He will be there to hold our hands, and guide us. He will give us the strength and wisdom we need for each and every moment that we travel with Him. And when we start obeying Him, we will find that we are more sure-footed than ever, and that we no longer fall - a stumble here or there, perhaps, but His hand is right there, to envelop us and hold us up-right; to guide us and direct us; to hold us tight and keep us from slipping off the path to our great danger.

Let’s give up our stubborn, disobedient ways, and walk in boldness of faith! Let’s live lives so empowered by God, so radiant with His great glory that the people around us can’t help but take notice of the amazing things He is doing in and through us. One step at a time - give up the fight, and let’s walk in a way that delights our precious Lord.

Life Isn't Fair!

Romans 11:6
And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

John 1:16
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!"

We’ve all heard it, haven’t we? We've probably even said it ourselves a time or two. We always try to make things "fair" ourselves - cutting the cookie in two halves that have to be of equal size (or have the same number of chocolate chips), or trying to spend the exact same amount of money on each person for Christmas. Whatever it is, however we go about it, we do our very best to make life fair, but the truth is, life isn’t fair.

I have a very dear friend back home who has been trying with her husband to get pregnant for over two years now, to no avail. In speaking to God, I often ask why this couple, who would make amazing parents, cannot have children, when He is blessing other people with children left and right. He gives children to parents that He knows will be abusive, or will not care for the child, neglecting it terribly. Yet, my friend and her husband have not a single child. It breaks my heart every time I think about it. It is yet another reminder that life isn’t fair.

But, you know, it helps me remember that grace isn’t fair either - that’s really the point of grace. If grace was "fair," it wouldn’t be grace would it? I deserve far less than what God blesses me with. I do not deserve to even be sitting here, sharing my thoughts with you, and experiencing the blessing of God working in and through me. This is not a privilege I deserve. I deserve hell, and no more. Yet God, in His sovereignty, love, and all else that He is, chose to pour His grace out upon me in such thick abundance that here I am. I am not the mess I should be, but rather a glorious example of what God can do in a life.

Grace isn’t fair - it is undeserved, unmerited favor - the loving gift of a God who loves us too much to be fair. Oh, He’s just - that is why it cost the blood of our precious Savior to be able pour out this grace - but He isn’t fair. And I am one who can say that I am so thankful that He isn’t!

So, the next time someone proclaims to you, "Life isn’t fair!" take that opportunity to say, "You’re right, it isn’t, and neither is grace . . ." And the next time we feel slighted by life, let’s just take a moment to lift our eyes heavenward to whisper a word of thanks to the God that blesses this unfair life with unfair favor.

A Noble Purpose

2 Timothy 2:20-21
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

We all want to be used by God, don’t we? We all want to be "useful to the Master" in a way that no one else is - to have our own special niche. We hope, we pray, we may even study. But this verse makes it clear that, while all that stuff is great, until we cleanse ourselves of our "ignoble purposes," we cannot be used for noble ones.

What are ignoble purposes? Well, I can’t tell you what yours are - I could tell you what mine are. I could make a dirty laundry list of all the ways that I disobey God, or do not apply His truth to my life. It would be ugly, and I’m afraid it would be long.

Now, I’m pretty certain that I will never be completely rid of all this junk in my life, at least not until I leave this earthly body, but I will try. I think the most important thing is to simply take it one "item" at a time. When God brings something to our attention, we need to act on it. We need to apply to our lives the truth that God shows us. It’s difficult, I know.

I was talking with my sister about how we’re lucky if we can apply 10% of what we learn from God to our lives. Oh, how I wish it could be more like 90% - I would even be happy with 50%. But when we take a good look at the Bible, it becomes obvious that God knew we would be this way - having to go over and over and over again the most basic of principles, just so that we can begin to apply them.

But, we need to apply them, there-in lies the key. We cannot just rid ourselves of these ignoble purposes on our own, and if we could, we would have to replace them with something. The only way we can replace the junk in our lives with something of value is through the Word of God. If we do not replace them with the noble purposes of God, then they will just be replaced by more junk - worse junk. And what happens when we let God place in us a noble purpose? We are made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work! He forms us and prepares us to do anything that He would bring our way, whether we think we’re qualified or not.

So, let’s start weeding out the junk in our lives, by reading the Word of God. Let’s read it, and soak in it, and let it permeate our every cell, so that we can then apply its truth. Then, let’s watch how God begins to use us!! As my daughter would say, "Yee-haw, let’s ride!!!"

God Is Always Faithful

Timothy 2:11-13
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

This can seem a little scary, can’t it, this "trustworthy saying"? It seems as though there is so much we have to do, before God will "return the favor," so to speak. But really, this passage is here to give us hope, to help us see that in all we suffer and all we endure, God sees it and rewards us for it. It gives a warning as well, reminding us that if we disown Him, and do not acknowledge Him in our lives, then He will not acknowledge us.

My favorite part of this passage is in the last three lines - even if we are faithless, He will be faithful. Everything else in this passage seems to be tit-for-tat, so to speak, but this last line gives us a glimpse of the Father’s character that is so foundational, we would all do well to memorize it. No matter what - no matter the situation, no matter the mistake, no matter where we are - God is faithful. Why? Because it is part of His "definition," it is who He is, and He cannot deny that - He cannot deny Himself.

Unlike us, God is not wishy-washy. He does not vacillate back and forth between being one thing and then another. He is who He is, and He will not be otherwise. It is good to know these traits, to be able to see who God is, because that is what we can rely on. In a world that always leaves us wondering "what next?" it is good to know that our God does not waver, He does not change. We worship a God that is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and in that I find great hope, and great encouragement.