Michael continues that righteousness can only be evaluated according to God’s righteous standard of His holy Word. Jesus Christ is “the Word of God” revealed. Our righteousness is not in our flesh, but only in Him. Without Christ, we are men and women of unclean lips. Jesus Christ, who was without sin, became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. In him we live and move and have our being.
Jesus said that unless you have the meekness of a little child, you cannot see the kingdom of heaven. When the rich young ruler said, “what must I do to be saved?” Jesus replied, “you’re still lacking something even though you keep the letter of the law of the Ten Commandments … you must sell all your goods, give the proceeds to the poor, and come and follow me.” You cannot serve two masters. Jesus understood that the rich young ruler lived for his riches and his possessions. He had another god than the one true God. The first and great commandment is “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
Every moment is a moment of conscious decision. The Bible tells us, “for the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that you would.” Every moment is a “come to Jesus” moment. Disappointment is the result of missing our divine appointment to walk in fellowship with Him.
The Bible says that you are slaves to whom you obey. There is a difference between a regular slave and a bond-slave. A regular slave is bound by the law to serve his master by obligation. However, a bond-slave serves his master by the bond of love. Why do you do what you do? Is it because of the law of obligation? Is it because you fear the consequences? If this is the motivation then you are a slave to the flesh and the spirit of fear. However, there is no fear in love for perfect love casts out fear, for fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.
To serve the Lord from a heart of love, we must take up our cross daily and follow Him. Love is not a fleeting feeling. Love requires deliberate, intentional, and purposeful action. Do you say that you believe the first and great commandment to love God above all? Jesus said, in that you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me. Therefore, be kindly affectionate one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you. God has set us within the body of Christ as members in particular, harmoniously-fitted together to serve one another to the building up of the body in love. Jesus said, a new commandment have I give you, that you love one another.
God commands us to delight ourselves in the Lord. When our delight is His delight, only then He will give us the desires of our heart. When our passion and good pleasure is aligned with God’s, then it is God that is working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. Therefore, according to 1 Thessalonians 5, Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you. Quench not the spirit … set yourself ablaze with the power of the Holy Spirit … let your light so shine before men and women so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
May God richly bless you,
Your brother in Christ, Michael
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