Bible Reading: I John 3:1-10
Key Verse: Verse 7 - “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.”
Key
Words: even as he is righteous
We, of
ourselves, have no power or ability to be righteous. Our righteousness comes solely through Jesus
Christ, the Righteous One.
We read in
Romans 4:3, “For what saith the
scripture? Abraham believed God, and it
was counted unto him for righteousness.”
Then in I John
2:29 we read, “If ye know that he is
righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”
Now, this
raises a question: do you hunger and thirst after righteousness?
In the
Antarctic summer of 1908-09, Sir Ernest Shackleton and three companions
attempted to travel to the South Pole from their winter quarters. They set off with four ponies to help carry
the load. Weeks later, with three ponies
dead and rations exhausted, they turned back toward their base camp with their
goal of reaching the South Pole unaccomplished.
Altogether
they traveled for one hundred twenty-seven days. On the return journey, Shackleton recorded in
his journal entitled The Heart of the Antarctic, “We spent time talking
about elaborate feasts, gourmet delights, and sumptuous menus.” As they staggered along suffering from
dysentery and not knowing whether they would survive, every waking hour was
occupied with thoughts of warmth and eating.
Shackleton again recorded, “Jesus, who also knew the ravages of food
deprivation, once said, ‘Blessed are those
who hunger and thirst after righteousness.’”
Shackleton’s
obsession for food offers us a glimpse into the heart of Jesus, and His desire
for us to hunger and thirst for the righteousness only He can give.
Dr. Mike Rouse
What to do:
✞
Do you hunger
and thirst for righteousness with a passion?
✞
Surrender
your life and your will to Jesus today, and
let Him guide you into righteousness.
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