Instructions in Righteousness

Love is the Greatest

I will not leave you comfortless:
I will come to you.
Joh 14:18


How is the Christian supposed to live? What can we do to be pleasing to God and serving others? How do we work out our salvation? What is the heart of the law?

Jesus told us to search the Scriptures so that we may have life. If we are faithful in the searching, let us be faithful in the doing. It is a great blessing to have knowledge, and it is even greater wisdom to know that we will be judged by the Word we read, study and memorize.

If we know hating a brother is murder, can we continue in hatred and live? The Bible provides the answer.

Scriptures teach us that to lust is sin, so why are we desirous of things that have not been given to us? The Word of God will show us the path to contentment.

If I believe I have faith to move a mountain, why can’t I praise God during a crisis? We can learn from Job‘s example and many others.

If it is written that I must follow peace with all men, why don’t I do it? The way of peace is found within the pages of The Book.

We will find the answers to these questions, and numerous others, if we continue in His Word.

Jesus told His disciples:

I have yet many things to say unto you,
but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:12

He then promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would lead them into the Truth of ALL things. We have the same promise today, and the believer receives the same indwelling of the Comforter as did those disciples, who will teach us about sin, about judgment and righteousness.

The Bible is the instrument God has chosen to reveal His will to the entire world, and His knowledge has filled the earth, as was prophesied. Our instructions in righteousness are revealed within these pages, as are historical references of a people who either received the rewards of faithfulness or the consequences of rebellion.
The scripture is God-breathed, uttered to men and preserved for thousands of years in scrolls, and later in books. Our generation has the benefit of great technology, where we can access any scripture, at any given moment, utilizing any multitude of languages, definitions and dictionaries. However we choose to read the Bible, and in whatever generation it is received -- the dominant theme throughout its pages are unveiled -- reconciliation in Christ. It is the greatest love story mankind has ever known or ever will. The Creator of the heavens and the earth became flesh in the person of Christ Jesus, who loved us, who died for us, and who washed us in His own blood. After His resurrection, the disciples were told to wait for Him and pray until the promise of the Father was given. The Comforter. The Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Truth. The Spirit of God. The Spirit of Christ. The Ruach. The breath of God. The Word.

He has not left us as orphans, He has come to us.

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood:
and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:13

Every word of God is pure:
he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Pro 30:5

All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:16

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God. Where do we begin? How do we end?

Master, which is the great commandment

in the law?
Jesus said unto him,

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:36-39

Now the end of the commandment
is charity out of a pure heart,
and of a good conscience,
and of faith unfeigned:
1Ti 1:5

Brethren, I write no new

commandment unto you,
but an old commandment

which ye had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word
which ye have heard from the beginning.
Again, a new commandment

I write unto you,
which thing is true in him and in you:
because the darkness is past,

and the true light now shineth.
He that saith he is in the light,

and hateth his brother,
is in darkness even until now.
He that loveth his brother

abideth in the light,
and there is none occasion

of stumbling in him.
But he that hateth his brother

is in darkness,
and walketh in darkness,
and knoweth not whither he goeth,
because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
1Jn 2:7-11

Beloved, let us love one another:

for love is of God;
and every one that loveth is born of God,

and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God;

for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God

toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world,
that we might live through him.
Herein is love,

not that we loved God,

but that he loved us,
and sent his Son

to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us,

we ought also to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time.
If we love one another,

God dwelleth in us,
and his love is perfected in us.

1Jn 4:7-12





Morning Manna
January 16, 2008