The Word of God for wisdom:
Proverbs 21:3 (HCSB)
Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
The Word of God for inspiration:
Psalm 17:15 (HCSB)
But I will see Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence.
The Word of God for encouragement:
Matthew 5:6 (HCSB)
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled.
My observation:
The choice word for today from the beatitudes is righteousness. The righteousness that Jesus talked to his disciples and followers about is quite different from the righteousness of the religious leaders of the day.
I believe Jesus was talking about his disciples having a hunger and thirst of being filled totally with God that they would completely do God's will. That is the life that Jesus lived before them. He was completely obedient and dependent upon his Father, and he taught his disciples by his talk and his walk that they should follow in his steps.
You say, this is not natural, and I you are right in thinking that. It is from Christ alone and Christ living in our lives that we can be the person that pleases God.
1 Corinthians 2:14 (HCSB)
But the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God's Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually.
1 Corinthians 1:30 (HCSB)
But {it is} from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—{our} righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,
The need then and the need now is for disciples, men and women, who hunger and thirst for righteousness. The need of the church is for people who go deep with God. The need is for total discipleship and total obedience. Shallow Christians and apathetic Christians will not get work of God done.
Take note my dear friends of this teaching of Jesus. What he poured into the lives of those twelve disciples was sufficient for them to accomplish the mission that he gave them. If we hunger and thirst after righteousness, he will enable us to accomplish the mission that he has given us.
My prayer:
Father God, my dear Father, I pray that you would stir up in me the desire to be filled from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet with the presence and the power of God. Father, I need all of Thee, and I pray that I will be willing to give you access to all of me. Father, fill me so that you can use me for your will, and for your glory.
My song:
Take My Life, and Let It Be (Click on link below to listen to this song):
http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/445
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2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
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