By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
GEMS FOR MEDITATION AND PRAYER
THEME FOR THE WEEK: COUNSELS FROM THE PSALMS: PART I
SUNDAY
THEME: ASPIRING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS“
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:33
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
REFLECTIONS
The Old and New Testaments complement each other in providing insight and understanding of God’s word. As a rule of thumb, righteousness is necessary for everyone who comes to God and desires to walk with Him. Genesis gives us the background of our fall and reveals God’s eternal plan to rescue and restore humanity’s lost glory. In the Old Testament, we read about the prophecies to be fulfilled, and in the New Testament, we have the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Key and central to all these revelations is our salvation. What preoccupies God most is our salvation.
To keep our focus on salvation, Psalm 1 contrasts the way of the righteous and the end of the wicked. Psalms 1:1-3 states, “[1]Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; [2]But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. [3]He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” No one can be righteous independent of God. The grace of God turns a wicked sinner into a righteous saint.
Therefore, righteousness represents a relationship with Jesus, whose righteousness is imparted to us (1 Corinthians 1:30,31; Romans 5:19). Paul puts it succinctly in 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” It is both a blessing and a happy experience to walk in the path of righteousness. To have this spiritual and transformational experience, one needs to meditate day and night on the word of God that reveals His will. The word of God fortifies faith, affirms trust, and strengthens character. Anyone who feeds on the word of God will be adequately nourished spiritually and physically and will prosper in their ways.
Let a closer walk with Jesus be your utmost desire; pursue it with all seriousness and vigor, and you will “be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.” You will not be bothered by drought – you will be watered and flourish. Your life will be a blessing to people and an honor to God. When all the struggles of life are over, what will stand for you is your righteousness – CHARACTER – the evidence of the relationship between you and Jesus Christ.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
“Just a Closer Walk With Thee” – Patsy Cline
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His mercies; thank Jesus for the privilege to walk with Him; pray for a more intimate walk with Jesus each day;
– Pray for your family and other families – wish them well in the Lord;
– Pray for victims of wars and disasters that through their sufferings, they will find God;
– Pray for Christ’s righteousness to encompass our nation’s leadership and citizens and for divine healing for those not in good health.
