Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Look at the world around you today. What does the world hunger after? They desire wealth. They desire health. They desire long life. They desire fame and popularity. They desire friendships.
In this passage, Jesus reveals to us the things […]
Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
The Lord hears the prayers of the righteous. Hearing and answering your prayers are two different things. Just because your boss hears you ask him for a raise, it does not mean that he must give it to you. […]
Proverbs 12:3 A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
How firm is your foundation? When the storms of life hit you, is your life built upon the Rock or is it built upon the sand?
There will come a time in your life where you will […]
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
What is the fruit of your life? When others look at your life, do they see the reflection of the light of God? Do others understand that you hold yourself up to a higher standard? Your life […]
Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
What kind of fruit does your life produce? Do others come to you for advice because they know that the words that you speak are the truth? There are those who are quick to share […]
Proverbs 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Where is your hope? Is it in the Lord or is it in treasures that you can amass for yourself? It is easy to say that your desire is for the things of God, but does your life really follow that principle? Jesus told […]
Psalms 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I will be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
It is David�s prayer to be in the presence of God. It is David�s desire that when the world sees him, they see the Lord. Is the prayer of David your prayer? Are you living your life pursuing the things of God or are you simply pursuing what seems right in your own eyes. David had a heart after God�s own heart because it was his desire to pursue God.
The Hebrew word that is translated �face� in this verse is also translated as �presence� in Genesis 3:8. In Genesis, you learn of Adam and Eve�s response when they recognized one of the consequences of their sin was nakedness. In Genesis 3:8, you learn that when Adam and Eve heard the voice of God, they hid themselves from HIS presence.
Matthew 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
During Jesus� ministry on earth, HE only commended two individuals for their great faith. Jesus told many individuals that it was their faith that made them well, but only two were set out as examples to us as individuals with great faith. Jesus commended the centurion in this passage as being great in faith and he was not even an Israelite. You might naturally think that if Jesus was going to commend two individuals for their great faith that they would be of the seed of Abraham.
Acts 18:21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
Paul was on his way to Jerusalem so that he could keep the feast. As he was traveling, he stopped in Ephesus where he took the time to teach in the synagogue. The people of Ephesus pleaded with Paul that he should not leave them but stay with them and continue to work in their city. However, Paul had already purposed in his heart that he was to be in Jerusalem and he was not going to allow himself to be deterred from that purpose.
Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus had just told the parable of a sower who sowed good seeds in his field. However, by night, the enemy came and sowed tares. The master left the tares among the wheat. When harvest time came, the master had the reapers to gather the tares first and throw the tares into the fire and then to bring the wheat into the barn.
Jesus� disciples asked Jesus the interpretation of the parable. Jesus told his disciples that the field was the world, the good seed are those who are children of the kingdom of God and the tares are those who are of the wicked one. Jesus said that HE would send forth the angels to gather out of his kingdom all who are not HIS and take them to hell. Jesus says that after the wicked are gathered up then the righteous shall shine.
Philippians 3:9-10 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
The word righteousness means the state in which we are approved by God. Righteousness is our integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting. Paul tells us in this passage that we are not righteous because we have followed the law but that we are righteous and thus acceptable to God because of our faith. By following the law, our outward actions are the things that are judged. However, it is our faith in Christ that dictates to us that we are accountable to God for our thoughts and feelings.
Acts 27:43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
Paul was a prisoner on a boat bound for Rome. Paul foretold that the ship was going to be destroyed and that everyone on board would be saved. Nonetheless, when the shipwreck occurred near land, the soldiers desired to kill all the prisoners lest any of them escaped. The soldiers would rather kill all the prisoners then risk that one of them escape and they all be killed for allow a prisoner to escape. Nonetheless, God had placed Julius in authority. God controls the hearts of kings and God ensured that Paul had obtained the favor of Julius.
Hebrews 11:33b wrought righteousness,
It takes faith to commit your life to righteousness. Righteousness is the state where God approves your actions. Righteousness occurs when your life is full of integrity, virtue, purity of life, and correctness of thinking, feeling and acting. Noah, Abraham, Job and David are all individuals who wrought righteousness. God saw the righteousness of these men and they did great things for God. It was not by their strength that they wrought righteousness but by their faith in God.
When Satan visited God during the time of Job, God praised Job�s faithfulness. Satan challenged God that Job was only faithful because of God�s blessing. God permitted Satan to take everything away from Job and Job did not sin. Job understood that God has no obligation to only give us good things. Job strived to live his life perfect before God.
