Can one ever comprehend the depth of God's love, through Jesus Christ, if at first he/she doesn't comprehend the extent of his/her depravity? It has been my observation, through the years, that some of those who have been "raised" in a modern Christian environment and have become sure of their righteousness through their religious activities, find it hard to get passionate about God's love for them. Is it because, as the old saying goes, "Familiarity breeds contempt?" Or, is it because they have grown accustomed to "duty" at the expense of a vital relationship with the Living God? I have also observed that those, who have come to understand their desperate conditon without God, their extreme poverty of spirit and life, take hold of Jesus Christ with a deep, abiding fervor. If you consider yourself rich, what need have you for the favor of God? If you consider yourself healthy, what need have you of the Healer, Jesus Christ? If you consider yourself to be "the master of your fate and the captain of your destiny," will you look for a Savior? What is it that keeps you from being a passionate follower of the Lord God Almighty? Think about it.

Many Christians believe that praying is about asking God for the things one needs or desires and that's all. Some have learned that God is a living God and still speaks to His people today, so they add listening to their times of prayer. But there is another very important facet to a vital prayer life--forgiveness. To remain at odds with another person through unforgiveness, hatred, anger or bitterness is an unrighteous attitude and act. In Proverbs, the Scriptures are clear, God does not hear the prayers of the unrighteous. When we repent and recieve Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, Jesus' righteousness is imputed to us, but that does not give us permission to practice unrighteousness. Our own forgiveness is of no greater importance to God than the forgiveness of another person by us. Think about it.

God is greater than your hearts; He can override what you think of yourself and your actions (1 John 3:20). God is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Satan has to ask permission to do anything to God's people (Job 1:11-12). God can feed thousands with the meager lot of man (Matthew 14:19-21; Mark 8: 6-9). God can draw water from a rock and make dry land in the middle of a sea (Exodus 17:6; 14:21-22). God has authority over the destiny of a person's body and soul (Matthew 10:28). God can cleanse mankind, for all time, from every sin, by the blood of just one Man, Jesus Christ( Hebrews 9: 12-14; Matthew 26:28). God gives life and He takes it away; and, He can raise the dead to life again (Hebrews 11:19; 2 Corinthians 4:14). And that's just a few examples. Think about it.

Have you ever really trusted God to "set you right" when you've gotten it wrong? Have you tried to fight or work your way back to the right way when your've erred or sinned? Some of us ridicule ourselves, even "beat ourselves up" for making mistakes. We have heard, and even mentally assented, to the fact that God forgives and cleanses us from sin, but the fact that He'll "set us right" we may not have really believed that He would do it. Will you trust Him to do that--set you right again? There is great liberty in knowing that He will set us right again! But, we must be willing to let Him do it, submitting to His instruction and following His lead, just like Abraham. Think about it.

There is a “justification” that sinful man employs to prove he/she is right in being angry, unforgiving, destructive or vindictive against others. We can make “self” the judge and executioner, taking responsibility and authority that is not ours and, in our own energy, trying to manipulate two wrongs to make a right. In this way, we compound and propagate injustice, exponentially. We actually eradicate justice by taking it “into our own hands,” i.e. by each individual setting his/her own standard of justice. But, God, set up a universal system of justice, a standard of righteousness for all, to bless all with justice.

Faith means we trust God’s person, His position, His power and authority and His promises. He has said that we, who believe in Jesus Christ as the atonement for our sins, are declared, “Not guilty.” We are given God’s favor that we may “go and sin no more,” the opportunity for a “new life” and the Helper to teach us the right way of freedom. So, we have a choice, we can hold onto our own “justification” or receive God’s justification through Jesus Christ the Lord. Think about it.

Jesus once said, “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” At any given time, could the Lord listen to our hearts and find what we’re considering acceptable to His holiness, righteousness, sinlessness?

If we are redeemed by God and given the surety that we are His and He is ours, does our attitude reflect that, our words confirm it? If we are to worship the Lord “in spirit and truth,” then we must pay attention to what the Lord reveals about our hearts’ content and deal with it accordingly. Think about it.

The law of the Lord reveals God’s holiness. The soul of the wayward is guided, by the law, back to the straight path of righteousness and the “good pasture” of communion with God. Think about it.

The arrogant believes he is a law unto himself. Refusing to submit to, or even acknowledge the absolutes of God, he is double-minded on the issue of what is right and just. The arrogant finds twisted delight in injustice and sinfulness. If he can be the perpetrator of either, it feeds his insidious sense of superiority. He deceives himself into believing there shall be no reckoning. He, after all, has made himself to be god and master of his fate. But I have seen the arrogant at death’s door, and the terror that filled their eyes was a solemn warning to me.

Love does not rejoice when he sees another suffering injustice. It grieves the tender heart of love and fans the flame of his righteous anger. Love suffers unrighteousness himself without lifting his voice in defensive protestations. Love is the paraclete of the poor and afflicted. Love seeks to lessen the injustice others suffer with comfort, encouragement and hope. Love knows there is a day of accountability when the deeds of all men shall be revealed and rewarded. Love encourages the downtrodden and oppressed to continue doing good in the face of unrighteousness with promised reward for their long-suffering. Love’s delight is unbridled when right prevails, for righteousness is an eternal flame in his bosom. Think about it.

No matter how many psalms and prophetic writings extol the wonderful works of God’s hand in creation, at some point, you will find the connection of God with man. It seems quite evident that God created man just to share His creation with him. I don’t think He did it out of need but out of delight. Delight just must be expressed and shared with another to be full. Just like everything else about Him, God’s delight is pure and holy.

I read an article about the righteousness and holiness of God. The author criticizes other writers who think of God as “friend,” saying that this “sentimental” idea somehow degrades God to the human level. I do agree that we should reverence God for He is holy, righteous, good, etc; but, if God chooses to befriend me, does that make Him less God? The errancy in this kind of thinking lies in the lap of man’s definition, perception and interpretation of God’s intent and character. But, then, man has always been trying to discern intentions and motives, when he can’t see beyond the outward appearance. Taking that position seems more irreverent than considering God a friend. Think about it.

Anxiety is the crippler of a growing faith. It is a fiery dart of our enemy, Satan, aimed at our souls. It cannot be quenched by “positive thinking” or denial. It is quenched by “the shield of faith” when we “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.”

God has built into nature processes that “clothe the grass of the fields” and feed “the birds of the air.” He has not neglected the care of any of His creation. He has not neglected, nor will He neglect, the care of the crowning glory of His creation, mankind. Although the enemy wishes to use anxiety for evil, to turn us away from God, God turns it to our good, if we will seek Him, petition Him and rely on Him. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4). Think about it.

Faith in God constructs a moral steadfastness in a person’s heart that shelters the humble soul in the day of evil. For through faith in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, a moral fiber is woven, by the Holy Spirit, into the spirit of the repentant one; a “breastplate of righteousness” is set as a covering over the heart of God’s child. Moral rectitude, which God supplies through faith in Jesus Christ, braces the one who believes against the onslaughts of the world, the flesh and the devil, leaving him/her free to run the appointed course and finish the race. Thanks be to God! Think about it.

When we think of older people who were fruitful for God, we think of Bible characters like Moses, Abraham, Elizabeth and Anna. Look around today and you will see many like them, some famous like Billy Graham, but many whose names will not appear in print yet they will imprint generations to come with their steadfast faith and godly ways.

It is the mature tree that yields fruit; the healthy tree much good fruit. The righteousness imputed to believers through faith in Jesus Christ, makes us able to begin bearing fruit as soon as we believe and trust. Jesus Christ is the True Vine and mature. When we believe, we are grafted in and the life of the Vine flows through us immediately—His life in us produces the fruit. The longer we abide in Him as He abides in us, the sweeter and more fruitful we will become and the more widespread the knowledge of Our Lord’s merits. Think about it.

The knowledge of good and evil is not the same as righteousness. One may know all about good and evil and still not be righteous in thought, word or deed. The truly righteous one lives by faith in the One True God; knowledge can lead to wickedness. Only the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Saint James said, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
What is so attractive about God’s righteous ones? They have a quality of peace about them; the perfume of life rises from them; the mercy of God flavors all they say and do. With gentle strength their hands do good and their steadfast faith brings hope to the afflicted. Their reasonability and honesty is a harbor for the world-wearied soul. Behind all they do is the pure motive of love for God and for their neighbor. All they do and say brings life and points to the Tree of Life, the Giver of Life. Think about it.

An angry people live with strife and destruction; forgiveness is mightier than the sword. The elements of the pillar of virtue, forbearance, are forgiveness, patience, wisdom and peace. Not only does anger produce strife, it also acts foolishly. Freedom is best upheld by the patient, the wise and the forgiving. Vengeance and retaliation increase bondage and give place to destruction. Forgiveness disarms evil, strengthens peace and crowns freedom. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God.” A son has more power than a slave; the angry man is his own tyrant. Saint James said that the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (Righteousness and virtue are synonymous.) Anger, rather, is a thief, stealing freedom and usurping the authority of freedom's Governor. Anger is more likely to engage sin and wickedness than bring about justice, liberty or virtue. Think about it.

An industrious people will cause freedom to thrive; the slothful will lay it to waste. The natural result of compassion is service, another pillar of virtue. Freedom allows opportunity for service to all mankind. It gives us the choice of whom we will serve—“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. . .” It seems as if freedom also gives us the choice of how we will serve; when we will serve and where we will serve. However, once we decide whom we will serve, then the how, when and where is left to the one we serve. If we serve “as unto the Lord,” great good is accomplished, for God is the Good Master and His wages are eternal life and righteousness. If we choose to serve ourselves or the “god of this age,” great evil will ensue; for the master, Sin, is a harsh taskmaster whose wages are bondage and death. (See Romans 6:16, 22-23) In the house of Freedom you are free to choose whom you will serve. Choose wisely. Think about it.

“But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust”(James 1:14). Self-control is the gatekeeper of the safe-haven of the human spirit. Eve was not led astray by Satan. He merely suggested that God was not good or just. Because Eve would not control her own desires for pleasure, knowledge and power, she “took and ate.” And, Adam, too, would not control his lust. So sin was born to mankind and in its maturity became death. But, there came a “Second Adam,” Jesus Christ, “who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) And God “made Him, who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2Corithians 5:21)

The greatest struggle we will face, the greatest tribulation in this world, is the struggle between spirit and flesh. Are we left to wrestle on our own? No! God in his goodness and righteousness has given us His might through Jesus Christ to be “more than conquerors.” Our Faithful God will not let us, His children, “be tempted beyond what we are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that we may be able to endure it.” (1Corinthians 10:13)

The fruit of self-control in the Christian’s life is like a guiding light to the lost and dying soul, showing the way to the refuge of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord. Is your light shining or has lust overshadowed it? Think about it.

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them,” said Jesus. Fruit is the evidence of the life and kind of the plant that produced it. If I am the “planting of the Lord,” then my fruit will bear witness to it. If I am a “tare,” my fruit will also show evidence of it. In God’s eyes, I am a “planting of righteousness” but I am also in the process of maturing in righteousness. The Holy Spirit dwells in me because I have been made a holy temple” by God, for God. And, He is making me fit for the Tabernacle of the New Jerusalem. (This is still somewhat of a mystery to me).
A tree does not always bear fruit but does have a season of fruitfulness with each cycle of life. So it is with the life of a saint of God. There are seasons of cultivation, pruning, rest and fruit. There are seasons of fruitfulness, by the Spirit, and seasons of struggle with sin and the flesh. If we persevere by faith in doing the will of God, there will be life produced in every season—because God’s grace will see to it. Think about it.

Have you ever contemplated the fact that God created righteousness? He authored its tenets, designed its path and established its goal. Mankind has tried to manufacture an imitation so they could maintain their autonomy from God. They have not only “missed the mark,” they have “slain their brother” in the process. There is One righteous and He is God; one Christ and He is Savior; and, one way of righteousness and that is through faith in Him. Think about it.

Anybody can do something “right” once in awhile. But, to be steadfast in righteousness, that takes a single-focused attitude and a whole-hearted decision. God desires that people choose life; and, the path to life is righteousness. It is entered through the narrow gate of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone. The path remains narrow all the way to the gates of heaven, where it opens upon the broad, glassy sea around God our Father’s throne and eternity in His presence. The path that leads to destruction is broad, seemingly giving its travelers much latitude. Yet, it abruptly ends at a lake of fire, with eternal torment for its pilgrims. Think about it.