OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL-MONDAY-25/07/2016-RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OPTIONAL-BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OPTIONAL
Memorise
As
righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own
death. Proverbs 11:19
Read
Hosea
10:12,
12 Sow
to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for
it is time to seek the Lord, till
he come and rain righteousness upon you.
KJV
MESSAGE
It is
interesting to note that the righteousness that mankind has detested from
generation to generation, right from the fall, is not optional! Many scholars
have endeavoured to explain away what righteousness entails and play down its
importance to the point that sermons that encourage righteous living are now
scarce. Sweet and pet talks have replaced sermons that demand righteous living.
This is why St. Paul admonished his spiritual son, Timothy thus:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come
when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they
heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”
2nd Timothy 4:2-3
There are
some lessons to be learnt from the above scripture; firstly, sermons that will
produce righteous living must contain reproof, rebuke, exhortation and
doctrine. Secondly, there is a time in the life of a Christian pilgrim when he
will have to make himself intentionally available to reproof and rebuke. This
is because, after a long stay in the Church environment, which might have
earned him titles, he might no longer be teachable. Thirdly, righteous living
required indoctrination; doctrines that are sound. In other words, there are
doctrines that are not sound. So, believers must beware of doctrines of the
devil.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils;”
1st Timothy 4:1
Today, some
children of God make righteousness an optional virtue to their own danger
because the scripture cannot be broken. It says:
“Fellow peace with all men, and holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord”
Hebrews 12:14
Beloved, it
is true we shall be ultimately saved by grace. This is why we must pray for
that grace to live righteously without struggle, because there is no grace is
struggle. This is what makes the Christians faith unique. Our God is able to
help us live for Him if we are willing and obedient. If we will not rationalise
sin but admit it as it is and cry to God for help. The Bible says:
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath
appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
Titus 2:11-12
I pray that
as you desire righteousness today, the grace of God will bring it upon your
life in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Point
Father, let your grace
abound in my heart so that I may begin to live life pleasing to you as from now
in Jesus’ name.
Bible in one year
Colossians 1-4, Psalms
19:1-6
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