JANUARY 24

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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Psalm 145:19

“He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He also will hear their cry and save them.”

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. …

Ephesians 4: 29-32

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.   And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.   Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.   And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Romans 12:2

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

1 Corinthians 11:31-32

“For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”

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This month we’re reading  the new devotional   “Becoming New”,  written by  Warren W. Wiersbe and compiled by his grandson.  Pastor Wiersbe was the President of Moody Bible Institute before the current President, Erwin Lutzer.  

THE CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM

Read Matthew 5

The “Kingdom of God” is not a geographic region but the RULE OF GOD IN THIS WORLD AS HE WORKS IN AND THROUGH HIS OBEDIENT PEOPLE.  You enter God’s kingdom by spiritual rebirth when you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior from your sins and submit to Him for your life, and you extend God’s kingdom by obeying Christ.  The Lord’s “constitution” for the citizens of His kingdom is what is known as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7).  Three factors are involved in successful “kingdom living” in this world.

CHARACTER (Matthew 5:1-12).  Being born into God’s kingdom is a crisis experience, but it leads to a process that changes us to become more like Christ as we produce the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5 :22-23).   “Beatitude” comes from the Latin word meaning “happiness,” and true happiness comes from holiness within us and not from happenings around us.  Because we seek these spiritual blessings, the world thinks we are crazy and persecutes us, Matthew 5:10-12), but that’s the way they treated Jesus.  The world celebrates pride and not humility, material wealth and not spiritual wealth, sensual pleasure and not spiritual peace, and a life free from trial and opposition.  The world’s citizens need to be born again and receive a new nature within, which leads us to our second factor:

INFLUENCE (Matthew 5:13-16)

True Christian character cannot be hidden from the world, and therefore it exerts a powerful influence on the world.  Jesus used three images to teach us about personal influence.  Salt works quietly and invisibly to prevent decay, to give flavor, and to create thirst.  If there were more salt in society, there would be less moral decay and more godly “flavor” to life.  It would also make people thirsty for what is real.  Instead, we are surrounded by decay in almost every area of life, and there is no evidence things are improving.

 Light, of course, exposes what is wrong (Ephesians 4:17-32), which explains why those walking in darkness hate us.  Light helps to show the way.  Jesus said that our good works shine like lights that glorify the Father, and they should shine brightest at home.  God’s people must be like a city on a hill so that everyone can see us, working together to serve and help others as we point the way to Christ.

FREEDOM (Matthew 5:17-47). 

If we are to build character and exert Godly influence, we must begin in our own hearts to conquer sin, for actions are born from attitudes.   Hatred is the moral equivalent of murder, and lust of adultery, fornication, and divorce.  If our words must be supported by vows, we have abandoned truth, and if “getting even” and “paying back” motivate us, we have abandoned love.

These negative sinful attitudes destroy character and influence and trap us in the ways of the world. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. (Romans 12:2).  If we think like the world, we will live like the world and possibly be condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:31-32).

But if we yield to godly character. We experience the freedom and the fruitfulness of the Spirit, and we will prove our citizenship in His kingdom.

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