BIBLE PASSAGE:
“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you
will certainly not enter the kingdom of Heaven.”
(Matthew 5:20)
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Have you ever thought about what happens when you have received
salvation from God? You will develop a new attitude. Your priorities
will change – pleasing the Lord becomes your number one priority.
You will yield your life to the Lord and you will have a new desire to
serve Him. You will want to spend more time with the Lord (through
prayer, worship, and reading the bible).
You will transition from a life of ‘unrighteousness’, to a life of
‘righteousness’. It is a sincere righteousness that is given to you
from God Himself. This righteousness is received through faith
in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God, and all are justified freely by his grace through
the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
(Romans 3:22-24)
The scriptures tell us that we are all sinners and we have fallen
short of the glory of God. However the arrival of Jesus gave us
an opportunity to change our relationship with God. Jesus opened
the door for us to change our eternal destiny, when He went to the
cross and became a living sacrifice for our sins.
Some people ‘think’ they have been saved, but they still have doubts
of their Christianity. It is essential for everyone to be sure they belong
to the Lord. Some will talk and act like they are Christians, but their
lives haven’t been changed in some very important ways.
They are not ‘poor in spirit’
(in other words, they have not become humble).
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”
(Matthew 5:3)
They do not ‘mourn’
(in other words, they are not grieved deeply about sin).
“Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted”
(Matthew 5:4)
They are not ‘meek’
(in other words, they have not developed a gentle spirit).
“Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth”
(Matthew 5:5)
They do not have a ‘hunger and thirst for righteousness’.
“Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled”
(Matthew 5:6)
As Jesus told us in Matthew 5:20, we need to have a greater
righteousness than those who claim to be believers, but do
not have a close relationship with the Lord. Our actions
show if we have this kind of hunger and thirst.
If we do not have a ‘hunger and thirst’ to pray, read the bible,
and worship the Lord, then our desire for righteousness is in
question. Jesus says that if the desire is not there, then we will
not enter the kingdom of Heaven.
We cannot ‘mold’ God’s standards to fit our personal preferences
and desires. Rather than trying to achieve righteousness in our own
way, we need to follow God’s guidelines until we have developed a
natural desire to do the things He expects of us.
They are not ‘merciful’
(in other words, they are not forgiving and compassionate).
“Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy”
(Matthew 5:7)
They are not ‘pure in heart’
(in other words, they do not have clean thoughts that please God).
“Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God”
(Matthew 5:8)
They are not ‘peacemakers’
(in other words, they do not abstain from arguments and anger).
“Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God”
(Matthew 5:9)
They are not ‘persecuted because of righteousness’
(in other words, they do not experience pressure from
others to forsake their faith and do things that displease God).
That word ‘righteousness’ appears again.
Why? Because entering Heaven depends on it.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted
because of righteousness, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven”
(Matthew 5:10)
ACTION POINT:
Before the fall of Rome, there was a lot of talk about religion,
but few practiced it. When God saves us, we begin a new type
of journey that requires many changes. It is all a part of God’s
sanctification process, where He purges us of ‘unrighteousness’,
and fills us with His ‘righteousness’.
It is not a ‘one and done’ event, but it is a continual process until
He calls us home. Some of the changes will be uncomfortable and
possibly painful, because we are required to change from the words,
thoughts, actions, and routines we have had in the past.
But, many of the changes will be exciting and rewarding as we discover
more about God and His will for our lives. We will have a new purpose
for living and it will encourage us more each day. In addition, we will
discover that God has given us a desire, and the ability to encourage
others, as we transition from an attitude of ‘selfishness’ to a new one
of ‘selflessness’.
How does your Christian life compare with the requirements
listed in the meditation section above? Do you have your own
kind of righteousness, or do you follow God’s guidelines for
living the Christian life? Do you have a new righteousness
that you fabricated, or is it a gift from God?
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I do not want to miss out on entering Heaven.
Make me aware of any areas in my life where my righteousness
is not the kind of righteousness You expect of believers. Let me
know if I have not received righteousness from You. May I be
worthy to bear the name Christian!”
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