Righteousness
We do not use the word "righteousness" very much in every day language. Righteousness is being in right relationship with God and people. It has a lot of aspects, but it is fairly simple to understand, while taking a lot of time and effort to produce.(Hosea 10:12) Is your life characterized by righteousness? Let's think about how that can be the case.
First of all, God has to give us the righteousness of Christ when we trust Him as our Lord and Savior. We have no righteousness on our own. The Bible tells us that our righteousness is like filthy rags. However, as we repent of our sins, put our faith in Jesus as Lord, who died for our sins and arose from the dead, God forgives our sins, and He pronounces us "righteous" before Him. Righteousness is a gift. It is part of salvation by grace through faith.
Then, we are live out that righteousness by being righteous in our attitudes, words, and actions for the rest of our lives on earth. That happens when we intentionally "sow righteousness" for ourselves. We decide to obey God, live by faith in Him and His Word, so that we do what He says. We "break up the fallow ground" in our lives, the areas of our lives that are not producing righteousness. We plow up our lives. We change what we have been doing. It is hard. It is work, but it is worth the results. We "reap in mercy." God gives us a harvest of righteousness in our lives, even though we do not deserve it. Then, after time of plowing and sowing, God "rains righteousness" on us. By the power of the Spirit He builds into our lives the ability to do the right things toward Him and others. These things do not just come naturally. It is the result of our work and God's blessing.
That is why the prophet Hosea told God's people, "It is time to seek the Lord." We must seek Him, His will, His ways. We must change from our ways to His ways by His power. Then, we can live a life that bears the fruit of righteousness, which are the huge blessings He rains on us, because we have sowed righteousness in our lives. When we see a person at peace with God, loving the Lord and others, having self-discipline and joy, it did not just happen. God did not just touch that person with a magic wand and "poof," they were living out righteousness. We can know it took time, and now, they are enjoying the harvest. They are basking in the rain of God on their lives.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hosea 11-13.
First of all, God has to give us the righteousness of Christ when we trust Him as our Lord and Savior. We have no righteousness on our own. The Bible tells us that our righteousness is like filthy rags. However, as we repent of our sins, put our faith in Jesus as Lord, who died for our sins and arose from the dead, God forgives our sins, and He pronounces us "righteous" before Him. Righteousness is a gift. It is part of salvation by grace through faith.
Then, we are live out that righteousness by being righteous in our attitudes, words, and actions for the rest of our lives on earth. That happens when we intentionally "sow righteousness" for ourselves. We decide to obey God, live by faith in Him and His Word, so that we do what He says. We "break up the fallow ground" in our lives, the areas of our lives that are not producing righteousness. We plow up our lives. We change what we have been doing. It is hard. It is work, but it is worth the results. We "reap in mercy." God gives us a harvest of righteousness in our lives, even though we do not deserve it. Then, after time of plowing and sowing, God "rains righteousness" on us. By the power of the Spirit He builds into our lives the ability to do the right things toward Him and others. These things do not just come naturally. It is the result of our work and God's blessing.
That is why the prophet Hosea told God's people, "It is time to seek the Lord." We must seek Him, His will, His ways. We must change from our ways to His ways by His power. Then, we can live a life that bears the fruit of righteousness, which are the huge blessings He rains on us, because we have sowed righteousness in our lives. When we see a person at peace with God, loving the Lord and others, having self-discipline and joy, it did not just happen. God did not just touch that person with a magic wand and "poof," they were living out righteousness. We can know it took time, and now, they are enjoying the harvest. They are basking in the rain of God on their lives.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hosea 11-13.